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Portland Pilots (8-5, 1-0 WCC) vs. Pepperdine Waves (4-9, 0-1 WCC)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016
Tip-off: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Portland, Ore.
Arena: Chiles Center (4,852)
TV: CSN Northwest
Video: TheW.tv
Radio: 910-ESPN Portland
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com

GAME INFORMATION
The Portland Pilots return home to host the Pepperdine Waves at the Chiles Center on Saturday at 5 p.m. The game will be televised live on CSN Northwest and streamed online at TheW.tv with Travis Demers and Darren Cooper providing the commentary. All Pilot games will have radio coverage on 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT) with Jason Swygard calling the action. Coverage starts 30 minutes prior to tip-off and will have a complete post-game show.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Kids 6th grade and younger will receive free admission to Saturday's game. Tickets for all Pilot home games are available at PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by calling the Pilot Box Office at (503) 943-7525. A special Holiday 3-Game Pack is available for a limited time featuring tickets to upcoming games against San Diego (Jan. 28), Pacific (Feb. 16) and San Francisco (Feb. 18) and includes a hot dog, soda, popcorn and autographed Terry Porter photo starting at just $45.

LAST TIME OUT
Alec Wintering scored a game-high 26 points and Ray Barreno added 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench to lift the Pilots to an 80-76 victory over Pacific on Thursday at the Spanos Center. Five Pilots reached double figures, while the team committed just two turnovers in securing the road win. Wintering added six assists, five rebounds and committed zero turnovers as he took over late with 17 second half points. The Pilots led by a 70-57 margin following a Wintering layup with 5:20 remaining, but the Tigers refused to go away. Following a pair of Pacific three-pointers, T.J. Wallace and D.J. Ursery drove to the basket at will and the Tigers continued to foul the Pilots in the final minute. Portland made enough free throws to keep a two possession margin, but a Wallace layup made it 78-76 with six seconds left. Jazz Johnson converted two free throws on the ensuing inbounds play to ice the game. Johnson finished with 17 points, while Gabe Taylor added 13 and D'marques Tyson scored all 11 of his points after halftime for Portland.
 
PILOT QUICK HITS
• Alec Wintering and Jazz Johnson comprise the No. 3 scoring backcourt in the nation (39.7) and No. 6 scoring duo overall nationally.
• Portland's last six games have all been decided by single digits after the team's opening seven games were double-digit margins.
• Junior F Gabe Taylor was named the WCC Player of the Week on Dec. 19 after averaging 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in a pair of wins over South Dakota and Oregon State. Taylor drilled the game-winning three-pointer on Friday vs. South Dakota, his second consecutive game-winner after tipping in a shot against UTRGV in double OT on Dec. 5.
• Portland's 53-45 win over Oregon State on Dec. 18 was the first against a Pac-12 opponent since the 2009-10 season (Oregon and UCLA) and snapped a four-game losing streak to the Beavers.
• Portland's four-player 2017 recruiting class has been ranked No. 17 nationally by The Hoop Scoop, tops among all mid-majors.
• Wintering, Markelle Fultz (Washington) and Jaylen Adams (St. Bonaventure) are the only players in the nation ranked Top 20 in scoring and assists.
• Wintering ranks 18th nationally in scoring (21.8), 20th in assists per game (6.1) and third in minutes per game (37.5). He leads the WCC in scoring and minutes played and is second in both steals and assists.
• Redshirt freshman Chier Maker made his collegiate debut versus South Dakota on Dec. 16 after the NCAA deemed him eligible following semester exams.
• Senior F Jarrel Marshall missed the last five games with an ankle injury and is questionable for Saturday.
• First-year head coach Terry Porter took over the program in April and hired an experienced collegiate staff to support his transition in long-time Pac-12 assistants Bob Cantu (USC) and Ben Johnson (WSU).
• The Pilots return five of their top six scorers from last year's team that finished 12-20 overall and 6-12 in the WCC. League coaches picked the Pilots eighth in the WCC Preseason Poll.
• Porter welcomes five newcomers to the roster in true freshmen Andre Ferguson, Alec Monson, Malcolm Porter and Joseph Smoyer, as well as sophomore transfer Franklin Porter (Saint Mary's). Malcolm and Franklin Porter are redshirting the 2016-17 season.
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE
The Waves (4-9, 0-1 WCC) have lost seven straight games, including the last five on the road, following Thursday's 92-62 loss at No. 6 Gonzaga in Spokane. Pepperdine had one common non-conference opponent as the Pilots, dropping a 91-85 home game to Portland State. Senior Lamond Murray, Jr. leads three Waves averaging double figures at 19.3 points per game. Utah graduate transfer Chris Reyes (14.3) and senior point guard Jeremy Major (11.8) also have been productive. The Waves were picked to finish fourth in the WCC Preseason Poll, but have been without sophomore Kameron Edwards all season and lost senior guard Amadi Udenyi to a season-ending injury six games into the year. Head coach Marty Wilson is in his sixth season at the helm of his alma mater.
 
WINTERING DOING SPECIAL THINGS
Alec Wintering put up another remarkable stat line with 26 points, five rebounds, six assists and zero turnovers against Pacific. He made numerous clutch plays late and scored 17 second half points to help secure the victory. Wintering leads the WCC in scoring (21.8) and minutes played (37.5) and is second in both assists (6.1) and steals (1.8). The Charlotte, N.C. native has scored 20 or more points seven times this year. Last season he became the first Pilot in history to record consecutive 30-point games (34 points vs. Pepperdine on Dec. 23, 31 at San Francisco on Dec. 31) and then matched the feat a second team earlier this year at the Wooden Legacy (31 vs. Dayton, 36 vs. CSUN).

AMONG THE NATIONAL LEADERS
Alec Wintering is one of three players in the nation ranked Top 20 in both scoring and assists (Markelle Fultz-Washington, Jaylen Adams-St. Bonaventure). He is currently 18th in scoring and 20th in assists. The Charlotte, N.C. native also ranks third among all active players nationally in total assists (546), 11th in steals (165), and 28th in scoring (1,481).

WINTERING PASSES SPOELSTRA, CONTINUES ASSAULT ON UP CHARTS
Alec Wintering moved past former Pilot and current Miami HEAT head coach Erik Spoelstra and is now second on the UP all-time assists chart. Wintering now has 546 and is on pace to pass Pilot Hall of Fame member and eight-year NBA veteran Darwin Cook for the school record. Wintering currently leads UP all-time in free throws made (472) and is No. 3 steals (165), No. 6 in three-point percentage (.404) and is on pace to break the record for games started. Wintering's 1,481 points ranks fifth in Portland history.

DYNAMIC BACKCOURT DUO
Alec Wintering and Jazz Johnson have produced at an elite rate early in the season. The pair combined for 62 points in a over CSUN, the most points by Pilot teammates in the same game in school history. They were the top two scorers at the elite Wooden Legacy tournament over Thanksgiving weekend as Wintering averaged 26.7 and Johnson averaged 22.7 points per game. The pair is the sixth highest scoring duo in the nation and No. 3 backcourt combination nationally:
Top Scoring Tandems in the Nation

1. Marcus Keene (G)/Braylon Rayson (G), Central Michigan	49.4
2. Jack Gibbs (G)/Peyton Aldridge (F), Davidson	43.9
3. Matt Mobley (G)/Jalen Adams (G), St. Bonaventure	43.3
4. Michael Young (F)/Jamel Artis (F), Pittsburgh	43.6
5. Alec Peters (F)/Shane Hammink (F), Valparaiso	41.4
6. Alec Wintering (G)/Jazz Johnson (G), Portland	39.7

BARRENO BIG OFF THE BENCH
Senior C Ray Barreno made the most of his re-emergence into the lineup on Thursday by contributing 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots. Barreno had played sparingly off the bench most of the season and did not appear in the previous five games, but was ready when head coach Terry Porter called his number against the Tigers. Barreno was 5-for-6 from the field and also dished out an assist in 25 productive minutes.

CLOSE CALLS OF LATE
Portland's first seven games of the season were all decided by 10 or more points, but the last six have come down to the wire. It began with a come-from-behind win over UTRGV by a 90-89 margin in double OT on Dec. 5 that featured Portland tying the game on the last play of regulation, converting in the closing seconds of overtime, and then winning on a tip-in with two seconds left. The Pilots then held on for a win over South Dakota (85-82) when a tying attempt rimmed out, defeated Oregon State (53-45), dropped a last-second heartbreaker to Portland State (77-75), suffered a late setback on overtime loss at Cal State Fullerton (77-72)  and then hung on at Pacific (80-76).

TAYLOR NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior F Gabe Taylor was named the WCC Player of the Week on Dec. 19 after leading the Pilots to wins over South Dakota and Oregon State at the Moda Center. Taylor buried the game-winning three-pointer with 2.2 seconds left against South Dakota for an 85-82 Pilot win. It was his second straight game-winner as he also tipped in a rebound to give the Pilots a 90-89 double overtime win with two seconds left on Dec. 5 against UTRGV. Taylor recorded his first double-double against South Dakota (22 points, 11 rebounds) and has thrived under new coach Terry Porter. He has reached double figures in scoring 10 times in 13 games and is seventh in the WCC in rebounding (6.7).

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Portland held Oregon State to 45 points on Dec. 18, the lowest output by a Pilot opponent since a 53-43 victory against Pepperdine on Jan. 7, 2012. The Pilots held OSU to 28 percent shooting from the field and outrebounded the Beavers by a 44-24 margin. Head coach Terry Porter and assistant Ben Johnson came from the Dick Bennett coaching tree and defense has been one of the main points of emphasis as Porter has taken over the Portland program. The early returns have been better relative to last season in a variety of defensive categories:

Stat	2015-16 (Nat'l Rank)	2016-17 (Nat'l Rank)
Scoring Margin	-2.2 (233)	+4.4 (147)
FG Pct. Defense	.452 (269)	.411 (99)
3-Pt FG Defense	.381 (326)	.344 (177)
Defensive Rebounding	23.8 (284)	28.4 (40)

RECRUITING CLASS RANKED NO. 17 NATIONALLY
Portland's 2017 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 17 nationally by the HOOP SCOOP following the fall signing period, tops among all mid-majors nationally. First-year head coach Terry Porter and his staff secured four commitments in the fall with three incoming freshmen and a junior college transfer. According to the HOOP SCOOP's rating system, all four Portland commits are rated among the Top 300 signed players in the nation, while freshmen-to-be Tahirou Diabate (6-10, F, Niigate, Japan) and Taki Fahrensohn (6-5, G, Auckland, N.Z.) crack the Top 100 individually. JoJo Walker (6-1, PG, Santa Maria, CA) and JC transfer Austin Stone (6-9, F, USC Salkehatchie) also received high marks. Portland will also welcome current redshirts Franklin and Malcolm Porter to the rotation next season. The HOOP SCOOP referenced Portland's ability to identify quality international recruits as one of the main reasons that the Pilots have secured an elite recruiting class. Diabate (Japan by way of Mali), Fahrensohn (New Zealand) and JoJo Walker (California by way of Puerto Rico) all will bring international experience to The Bluff.

JOHNSON THRIVING IN STARTING ROLE
Sophomore G Jazz Johnson played primarily the backup point guard role last year, but this season is starting alongside Alec Wintering and has thrived. He is second on the team and eighth in the WCC in scoring (17.6) and shooting 51 percent from the field, 49 percent from three-point range and 88 percent at the foul line. The Portland native also logged a career-high six assists against South Dakota. Johnson was an elite prep scorer at Lake Oswego High School, setting the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational scoring record after averaging 35.5 points per game at the tournament his senior season.

MAKER MAKES DEBUT
Redshirt freshman Chier Maker made his collegiate debut on Friday versus South Dakota scoring two points and grabbing eight rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. He converted back-to-back layups in the first half of the win against Oregon State for his first career field goals. An immigrant from South Sudan who settled in Sydney, Australia, Maker concluded his final exams on Dec. 15 and was deemed eligible by the NCAA the following day. He is the cousin on Thon Maker, a lottery pick of the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2016 NBA Draft.

TERRY PORTER ERA ARRIVES
Porter, a 17-year NBA veteran and two-time NBA All-Star, spent most of his pro career with the Trail Blazers where he helped lead Portland to a pair of NBA Finals and had his jersey retired. Porter also served as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, in addition to various assistant coaching positions throughout the league. He was named head coach of the Pilots on April 1, 2016.
 
EXPERIENCED STAFF
Terry Porter indicated his desire to find an experienced coaching staff to help support his transition to the college game and he loaded up with a pair of big name assistants. Bob Cantu, a former USC interim head coach, associate head coach and long-time assistant coach with the Trojans and UTEP, has more than 20 years collegiate coaching experience at various levels. He has coached under four NBA Coaches, coached 14 NBA players and five NBA First Round Draft picks, while helping five teams reach the NCAA Tournament. Considered one of the top recruiters in the nation, Cantu helped land the No. 1 overall class in 2007 at USC. Ben Johnson also has extensive Pac-12 coaching experience and 24 years working the sidelines during his coaching career. Johnson was with Dick and Tony Bennett at Washington State during the program's most winning years. He has coached and recruited four NBA players, including NBA Lottery Pick Klay Thompson. Johnson also brought a pair of Australian National Team players to Wazzu in Brock Motum and Aron Baynes. He helped WSU to the Sweet 16 in 2008 and was also a standout player for Dick Bennett at UW-Green Bay. He helped the Phoenix to the 1991 NCAA Tournament and a pair of NIT appearances. Porter rounded out his coaching staff with a familiar face to Pilot fans in Kramer Knutson. A four-year starter for Portland from 2007-11, Knutson led the Pilots to a top-25 ranking and a program-best 60 wins over his final three seasons. Knutson served as Director of Basketball Operations for Portland last year after a four-year professional playing career in Europe.

PORTER INKS FOUR DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Portland signed four prospects during the early signing period, three incoming freshmen and a junior college transfer:
- JoJo Walker (Santa Maria, Calif./St. Joseph HS). The 6-1, 170-pound point guard was the CIF Southern Section Division 5A Most Valuable Player after leading St. Joseph High School to the 2016 CIF title. He earned All-Area MVP honors while averaging 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
- Taki Fahrensohn (Auckland, New Zealand/Auckland Grammar School). A 6-5, 180-pound combo guard, Fahrensohn averaged 33.6 points over seven games at the 2016 New Zealand Secondary Schools Basketball National Championships. He is a member of the New Zealand Junior Tall Blacks, the country's national youth team.
- Tahirou Diabate (Niigate, Japan/Teikyo Nagaoka HS). At 6-10, 215 pounds he averaged 31 points and 18 rebounds per game last season and helped lead his team to the Okinawa Cup, Japan's High School National Championships. He and was named the Most Valuable Player of the event after leading the tournament in points and rebounds.
- Austin Stone (Lake Wylie, S.C./Clover HS/USC Salkehatchie). The 6-9, 225-pound post was a late bloomer to the game and has become a force down low at the Junior College level. Stone will enroll as a junior next fall.