Box Score
BOISE, Idaho --- Sophomore Kari Luttinen scored a game-high 17 points, freshman Annika Holopainen added 15 and the Portland Pilots cruised to a 73-49 win over the Boise State Broncos in a non-conference women’s basketball game played on Sunday afternoon at Taco Bell Arena. It’s the third straight win for the Pilots (4-7) with all three wins coming against opponents from the Mountain West Conference.
It’s also the third straight game to score at least 70 points for the Pilots, who registered a season-high 20 assists on 29 field goals. The Pilots got it done defensively as well holding the Broncos (5-5) to 23.1 percent shooting, which is a season low for a Portland opponent.
Luttinen continues her scoring surge by posting her eighth game this season of double digit points. The Seattle, Wash., native is averaging nearly 20 points during Portland’s win streak and she hit six of 11 shots against the Broncos. The guard was two-for-three on three-pointers.
The 15 points are a season and a career high for Holopainen, a forward from Helsinki, Finland. She was also six of 11 from the field, hit a pair of three-pointers and grabbed four rebounds to help the Pilots to a 47-35 edge on the glass.
Sophomore Cassandra Thompson also scored in double figures, finishing with 10 points, and junior Amy Pupa was Portland’s top rebounder with 10 boards.
The Pilots came out the locker room clicking against the Broncos and had their first double-digit lead of the game eight minutes in when a three from Luttinen made it 15-5. The lead was 15 points moments later when Alexis Byrd hit a short jumper before a pair of free throws from Luttinen gave Portland 16 unanswered points and a 23-5 advantage.
It was more of the same in the second half for the Pilots, who led 34-19 at the break. The Broncos never got closer than 11 points during the second stanza and Jasmine Wooton gave Portland its first 20-point lead with a lay-up that made it 52-31 with 12 minutes to play.
Portland shot 29-for-64 (45.3 percent) overall, connected on seven three-pointers and went eight-for-11 at the free throw line. The Broncos made just 15 field goals, out of 65 attempts, hit five three’s and combined to shoot 14 of 18 at the charity stripe.
Next up for the Pilots is a clash with in-state rival Oregon at the Chiles Center on Friday. Tip-off between the Pilots and Ducks is set for 12 p.m.
