Complete Release I Live Video I Live Audio
Portland Pilots (8-3) at Portland State Vikings (6-3)
December 18, 2010 • 7:00 PM • Portland, Ore. (Stott Center - 1,500)
Radio: 800 AM (KPDQ)
Live Video: www.b2tv.com
Live Audio: PortlandPilots.com
Series: UP leads 31-17
Last Meeting: PSU 86, UP 82 (2009-10 at UP)
This Week in Pilots Hoops…
The Portland Pilots (8-3) visit crosstown rival Portland State (6-3) on Saturday night to conclude their fourth consecutive road game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Stott Center. Portland enters the game having won four of its last five games, with the lone loss coming on at No. 21 Washington. Portland State is 4-0 at home this season and has won six straight at home dating back to last season.
Game Coverage
All Portland games will be aired live on the radio in the Portland market on 800 AM (KPDQ) with Bill Johnson providing the play-by-play, including a 30-minute pregame show. The feed will be simulcast online at PortlandPilots.com.
Portland Briefly...
• The Pilots are now 3-1 in true road games after last week’s 71-64 win at Denver. Nemanja Mitrovic led Portland with 18 points, while Jared Stohl finished with 16.
• Portland ranks No. 1 nationally in team three-point percentage (.456).
• Luke Sikma is leading the WCC and is fifth in the nation in rebounding (11.9).
• Stohl’s 37 three-pointers made are tied for third in the nation as of Dec. 16. He led the nation in three-point percentage last season (.478) and could become the first player in NCAA history to do it two years in a row. Stohl is already the UP record holder in threes made (282) and is third in WCC history. He is 37-for-74 this season from the three-point line (.500).
• Mitrovic has drilled 30 three-pointers as he and Stohl have made the most three-pointers of any teammates in the nation (67).
• Mitrovic has reached double figures in the last seven games and in nine of the 11 total games.
• The Pilots are 30-4 at the Chiles Center since the beginning of the 2008-09 season (5-0 this year) and have led by at least 16 points in all five wins this season in the building.
• Portland is ranked No. 14 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 (Dec. 13).
• Stohl was named to the 10-player WCC Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Portland returns one starter from last year’s 21-11 squad (Kramer Knutson) along with Sikma and Stohl, both All-WCC honorable mention honorees last season.
• Head coach Eric Reveno returns with his staff for their fifth season together at Portland. He is the third longest tenured head coach in the WCC.
• The Pilots matched a school Division I record with 21 wins last season, following a 19-win 2008-09 campaign. Both years Portland was invited to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
About Portland State
• The Vikings (6-3) return eight players, including three starters, from last season’s squad that went 13-19 overall and 7-9 in the Big Sky Conference.
• PSU was picked seventh in both the coaches and media Big Sky Conference Preseason Polls.
• Chris Harriel leads four Vikings averaging double figures at 15.2 points per game. Charles Odum comes off the bench to add 13.3 ppg, while Melvin Jones is chipping in 13.1 ppg.
• Head coach Tyler Geving is in his second season at the helm of PSU after serving the previous four seasons as an assistant and associate head coach under Ken Bone.
• The Pilots lead the all-time series by a 31-17 margin, but the Vikings have won the last four meetings between the two schools. Last season, PSU knocked off then-No. 25 Portland by an 86-82 margin at the Chiles Center.
Last Time Out
Portland 71, Denver 64 (Dec. 11, Denver, Colo.): Nemanja Mitrovic and Jared Stohl entered Saturday night’s game at Denver as the top three-point shooting duo in the nation. Those numbers increased as the two finished a combined 9-for-15 from beyond the arc in a 71-64 victory over the Denver Pioneers at Magness Arena. Mitrovic finished with a team-high 18 points, while Stohl finished with 16. Senior forward Luke Sikma added his fifth double-double of the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman Tim Douglas came off the bench to reach double figures for the second straight game and finished with 10. Portland (8-3) improved to 3-1 in true road games this season, while the Pioneers (2-8) lost for just the fourth time in the last two years on their home court (17-4). After a sluggish first half that left the Pilots trailing by one, it was all Portland in the second half as Stohl got hot and hit three straight three-pointers. The Pilots took the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Eric Waterford for a 46-42 lead with 13:37 remaining. Mitrovic buried consecutive three-pointers to spark an 11-2 run, the latter giving UP a 66-56 edge with 2:32 left. Portland hit free throws down the stretch to secure the win. Chase Hallam led all scorers with 24 points and used a personal 10-0 run against the Pilots in the first half as DU gained an 11-point lead. The Pilots were able to close the half with momentum and cut the deficit to 32-31 at the break. Portland shot a blistering 67 percent from three-point range (12-for-18) and 51 percent from the field (20-39). Denver countered by making 13-of-30 threes (.433) and shot an even 50 percent from the floor (23-46). The Pilots were able to capitalize on their size by gaining a 30-14 rebounding margin and 14-2 edge in second chance points.
Pilots No. 1 Nationally in Three-Point Percentage
Portland is currently leading the nation in team three-point percentage (.456). Last year Portland finished fifth nationally as a team in three-point percentage (.407), while the Pilots finished second nationally in 2008-09 (.418).
Stohl/Mitrovic Top Three-Point Combo in the Nation
Jared Stohl and Nemanja Mitrovic have combined to make 67 three-pointers, the most of any duo in the nation as of Dec. 16. Stohl is tied for third nationally in three-pointers made (37), while Mitrovic is tied for 22nd (30). Already the Portland leader in career three-pointers made (282), Stohl is chasing the WCC record of 363 held by Jeff Fryer of LMU (1987-90). He moved into third place in the WCC record book and trails Blake Stepp (GON, 2000-04, 288) by six for second.
Douglas Breaks Out
Freshman PG Tim Douglas (Cerritos, Calif/Mayfair HS) has played his two best games of the season in the Pilots’ last two outings. He finished with 12 points and three assists off the bench against the high-pressure perimeter defense of the No. 21 Washington Huskies on Dec. 6. Douglas followed that up with 10 points, three assists and a steal at Denver on Dec. 11.
Mitrovic Plays Through Pain
Nemanja Mitrovic suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee in the second half against Washington State on Nov. 23 and left for the remainder of the game. He has returned to score in double figures each of the last seven games, including team-highs in each of the last three outings. He scored 18 points at Denver, 15 at Washington and 16 at Montana. Mitrovic has reached double figures in nine of 11 games this season. He also has at least two three-pointers in nine games and is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc (30-60).
Sikma Fifth Nationally in Rebounds
Senior F Luke Sikma is leading the WCC and ranks No. 5 nationally in rebounding average (11.9). Sikma has corralled double-digit rebounds in seven of the team’s first 11 games and already has five double-doubles this season. He matched his career-high with 19 rebounds versus Florida Atlantic on Nov. 14 and grabbed 18 at Idaho on Nov. 20.
Sikma Climbing UP Charts
Luke Sikma has put up big numbers in a variety of statistical categories throughout his career on The Bluff and could end up as the school’s career leader in rebounds. He currently ranks fifth in the UP record book with 781 career rebounds. Rick Raivio (1976-80) is the all-time leader with 910 rebounds. Sikma also ranks in the school’s top 10 in blocked shots (4th, 73) and field goal percentage (6th, .533). The Bellevue, Wash. native is nearing the Top 20 in career assists (21st, 195) and steals (21st, 93).
Stohl Joins 1,000-Point Club
Senior G Jared Stohl became the 33rd player in school history to eclipse 1,000 career points after his 24-point effort on Sunday versus Florida Atlantic on Nov. 14. Stohl entered the season with 951 points. He ranks 19th in Portland history with 1,114 career points.
Stohl Looks to Make NCAA History
Junior sharpshooter Jared Stohl led the nation in three-point percentage according to the final 2010 NCAA statistics. The Marysville, Wash. native finished 98-205 (.478) on the season. As a sophomore in 2009, he finished third nationally at 45.6 percent. Stohl can become the first player in NCAA history to lead the country in three-point percentage two years in a row. He is off to a good start at No. 13 nationally (min. 2.5 made per game), going 37-for-74 (.500) through 11 games from beyond the arc.
Stohl Obliterates UP Three-Point Record
With four three-pointers at Santa Clara on Jan. 30, 2010 Jared Stohl became the Portland career leader in three-pointers made. Stohl now has 282 career threes, 71 more than second place Casey Frandsen (211, 2000-04). Stohl also ranks second in career three-point percentage (.459), trailing only format teammate T.J. Campbell (.478). He led the WCC last season in three-pointers made per game (3.1) and his 98 three-pointers tied for second place in UP single-season history, eight shy of Peter McKelvey’s record from the 1991-92 season. Stohl also owns the UP single-game record by drilling 10 three-pointers on Dec. 22, 2009 against Idaho, breaking his own school record. He finished 10-for-15 from three-point range for 30 points. He set the previous record by going 9-for-13 against San Francisco on Jan. 15, 2009.
Pilots Among WCC Statistical Leaders
Luke Sikma leads the WCC in rebounds (11.9) and also ranks in the Top 15 in steals (1.3, 8th), field goal percentage (.514, 9th), blocked shots (0.9, 10th), scoring (12.2, 11th) and assists (2.3, 15th). Jared Stohl leads the league in free throw percentage (.966) and three-pointers made per game (3.4). Stohl is also seventh in scoring at 14.8 points per game. As a team, Portland leads the league in three-point percentage (.456) and three-pointers per game (8.1).
Home Court Edge
The Chiles Center has become quite comfortable for the Pilots over the last three seasons as Portland has rattled off a 30-4 home record. Signature home wins have come against Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Saint Mary’s twice in the last two seasons. Portland is off to a 5-0 start at the Chiles Center already this year and have yet to trail on their home floor. The Pilots have had at least 16-point leads in each of the five victories.
Pilots No. 14 in CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25
Portland dropped one spot to No. 14 in the Dec. 13 CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Fellow WCC power Saint Mary’s came in at No. 3 this week and league rival Gonzaga is No. 4.
Rodgers’ Role
Sophomore JC transfer PG Derrick Rodgers has worked his way into the regular rotation over the last six games with excellent perimeter defense. Rodgers saw extended minutes versus Washington State as he was the only Pilot able to slow down Klay Thompson. He then started in Portland’s win over UCSB and held one of the nation’s top scorers, Orlando Johnson, eight below his average. He then slowed down Montana PG Will Cherry, who scored 13 first half points against the Pilots. Rodgers played 13 second-half minutes and limited Cherry to two points after the break, while scoring four himself. Against Washington, Rodgers scored a season-high eight points in 24 minutes off the bench.
Pilots Earn Tournament, Conference Honors after Big Weekend
Senior F Luke Sikma was named the AIA Classic Most Valuable Player and was also named the WCC Co-Player of the Week on Nov. 15 after leading the Pilots to three wins and the AIA Classic title. He averaged 11.3 points and 13.0 rebounds, including a dominating 15-point, 19-rebound performance in the de facto championship game against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 14. Senior G Jared Stohl and freshman G Tanner Riley joined Sikma on the all-tournament team.
Stohl Named WCC Player of the Week
Jared Stohl was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 29 after averaging 23.5 points in two Pilot games. Stohl erupted for a season-high 26 points in a 74-63 win over UC Santa Barbara after scoring a team-high 21 points against Washington State. He went a combined 12-for-23 from the field (.522), 11-for-21 from three-point range (.524), and 12-of-13 at the foul line (.923) in the two games. Stohl also grabbed three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Sikma and Fellow Bigs Play Big
Portland has finished in the top 5 nationally in three-point percentage the last two years and is currently No. 1 in the nation early this season. Teams have challenged Portland’s frontcourt to score while staying home on shooters and the bigs have come through. Luke Sikma scored a career-high 26 points against St. Louis on Nov. 30, while fellow senior Jasonn Hannibal also had a career-high with 12 points. Senior C Kramer Knutson chipped in 10 points as the trio combined to score 48 points on 21-of-33 (.636) shooting from the field. It was more of the same at Montana on Dec. 3 as the Grizzlies played one-on-one against the Pilots posts. The trio of Sikma, Knutson and Hannibal again had their way, scoring a combined 27 points on 13-of-23 shooting. Sikma followed that up with consecutive double-doubles at Washington and Denver last week.
Sikma to Provide Season-Long Blog on PortlandPilots.com
Get behind the scenes anecdotes and information on the University of Portland men’s basketball team through the eyes of senior captain Luke Sikma. The Bellevue, Wash. native will give a unique, in-depth look at the UP basketball program. Fans can also send questions and comments to Luke, so make sure to bookmark www.portlandpilots.com/SikmaBlog!
Stohl Earns Preseason All-Conference Nod
Senior G Jared Stohl was recognized the WCC coaches as one of the top 10 returning players in the WCC as a member of the preseason all-conference team. Stohl has earned All-WCC honorable mention honors each of the last two seasons.
Staff Stability
Eric Reveno was named the 2009 WCC and District 9 Coach of the Year after leading UP to a 10-win improvement during the 2008-09 season. Now in his fifth year on The Bluff, Reveno credits the stability of his coaching staff as key to the program’s turnaround. All three assistants that joined Reveno when he was hired in April of 2006 have remained on the Portland bench ever since. No other team in the WCC has kept an entire staff together the last five years. Reveno is the third longest tenured WCC coach behind Gonzaga’s Mark Few (12) and Saint Mary’s Randy Bennett (10).
Three Recruits Inked During Early Signing Period
Portland signed Kevin Bailey (Clovis, Calif./East Clovis HS), Dorian Cason (Fontana, Calif./Summit HS) and David Carr (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic HS) to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period, head coach Eric Reveno announced. Bailey is an athletic and skilled 6-5 wing who is rated a top 150 national recruit according to Rivals.com and is the No. 11 prospect in the state of California. Cason is a long and mobile 6-7 power forward, also rated as a top 25 California prospect. Carr is a sharpshooting 6-2 guard that also led his high school team in rebounding and assists last season.
Two-Year Run Best in UP History
The Pilots strung together one of the most successful two-year runs since Portland joined Division I for the 1958-59 season. With 19 WCC wins in the last two years, the Pilots established the best two-year league run for wins in program history. The team has also matched the single-season wins mark (21, 1994-95) and wins in consecutive seasons mark (40, 1994-96).
Knutson, Sikma Voted Team Captains
Portland head coach Eric Reveno always lets his players choose the team captains at the beginning of every season. This year, Pilot seniors Kramer Knutson and Luke Sikma were voted captains by their peers. Knutson is a three-year starting center and two-time WCC All-Academic pick, while Sikma earned All-WCC honorable mention honors last year.
