Complete Release (pdf)

PORTLAND PILOTS (1-3, 0-0 WCC)
at SEATTLE REDHAWKS (0-3, 0-0 WAC)
Date: Friday, November 23, 2012
Tip-off: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Arena (Capacity): Connolly Center (1,050)
Live Video/Audio/Stats: GoSeattleU.com (free)
 
POR vs. SU
Overall Series: 6-7
Here: 4-2
There: 2-3
Unknown: 0-2
Last 5/10: 2-3/6-4
Last 1: @SU 69, POR 55 (December 11, 2012)
 
PORTLAND PILOTS (1-3, 0-0 WCC)
vs. BOSTON COLLEGE (3-1, 0-0 ACC) or SACRED HEART (1-2, 0-0 NEC)
Date: Saturday, November 24, 2012
Tip-off: 6 p.m. or 8 p.m.
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Arena (Capacity): Connolly Center (1,050)
Live Video/Stats: GoSeattleU.com (free)
 
POR vs. BC
Overall Series: 0-0 (First Meeting)
 
POR vs. SH
Overall Series: 0-0 (First Meeting)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Portland Pilots head north to Seattle, Wash., for a pair of non-conference games at the Washington Dental Service Thanksgiving Tournament hosted by Seattle U at the Connolly Center.
• The Pilots open against the host SU Redhawks on Friday night at 8 p.m.
• Then on Saturday, Portland will face either Boston College or Sacred Heart, depending on Friday’s results; possible starting times on Saturday are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots split a pair of road games last week, coming back to defeat Idaho 62-56 before dropping a 68-50 decision at Eastern Washington.
• Against the Vandals, the Pilots fell behind by 18 points in the second half before rallying for the win on Friday evening.
• Kari Luttinen (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Amy Pupa (12 points, 14 rebounds) each registered their first career double-double’s during the win, while Cassandra Thompson also grabbed 14 boards to help Portland claim a 60-44 edge on the glass.
• During Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, Ellen Nurmi led three Pilots in double figures with 12 points; fellow freshman Annika Holopainen reached double digits in scoring for the first time with 10 points.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Saturday marks the 1,000th game in the history of the UP women’s basketball program, which dates back to 1977-78; the Pilots, who jumped from NAIA to NCAA Division I in 1986-87, have an all-time record of 531-467 (.532).
• Portland does not have one senior on its roster.
• The Pilots returned eight letterwinners and three starters this season, while losing just three graduated seniors from last year’s squad.
• Three of Portland’s five freshmen originally hail from overseas, with Ellen Nurmi and Annika Holopainen both coming to The Bluff from Finland, while Sara Ines Hernandez is from Italy.
• The Pilots have registered three winning records during the past four years.
• Portland has been to the post-season during two of the past four seasons, going to the WNIT in 2009 and the inaugural WBI in 2010.
• UP was selected to finish eighth in the WCC this year.
• Head coach Jim Sollars has more WCC wins (159) than any other coach in the 24-year history of the league, has compiled 364 career wins at UP and has been named league coach of the year an unprecedented five times.
 
YOUNG GUNS
• The Portland Pilots don’t have a single senior on their roster, while 11 underclassmen figure to play prominent roles this season.
• The Pilots also only have three juniors, which includes top returning scorer Cassandra Brown, who is currently working her way back from off-season surgery.
• Portland’s other two juniors include returning starting point guard Alexis Byrd and top returning rebounder Amy Pupa.
 
FROM ACROSS THE POND
• The Pilots have a well-established history of featuring Australians on their roster, including past Pilots Rachel Warren and Lauren Angel, but this season Portland features a trio of Europeans.
• Freshmen Ellen Nurmi and Annika Holopainen both came to The Bluff from Finland, while freshman Sara Ines Hernandez hails from Italy.
• Nurmi is currently tied for second on the team in scoring, while Holopainen scored in double figures for the first time last Sunday; Nurmi and Holopainen were teammates on the same club team in Helsinki, and they were teammates for Finland’s U-16 and U-18 National Teams.
• Hernandez has extensive playing experience in the Italian Junior National Team system.
 
#1,000
• Saturday’s game in Seattle marks the 1,000th game in the history of the UP women’s basketball program, which dates back to 1977-78.
• The Pilots, who jumped from NAIA to NCAA Division I in 1986-87, have an all-time record of 531-467 (.532).
 
CAREER MILESTONES
• Long-time Portland head coach Jim Sollars, who’s in his 27th year at the helm of the Pilots, coached in his 1,000th career game at Santa Clara last season on Jan. 5.
• Sollars had stops at Wenatchee CC (seven years) and Portland State (three years) before settling in at UP.
• Sollars has more WCC wins (159) than any other coach in the 24-year history of the league, has compiled 360 career wins at UP and has been named league coach of the year an unprecedented five times.
• He has 541 wins total, he’s led the Pilots to three WCC titles and one WCC Tournament title, and he’s guide Portland to four NCAA Tournaments.
 
THE BLOGGER... OR BLOGGERS
• The Pilots will combine efforts this year on a season-long blog, as members of the team and coaching staff will take turns sharing their thoughts on the season.
• Visit, and make sure to bookmark, PortlandPilots.com/WBBblog.
 
GAMECENTRAL IS BACK & BETTER THAN EVER
• UP’s popular GameCentral is back and better than ever, and it’s available for every home game this season.
• GameCentral is a free portal via PortlandPilots.com that offers live video, live audio and live stats all on the same page; you can also access GameCentral directly by visiting PilotsVideo.com.
• You can also access UP’s GameCentral via your Smartphone.