Complete Release
Game Information
The University of Portland men’s basketball team is two wins away from clinching sole possession of second place and earning a double-bye to the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals. It will be a tough task as the Pilots conclude the regular season with road games at San Diego and Santa Clara. Portland and San Diego (14-14, 5-7) meet on Thursday at 7 p.m., while the Pilots and Santa Clara (14-15, 6-6) square off on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both games will be televised on Comcast SportsNet Northwest (Comcast 37), while Saturday’s game will also be available on Comcast California (DirecTV 696/Dish Network 419). All Pilot games are on the radio at AM 970 with Tom Kolker calling the action.
About The Pilots
The Pilots (18-9, 9-3) maintain a half game lead for second place in the WCC standings after sweeping Pepperdine (74-55) and LMU (73-65) at the Chiles Center last week. Junior PG T.J. Campbell continued his stellar play with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists against Pepperdine. Junior G Nik Raivio added 11 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore center Kramer Knutson added 10 points. A total of 10 different Pilots scored in the game as Portland held Pepperdine to 23 percent shooting from the field. Five players reached double figures against LMU, led by Knutson’s career-high 19 points. Raivio added a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards, while the Pilots made 6-of-12 three-pointers and shot 55 percent.
Portland has won 11 of its last 14 games and has secured the program’s highest season win total since posting a 19-11 record and going to the 1996 NCAA Tournament. The nine league victories are tied for the second most in program history, trailing on the 1995 season (10-4). The Pilots are two wins shy of only their second 20-win season at the Division I level.
Portland ranks third nationally as a team in three-point shooting (.415), while Stohl is fifth in the nation individually (.465, min. 2.5 per game). Stohl leads the WCC in three-pointers made (2.9), while Campbell paces the conference in three-point percentage (.552) and is second in assists (4.9). Raivio leads four Pilots averaging double figures and is fourth in the WCC in scoring at 16.0 points per game.
The Pilots also lead the league in three-pointers made (8.0) and assists (15.3). The team’s 71.0 points per game is third in the league and 7.9 points higher than last year’s average.
Portland has put itself in contention for a top half of the WCC finish and at least a first round bye at the WCC Tournament, which is to be played at a neutral site (Las Vegas, Nev.) for the first time in history. The top two seeds earn two byes and an automatic semifinals appearance. Portland currently has a half game lead over Saint Mary’s for second place in the league standings and control’s its own destiny for a second-place finish.
Head coach Eric Reveno returns 80 percent of the team’s scoring and 87 percent of its rebounding from last year’s squad. Picked to finish sixth in the WCC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Reveno’s roster features eight underclassmen and no seniors.
One of the main focuses for the program throughout the offseason was improving in the weight room. The results are noticeable, as every player has either added good basketball weight or dropped pounds, if necessary. The Pilots play 11 games this season against teams that advanced to postseason play last year.
About San Diego
The Toreros (14-14, 5-7) enter Thursday night’s game tied for fifth-place in the league standings, a game behind Santa Clara. The Toreros have lost six of their last eight games, but played well last weekend. USD was edged at Saint Mary’s (65-61) on Thursday before knocking off Pacific (66-60) in an ESPN Bracketbusters’ game on Saturday. Senior C Gyno Pomare led four Toreros in double figures against the Tigers with 16 points and USD made 9-of-15 three-pointers. Pomare had 25 points and eight rebounds in the loss at Saint Mary’s.
It has been a tough season for San Diego and second-year head coach Bill Grier, which returned all five starters from a 2008 team that won the WCC Tournament and defeated Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs. USD lost All-WCC guard Brandon Johnson to a season-ending injury (left Achilles‘ tendon) eight games into the season and sophomore PG Trumaine Johnson (11.6 ppg) missed the last two games and is no longer on the active roster.
Pomare leads the Toreros in scoring at 14.0 points along with 6.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore F Rob Jones adds 9.3 ppg and junior G De’Jon Jackson chips in 8.4 ppg. San Diego is limiting opponents to just 60.7 points per game. The Toreros have posted impressive non-conference wins over Nevada (65-51), Oregon (64-57) and Mississippi State (64-61).
Portland-San Diego Series Notes
All-Time: USD leads 41-23
At USD: USD leads 20-9
At UP: USD leads 19-13
At Neutral: USD leads 2-1
Current Streak: UP, 1 win
Last Five: USD leads 4-1
Last Meeting: Portland 69, San Diego 55 (1/24/09, at Portland)
