Live Stats I Live Audio I Tickets I Complete Release (PDF)

Game Information

     The Portland Pilots host the Saint Mary’s Gaels in a nationally televised West Coast Conference basketball contest on Saturday at the Chiles Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN2 with Kevin Calabro and Mark Adams providing the commentary. Fan can catch the game on the radio on 95.5 The Game (KXTG-FM) or online at portlandpilots.com. Saturday’s game will also feature a giveaway for a free trip for two to Las Vegas to catch the 2010 WCC Championships as well as an autograph zone with the team after the game. Saint Mary’s (21-4, 8-2) is second in the WCC standings, while the Pilots (15-8, 6-3) are alone in third place.

Las Vegas Travel Package Giveaway on Saturday

      The University of Portland will also be giving away a free trip for two to Las Vegas (must be 21 or older) to catch the 2010 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships at Saturday’s game versus the Gaels. Bring your numbered poker chip (or get one at the game) and be entered to win complimentary airfare, lodging and all-session passes to the WCC Tournament hosted by the Orleans Arena March 5-8.

Ticket Information

     Tickets are still 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. General admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youths if bought in advance, or $8/$6 at the door.

Pilots Briefly

*The Pilots have won five of six games after a 70-56 victory against San Diego on Thursday
*T.J. Campbell had 18 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead the Pilots
*Robin Smeulders recorded his third double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds
*Jared Stohl added 14 points and six assists, including a career-high five two-point field goals
*Stohl is the school’s career leader in three-pointers made (215), passing Casey Frandsen (212) on Jan. 30 at Santa Clara

*Leading scorer Nik Raivio has missed the last six games (Achilles’ strain) and is out for Saturday.
*Stohl replaced Raivio in the starting lineup and is averaging 15.7 points in his absence

*Junior F Luke Sikma leads the WCC in FG percentage (.576) and is third in rebounding (7.9)

*Stohl leads the WCC in 3-pointers made (3.0) and is fourth nationally in 3-point percentage (.466)

*Smeulders is averaging a team-high 15.2 points in WCC games
*Stohl went 10-for-15 from the three-point line vs. Idaho on Dec. 22 with 30 points, becoming the first college player in a decade to score 30 without making a free throw or two-point field goal

*UP also set a team and Chiles Center record for total three-pointers (16) in the win vs. Idaho

*UP cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time in 50 years on Nov. 30 (#25)

*Portland defeated UCLA (74-47) and No. 16 Minnesota (61-56), before falling to No. 8 West Virginia (84-66) at the 76 Classic in Anaheim over Thanksgiving weekend

*Campbell earned 76 Classic All-Tournament Honors and his second consecutive WCC Co-Player of the Week award after averaging 16.7 points in the three games at the 76 Classic

*Raivio recorded his 1,000th career point on Dec. 2 vs. Portland State

*Portland was picked second in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll behind Gonzaga

*Campbell and Raivio were named to the 10-player WCC Preseason All-Conference Team

*Raivio was also named an honorable mention mid-major All-America by CollegeInsider.com

*Portland appeared in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) last year, the program’s first postseason appearance since 1996

*The Pilots tied for second in school history last year in total wins (19) and WCC wins (9)

*Portland returns 12 players and all five starters

*2009 WCC Coach of the Year Eric Reveno and his staff remain together and enter their fourth year at the helm of the Pilots (assistants Joel Sobotka, Eric Jackson and Michael Wolf)

*Four high school seniors singed NLI’s with Portland on Nov. 11, 2009: Riley Barker, John Bailey, Ryan Nicholas and Tanner Riley

About Saint Mary’s

     The Gaels (21-4, 8-2 WCC) are receiving votes in both national polls this week, but dropped an 80-61 decision at No. 11 Gonzaga on Thursday for their first road loss of the year (8-1). Senior C Omar Samhan led the way for Saint Mary’s with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Gaels other losses this year came versus Gonzaga at home (89-82), versus Vanderbilt (72-70) and against USC (60-49) at a neutral site. Key wins for Saint Mary’s came against San Diego State (80-58), at Oregon (81-76) and at Utah State (68-63). Samhan has been a load all year long and leads the WCC in scoring (21.6 ppg) and rebounding (11.1 rpg). Junior PG Mickey McConnell adds 13.2 points and 5.2 assists, while freshman G Matthew Dellavedova adds 12.4 points. SMC is sixth nationally in team three-point percentage (.412) and shoots 48.8 percent from the field. Earlier this season in Moraga, the Gaels held off the Pilots for a 77-72 win behind Samhan’s 28 points. Robin Smeulders led UP with a career-high 29 points. Head coach Randy Bennett is in his ninth year with the Gaels and has led SMC to two NCAA Tournament bids. Last year the Gaels advanced to the NIT quarterfinals and finished 28-7. The Gaels owns a 50-27 edge in the all-time series.