Box Score I Photos

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland’s ReZina TecleMariam scored a team-high 16 points and Nakeisha Brown came alive in the second half with 12 points to help the Pilots remain perfect on the year with a 62-51 win over the Air Force Falcons at the Chiles Center on Saturday afternoon. Portland begins the season 4-0 for the first time since 2001-02 and for only the third time in program history.

 

Both teams opened the game frigid from the floor, with the Pilots nursing a slim 24-21 lead at the half. The Pilots were then able to hit some shots in the second half, led by Brown who scored a career-high 22 points during Thursday night’s win over Washington State.

 

Brown hit a couple of three’s, made a short jumper in the key and hit a long two as Portland was able to push the lead to 47-36 with under ten minutes to play. After the Falcons cut the lead back down to single digits, TecleMariam drove to the hole and hit a tough lay-up while getting fouled. Her and-one free throw made it a 10-point game and pretty much put the game out of reach.

 

The lead would eventually grow to 16 as Portland’s Natalie Day hit a handful of free throws and Lauren Angel hit a short turn-around jumper in the paint.

 

After shooting just 27.6 percent in the first half, the Pilots finished 19-for-56 (33.9 percent) for the game. UP was also seven of 22 on three-pointers and 17-for-26 at the line.

 

TecleMariam didn’t seem to struggle from the floor as she hit five of eight shots overall and three of five from three-point range. The junior guard flirted with her second straight double-double, finishing with seven steals. She also handed out a game-high five assists.

 

All 12 of Brown’s points came in the second half. The junior guard was 5-for-11 overall and 2-for-4 on three’s.

 

Air Force (1-3) was led by Kelsey Burger, who scored 17 points. Dymond James had a game-high 15 rebounds to help the Falcons to a 43-33 advantage on the glass. Portland was without the services of its top rebounder Alexis Gannis, who missed her second straight game with the flu.

 

Air Force was 23-for-57 (40.4 percent) from the floor, one of 10 on three-pointers and just 4-for-9 from the foul line. The Falcons were also hampered by 24 turnovers, which led to 23 points for the Pilots.

 

Portland, which got nine points from Day and seven each from freshmen Amy Pupa and Cassandra Brown, held a sizeable 24-6 advantage in bench points. Pupa led the Pilots with six rebounds.

 

The Pilots next warp-up their three-game homestand on Monday night against the Oregon Ducks. Tip-off at the Chiles Center is set for 7:00 p.m.