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Game Information
The Portland vs. No. 18 Gonzaga basketball game with first place on the line in the West Coast Conference officially sold out on Tuesday. There are still plenty of options for fans to catch the game as it will be televised live on Thursday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2, streamed live on espn360.com and on the radio locally through AM970 ‘The Talker.’ The Pilots (15-7, 6-1 WCC) are off to their best WCC start in school history and have won six straight games after dismantling then-No. 18 Saint Mary’s, 84-66, on Saturday. It was the first win over a ranked opponent for Portland since 1981 and improved the team’s home record to 10-1. Gonzaga (16-4, 7-0) has won eight consecutive outings, including a 67-50 victory over Portland in Spokane earlier this year to open WCC play. It was the Pilots’ last loss.
About The Pilots
The Pilots (15-7, 6-1) extended their winning streak to six games with a convincing 84-66 victory over then-No. 18 Saint Mary’s at the Chiles Center on Saturday. It was the first win over a ranked opponent since 1981. That followed a 69-55 win over the San Diego Toreros Thursday night. At 6-1, Portland is off to its best start to WCC play in program history and alone in second place in the league standings. Portland has won eight of its last nine games and is 10-1 at home. The Pilots have already matched their highest season win total since posting a 19-11 record and going to the 1996 NCAA Tournament. The 2004 Pilots finished at 15-15 overall. One more wins will also guarantee Portland’s first above-.500 season since finishing 14-13 in 1998.
Junior G Nik Raivio earned WCC Player of the Week honors after going for 27 points and five rebounds against the Gaels and 17 points and nine boards against the Toreros. Raivio leads four Pilots averaging double figures and is fourth in the WCC in scoring at 16.5 points per game. Sophomore G Jared Stohl is 14th in the conference in scoring (11.9), while junior F Robin Smeulders is 16th (11.0). Stohl also paces in the league in three-pointers made per game (3.0) and ranks sixth nationally in three-point percentage (.462, min. 2.5 per game).
Junior PG T.J. Campbell has been a strong addition to the roster and averages 10.7 points and 4.9 assists. A Glendale (Ariz.) Junior College transfer, Campbell leads the WCC in three-point percentage (.522) and is among the conference leaders in seven statistical categories.
Portland leads the WCC and ranks seventh nationally in three-point percentage (.406). The Pilots also lead the league in three-pointers made (7.9) and assists (15.0) and are second in field goal percentage (.463) and rebounding defense (30.3). The team’s 70.7 points per game average is third in the league and 7.6 points higher than last year’s average.
The Pilots cracked the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 for the first time and are No. 24 this week. Portland has put itself in contention for a top half of the WCC finish and 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 Pilots play 11 games this season against teams that advanced to postseason play last year.
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.
About No. 18 Gonzaga
The Bulldogs (16-4, 7-0) have won eight straight games and are ranked No. 18 in both the Associated Press and Coaches’ Poll. Last week, Gonzaga knocked off then-No. 18 Saint Mary’s (69-62) and San Diego (64-47). Gonzaga leads the league in scoring (78.2), field goal percentage (.476) and field goal percentage defense (.362) and is second in the conference in scoring defense (61.1). Senior C Josh Heytvelt leads four Zags’ averaging double figures at 14.4 points per game and 6.8 rebounds. Sophomore F Austin Daye adds 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds. Junior G Matt Bouldin was named the WCC Player of the Month for January and is averaging 13.1 points per game, while reining WCC Player of the Year Jeremy Pargo adds 9.3 points and a WCC-leading 5.6 assists. Gonzaga was once again picked to win the WCC in the preseason coaches poll and is 3-1 against ranked opponents this year. Head coach Mark Few is in his 10th year at the helm and has led GU to the NCAA playoffs each year. Few posts a 245-64 career record and has led the Bulldogs three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.
Portland-Gonzaga Series Notes
All-Time: GON leads 83-65
At GON: GON leads 40-22
At UP: UP leads 34-31
At Neutral: GON leads 3-2
At Unknown: GON leads 9-7
Current Streak: GON, 11 wins
Last Meeting: Gonzaga 67, Portland 50 (1/10/09, at Gonzaga)
