Complete Release I GameCentral I Tickets
Portland Pilots (9-3) vs. Boise State Broncos (7-4)
December 22, 2010 • 7:00 PM • Portland, Ore. (Chiles Center - 4,852)
Radio: 800 AM (KPDQ)
Live Video/Audio/Stats: PortlandPilots.com
Series: Tied 6-6
Last Meeting: POR 77, BSU 72 (Dec. 28, 2003 at Boise State)
This Week in Pilots Hoops…
The Portland Pilots (9-3) begin a three-game homestand by hosting the Boise State Broncos (7-4) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Chiles Center. Portland has won five of its last six games, with the lone loss coming on at No. 21 Washington. Boise State’s four losses have been by a combined 10 points this season.
Ticket Information
Tickets for all Portland home games are available through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, over the phone at (800) 745-3000 or in-person at the Pilot Box Office. The Box Office will also be open one hour before tip-off for walk-up sales.
Game Coverage
Wednesday’s game will have a free online video stream at PortlandPilots.com. 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 improved to 4-1 in true road games after Saturday’s 78-67 win at Portland State. Freshman PG Tim Douglas logged a season high 27 points in the win and was named the WCC Player of the Week.
• Portland ranks No. 3 nationally in team three-point percentage (.436).
• Nemanja Mitrovic (32) and Jared Stohl (37) have made the most three-pointers of any teammates in the nation (69).
• Luke Sikma is leading the WCC and is eighth in the nation in rebounding (11.3).
• Stohl 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. He is 37-for-80 this season (.463).
• 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. 15 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 (Dec. 20).
• 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.
About Boise State
• The Broncos (7-4) won their first six games, then lost four in a row, before defeating Texas Pan-American 91-62 on Saturday.
• Notable wins have come against Denver (65-52) and at San Diego (65-60).
• Boise State’s four losses have all been by three points or less, including games at UNLV (75-72) and Utah (86-84).
• Robert Arnold (16.5) and La’Shard Anderson (13.2) lead the Broncos in scoring.
• Head coach Leon Rice is in his first season at the helm of BSU after serving the previous 11 seasons as an assistant at Gonzaga.
• Rice welcomes back two starters and six lettermen from a squad that finished 15-17 last season.
• The all-time series between Portland and Boise State is tied at 6-6. The teams played twice during the 2003-04 season with each squad pulling out the road victory.
Douglas Breaks Out
Freshman PG Tim Douglas (Cerritos, Calif/Mayfair HS) was named the WCC Player of the Week on Monday after scoring a season high 27 points against Portland State. He was 10-of-13 from the field and 6-for-8 from the foul line. It was the most points in a game by a Portland freshman since Greg Anthony had 31 against Pepperdine on Jan. 17, 1987. It also marked the third straight game in double figures for Douglas who had 12 at then-No. 21 Washington and 10 at Denver.
Pilots No. 3 Nationally in Three-Point Percentage
Portland is ranked No. 3 nationally in team three-point percentage (.436). 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 69 three-pointers, the most of any duo in the nation. Stohl is tied for seventh nationally in three-pointers made (37), while Mitrovic is tied for 21st (32). 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.
Sikma Eighth Nationally in Rebounds
Senior F Luke Sikma is leading the WCC and ranks No. 8 nationally in rebounding average (11.3). Sikma has corralled double-digit rebounds in seven of the team’s first 12 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 786 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, .538). The Bellevue, Wash. native is nearing the Top 20 in career assists (t-20th, 196) 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 1,116 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. 18 nationally (min. 2.5 made per game), going 37-for-80 (.463) through 12 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 (.454), 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 (112) and also ranks in the Top 10 in field goal percentage (.543, 6th), steals (1.2, 9th), blocked shots (0.8, 10th) and scoring (12.5, 10th). Jared Stohl leads the league in free throw percentage (.966) and is second in three-pointers made per game (3.1). Stohl is also seventh in scoring at 13.8 points per game. As a team, Portland leads the league in three-point percentage (.436) and three-pointers per game (7.7).
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. 15 in CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25
Portland dropped one spot to No. 15 in the Dec. 20 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 of late with excellent perimeter defense. He did a little bit of everything against Portland State on Dec. 18 finishing with a season high 12 points, four rebounds and four assists with zero turnovers.
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.
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. 3 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 and 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting versus Portland State. Knutson filled the stat sheet against the Vikings with five points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and three steals.
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).
Best Two-Year Records in UP History Since 1958-59
Overall W-L (Years) WCC W-L (Years)
40-19 (1994-96) 19-9 (2009-10))
40-23 (2008-10) 17-11 (1995-96
37-18 (1977-79) 16-12 (1994-95)
35-21 (1978-80) 16-12 (1981-82)
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.
2010-11 TV Schedule Features 17 Regular Season Games
At least 17 University of Portland men’s basketball games will be televised during the 2010-11 season. The Pilots will be nationally televised on the ESPN family of networks a minimum of five games.
