Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland shot 52 percent from the floor, senior Laiken Dollente matched a season high with 23 points and sophomore Natalie Day came through with some timely steals and some clutch buckets as the Pilots defeated the Boise State Broncos 76-65 in a non-conference women’s basketball game at the Chiles Center on Sunday afternoon. 13 of Day’s 15 points came in the second half to help the Pilots pull away from the Broncos, who were receiving votes in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls this week.
Portland wins its second straight game to improve to 5-3 on the year. Boise State, which opened the season with seven consecutive wins, drops its second straight in the state of Oregon to fall to 7-2.
The Pilots led 36-32 at the half before Boise State pulled within 42-40 with 14:38 remaining. That’s when Day hit a jumper, junior post Lauren Angel connected from the baseline and Day made a steal at half-court before racing the other way for a lay-up, pushing the UP lead to 48-40.
Moments later, a pair of free throws by sophomore forward Alexis Gannis made it a ten-point game, Portland’s biggest lead to that point.
But the feisty Broncos refused to go away and were only down four, 63-59, after Jessica Van Hoogen hit one of her five three-pointers with just 2:49 left to play.
On Portland’s ensuing possession, Gannis ripped down a huge offensive rebound and made good on the put back to give the Pilots a little breathing room. Day followed with another steal at half-court and an uncontested lay-up to make it an eight-point lead with two minutes to play.
From there, the Pilots came up with a handful of defensive stops and went seven of eight from the free throw line down the stretch to seal the 11-point win.
Dollente hit six of 10 from the field and went a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line to score 23 points for the second time in a week. She also handed out four assists and made three steals.
Day came alive in the second half to finish 7-for-12. She matched Dollente with three steals as the Pilots forced Boise State into 23 turnovers and just 30.3 percent (20-for-66) shooting, a season-low for a Portland opponent.
UP sophomore guard ReZina TecleMariam was also efficient from the field as she hit five of just seven shots en route to 15 points. She hit 3-for-4 from behind the three-point arc.
Gannis, who ranks second in the West Coast Conference in rebounding, had nine boards to go along with eight points. Angel also scored eight points.
The Pilots went 28-for-54 from the field to shoot better than 50 percent for the first time this season. UP was also on from the free throw line, going 15-for-18, while hitting five three-pointers.
The Broncos were seven of 23 from downtown and went 18-for-24 from the line. Van Hoogen finished with 23 points, while Janie Bos had a game-high 10 rebounds to help Boise State to a 39-35 advantage in boards.
Portland next hits the road for just the third time this season. The Pilots are set to play at Idaho on Friday and at Washington State on Sunday.
