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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Alexis Byrd scored a career-high 21 points, Natalie Day poured in 22 points and Amy Pupa had 15 rebounds as the Portland Pilots defeated cross-town rival Portland State 62-54 in a women’s basketball non-conference game played on Friday afternoon at the Chiles Center. Byrd set a new Chiles Center record by making all 11 of her free throws.
 
 
The Pilots were solid down the stretch against the Vikings as they were able to convert key buckets and grab timely rebounds. After a Portland State three-pointer had pulled the Vikings within a point with 1:46 remaining, Pupa answered with a lay-up while getting fouled. She’d make the ensuing free throw to push the Portland lead back to four points at 58-54.
 
UP would hold PSU scoreless from there, while getting a bucket from Day and a pair of free throws from ReZina TecleMariam.
 
The 11 free throws without a miss by Byrd, a sophomore, tops the previous Chiles Center record by one. Former Portland stand-out Laiken Dollente went 10-for-10 at the line in 2009, while Cal Poly’s Bria Fields accomplished the feat in 2006.
 
Byrd also missed matching a program mark for most free throws without a miss by one. Lorena Legarde went a perfect 12-for-12 for the Pilots back in 1984.
 
It’s the third time this season to score at least 20 points for Day, who also had seven rebounds. The reigning two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Week and UP senior is now averaging 20.7 points per game.
 
The 15 boards for Pupa are easily a career best, and the sophomore helped Portland to a 44-33 edge on the glass. The 15 rebounds are the most by a Pilot since Day had 16 boards last February.
 
14 of Byrd’s points came in the first half when the Pilots were able to open up a 10-point lead. Byrd’s lay-up 17 minutes into the game gave Portland a 23-13 lead, while a three-pointer from the corner by Cassandra Brown gave UP its second 10-point lead moments later. The Pilots would then enter the locker room with a 28-20 advantage.
 
Portland State responded in the second half and quickly jumped ahead 31-30 just two minutes in. From there, the Pilots and Vikings were never separated by more than five points until Day’s jumper made it 60-54 with just 39 seconds left.
 
The Pilots held the Vikings to a chilly 31.7 percent shooting, while hitting 38.5 percent of their own shots. PSU connected on seven three’s and went 7-for-11 at the line. Brown’s three was the only one of the game for the Pilots, who went 21-for-25 at the charity stripe.
 
Kate Lanz led the Vikings with 15 points, and Courtney VanBroklin added 14. Portland State’s leading scorer Eryn Jones, who entered the game averaging almost 20 points per game, was held to just six points on the afternoon.
 
The Pilots next host another Big Sky opponent as the Montana Lady Griz visit the Chiles Center on Sunday for a 2 p.m. game. Montana has won two straight and enter Sunday’s tilt with a 2-2 record.