Box Score
EUGENE, Ore. --- The Oregon Ducks had to fight back from a first-half deficit to defeat the Portland Pilots 64-55 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Monday night at McArthur Court. Junior Laiken Dollente hit four of five three-pointers to lead the Pilots with 18 points.
The game was originally scheduled for Dec. 22, but was postponed by the winter weather.
Portland (10-10) led for most of the first half en route to a 32-25 advantage at the break. Sophomore Tara Cronin had the early hot hand for the Pilots and finished with eight points during the game’s first 20 minutes. Dollente was feeling it from downtown, hitting all three of her three-pointers to lead the Pilots with nine points at the break.
But Oregon (8-11) opened the second half on a 10-2 run to climb back into the game and take the lead. But the Pilots wouldn’t falter and re-claim a one-point lead moments later on a jumper by sophomore Jessica Clemens that made it 43-42 in Portland’s favor with 12:37 remaining.
Oregon’s Micaela Cocks, who was on fire in the second half, would respond with a jumper of her own to give the lead back to the Ducks. But Oregon couldn’t shake the Ducks and led by just once after Clemens hit a big three-pointer from the top of the key to make it a 53-52 game with 6:52 showing on the clock.
The Clemens’ three would be the last field goal for the Pilots the rest of the way as the Ducks sealed the win with a game-ending 11-3 run.
UP, which shot 42 percent in the first half, cooled off after the break and finished 37.3 percent (22-for-59) from the floor. The Pilots hit eight three-pointers and went just 3-for-9 from the line.
Oregon, which was 13-for-20 from the free throw line, won the game from the charity stripe. The Ducks shot 42.9 percent (21-for-49) overall and went 9-for-14 on three’s.
Dollente finished 6-for-10 overall and went 2-for-3 from the line. Cronin finished with 11 points. Senior Karlie Burris had six rebounds and six assists.
Cocks led all scorers with 22 points. She went 6-for-7 from behind the three-point arc. Lindsey Saffold notched career highs of 14 points and nine rebounds and Amanda Johnson added 12 points and eight boards.
Oregon held a 38-35 edge in rebounds, while UP won the battle of turnovers 18-21.
The Pilots next return to play in the West Coast Conference with a pair of road games this week. On Thursday, Portland travels to San Diego, Calif., for a 7:00 p.m. game against the San Diego Toreros. The Pilots conclude their trip to California with a 2:00 p.m. game on Saturday against the Saint Mary’s Gaels in Moraga. UP, USD and SMC all enter the weekend with a 3-2 league mark.
