Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Sophomore Kari Luttinen scored a game-high 18 points to lead five Pilots in double figures as Portland rallied in the second half for a 76-69 come-from-behind victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs on Friday night at the Chiles Center. The Pilots outscored the Bulldogs by 20 points in the second half en route to the win.
 
It’s the second straight win for the Pilots, who improve to 3-7 overall on the season. The loss snaps a four-game Fresno State winning streak and drops the Bulldogs to 6-3.
 
Fresno State connected on nine three-pointers in the first half and dominated the Pilots on the glass to claim a 45-32 lead at the break.
 
The second half was a different story as the Pilots crashed the boards, tightened up on a defense and came alive offensively. Portland scored the first eight points of the second half to pull within five, and  when freshman Ellen Nurmi buried a three-pointer from the corner six minutes in, the Pilots had their first lead of the game at 51-50.
 
Portland’s second-half run would stretch to 26-5 as a fast-break lay-up from Luttinen and a free throw from junior Amy Pupa gave the Pilots an eight-point lead with 10 minutes left in the game. Moments later, the lead was back to eight after back-to-back lay-ups from junior Alexis Byrd and sophomore Jasmine Wooton made it 66-58 in Portland’s favor with 4:49 to play.
 
But that’s when the Bulldogs applied some full-court pressure, created some turnovers and chipped away at the Portland lead. The Bulldogs scored nine unanswered points to jump ahead 67-66 with 3:08 showing on the clock.
 
Now trailing, the Pilots refused to falter and sophomore Cassandra Thompson gave the lead back to Portland with a lay-up, which was set up on a nice feed from Wooton. And then after a couple of missed three-pointers at the other end of the court and a huge offensive rebound by Pupa, the Pilots were able to make enough free throws down the stretch to seal the comeback win.
 
Luttinen, who scored a career-high 23 points during a win over Nevada last Friday, hit four three-pointers on the night, while also making three steals. Nurmi also hit three pointers and finished with 14 points, Wooton added 13 points and Thompson notched 12 points and had seven rebounds.
 
Pupa was UP’s top rebounder with nine boards to help the Pilots claim a crucial 40-32 edge on the glass. Pupa also led the Pilots with six assists.
 
Byrd scored 12 points and made all six of her free throws in her first meaningful action since injuring her hamstring at Louisville, which was Portland’s second game of the season. She was also active on defense, committing a team-best four steals.
 
Rosie Moult scored 17 points to lead the Bulldogs, who shot 38.5 percent (25-for-65) from the floor. Fresno State also finished with three-pointers in the second half, 12 for the game, and went seven of eight at the free throw line.
 
The Pilots combined to shoot 45.5 percent (25-for-55) from the field, hit a season-high 10 three-pointers and were 16 of 21 at the line.
 
Portland next hits the road for a quick trip to Boise, Idaho, for a non-conference game against the Boise State Broncos on Sunday. Tip-off at Taco Bell Arena is set for 1 p.m. (Pacific).