Game Information
The University of Portland Pilots host the Gonzaga University Bulldogs in a nationally televised West Coast Conference men’s basketball game Monday evening. The Pilots and Bulldogs tip-off at 8 p.m. live on ESPN2. Terry Gannon and Stephen Bardo will call the action. Portland enters the contest having lost three straight, while Gonzaga is tied atop the league standings with No. 20 Saint Mary’s. Earlier this season in Spokane, the Bulldogs beat the Pilots bya 79-41 margin. All Pilots games are available on the radio at 1410 KBNP AM and simulcast live for free at portlandpilots.com.
About The Pilots
The Pilots (8-19, 2-9 WCC) lost a pair of WCC road games last weekend, falling at San Diego (78-61) and San Francisco (73-60). A slow start spotted the Toreros a 14-0 lead before Portland stopped the bleeding on Saturday. The Pilots trailed by as much as 22 points in the second half, but forced some turnovers to cut the margin to 11 before San Diego pulled away in the final minutes. Freshman F Luke Sikma scored a season-high 17 points, with six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Portland again battled back from a 14-point second half deficit on Monday at USF and briefly gained a one point lead before losing in the closing minutes. Sophomore G Nik Raivio led the way with 16 points, while Sikma grabbed 12 rebounds.
Sikma is fifth in the WCC in rebounding (7.4) and is shooting 57 percent from the field. He has made 17-of-19 shots in the last five games and is averaging 11 points and nine rebounds in the last three outings. Fellow freshman Jared Stohl was inserted into the starting lineup for the last five games and is averaging 11.6 points during the span.
Raivio leads the Pilots in scoring at 13.1 per game. He has reached double figures in 17 of the last 24 games, including four 20-point outings.
Forward Sherrard Watson is the only senior on the Pilots’ roster and adds 9.6 points per game. Watson is also shooting 78 percent from the free throw line, up from 59 percent as a junior.
Sophomore F Robin Smeulders contributes 9.8 points per game along with 6.4 rebounds. He has started the last five games after coming off the bench in the first 22 outings. He sat out last season after his amateur status was questioned by the NCAA because of his affiliation with a German club team. Smeulders does have international experience with the Dutch National Team. He has played with the Under-20 team at the last two European Championships and was named to the senior Dutch National Team this past summer.
Despite not having a single post player with Division I game experience entering the season,
Portland posts a positive rebounding margin (+3.5) for the second straight year. The Pilots have outrebounded 19 of 27 opponents thus far this season.
In Portland’s eight wins, the Pilots are limiting teams to 38 percent shooting and 27 percent from three-point range. In 19 losses, opponents are shooting 49 percent from the floor and 43 percent from long range.
Coach Eric Reveno’s roster features 10 underclassmen (including six true freshmen), one senior and two juniors. It is the eighth youngest roster in the nation according to kenpom.com. Reveno also received a signed National Letter of Intent from Toronto high school standout guard Nemanja Mitrovic (6-5, 190) during the early signing period in November.
About Gonzaga
The Bulldogs (21-6, 10-1) are tied atop the WCC standings with 20th-ranked Saint Mary’s after sweeping San Francisco and San Diego on the road last weekend. Gonzaga’s lone loss in conference was at Saint Mary’s, 89-85, in overtime. The Bulldogs defeated Portland in Spokane by a 79-41 margin on Jan. 28. Freshman Austin Daye came off the bench to score 19 points and grab 13 rebounds in that victory. Sophomore G/F Matt Bouldin leads four players in double figure scoring at 13.0 per game. Junior PG Jeremy Pargo adds 11.6 points and 6.3 assists per game, while day chips in 11.3 points. GU leads the WCC in scoring (77.4), defensive field goal percentage (.393) and rebounding margin (+5.3). Head coach Mark Few is in his ninth season at the helm and has led the Zags to the NCAA Tournament all eight years along with seven consecutive WCC titles regular season titles.
Portland-Gonzaga Series Notes
All-Time: GON leads 81-65
At UP: UP leads 34-30
At GON: GON leads 39-22
At Neutral: GON leads 3-2
At Unknown: GON leads 9-7
Current Streak: GON, 9 wins
Last Meeting: Gonzaga 79, Portland 41 (1/28/08, at Gonzaga)
