Box Score


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PORTLAND, Ore.  --- Sophomore forward Ryan Nicholas scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Portland Pilots to an 84-74 victory over the Santa Clara Broncos Thursday night before 1,446 at the Chiles Center. Portland had five players reach double figures as the team snapped a seven-game losing streak with the win.

In addition to Nicholas’ second double-double of the year, sophomore Tim Douglas added 11 points and a career-high eight assists. Senior Nemanja Mitrovic also finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Freshman guard David Carr finished with a season-best 11 points and freshman Thomas van der Mars had 10 points and seven rebounds in just 15 minutes of action.

It was a balanced attack by the Pilots as eight of the nine players to see the court scored. Redshirt freshman forward John Bailey had the best game of his career with seven points, five rebounds and a blocked shot in 10 minutes.

Portland (4-11, 1-1 WCC) jumped out to an early double-digit lead after a pair of Nicholas free throws made it 22-11.  The Pilots would extend the lead to as much as 18 points late in the period. A dunk by John Bailey with 15 seconds left before the halftime buzzer ignited the crowd and gave Portland a 44-27 halftime lead.

The lead would grow to as much as 21 points with 6:52 remaining in the game as Nicholas capped a 9-2 run with a pair of free throws and a lay-up. The Broncos (8-6, 0-1) would rally to pull within seven on a three-pointer by Brandon Clark with 25 seconds remaining, but the Pilots would hold on for the win.

Portland finished the game at 51 percent shooting, including a 17-for-29 in the first half. The Pilots held Santa Clara to 39 percent shooting and just 7-for-29 in the first period. Portland also gained a 44-27 rebounding margin and dished out a season-high 17 assists.

Niyi Harrison led the Broncos with 19 points off the bench, while Clark added 16. Sophomore guard Evan Roquemore finished with 15 points. Junior Kevin Foster, the WCC’s leading scorer at 18.7 points per game entering the contest, finished with 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting.

The Pilots will return to the Chiles Center on Saturday to host the Pepperdine Waves at 5 p.m. It will be Military Appreciation night and all active and retired members of the military will receive free admission and discounted tickets for family members. Tickets are still available through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or through the Pilot Box Office (M-F, 11 am – 5 pm). Tickets can also be purchased at the door 90 minutes prior to tip-off. The game will also be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Northwest and on the radio on True Talk 800 AM.