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Portland Pilots (9-8, 2-3 WCC) at San Francisco Dons (12-7, 2-4 WCC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017
Tip-off: 7:00 p.m.
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Arena: War Memorial Gym
Video: TheW.tv
Radio: 910-ESPN Portland
Live Stats: StatBroadcast.com

GAME INFORMATION
The Portland Pilots continue West Coast Conference play by visiting the San Francisco Dons on Thursday night. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. and the game coverage will be provided by TheW.tv with George Devine and Ben Braun on the call. Portland will then visit No. 4 Gonzaga on Saturday at 5 p.m., before returning home to host Gonzaga on Monday at 5 p.m. All Pilot games will have radio coverage on 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT) with Jason Swygard providing the play-by-play. Coverage starts 30 minutes prior to tip-off and will have a complete post-game show.
 
LAST GAME
LMU 79, Pilots 78: Brandon Brown made a driving lay-up with five seconds left in regulation as the Lions pulled off a late comeback to beat the Pilots on Saturday night at the Chiles Center. Alec Wintering went coast-to-coast on the ensuing inbounds, but his runner was tipped as the Lions overcame a five point deficit in the final 45 seconds to stun the Pilots. Wintering scored a game-high 22 points, while Jazz Johnson added 15 for Portland. Rashad Jackson added a 11 points, all in the second half. Steven Haney led four Lions in double figures with 18 points, but it was Brown that made most of the key plays late. After being saddled with two early fouls and relegated to the bench for most of the first half, Brown scored 13 of his 16 points in the second period including six of LMU's final eight points. The Pilots committed an offensive foul while trying to inbound with 27 seconds left and gave LMU a chance to win the game. Brown made the most of a broken play with his late penetration and reverse lay-up in traffic.
 
PILOT QUICK HITS
• The Pilots are 2-2 in games decided in the final possession. Portland defeated UTRGV in triple OT on a layup by Jazz Johnson and beat South Dakota on a Gabe Taylor three-pointer. Portland lost to Portland State and then LMU on shots in the closing seconds.
• Chier Maker earned his first start on Saturday and finished with a season-high nine points. Rashad Jackson also added 11 points, all in the second half.
• The Pilots scored a season-low 33 points in Thursday's loss to No. 21 Saint Mary's.
• Jazz Johnson has reached double figures in all 17 games this season. Johnson leads the WCC in three-point percentage (.488) and third in FT percentage (.852).
• Alec Wintering matched his career high with six steals against Saint Mary's and is now second in UP history in career steals (175). He ranks top three in the WCC in scoring (20.1), assists (5.8), steals (2.0) and minutes per game (37.5).
• Portland's home game against No. 5 Gonzaga that was postponed on Jan. 7 due to inclement weather has been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 23 at 5 p.m. Original tickets will be honored on the makeup date.
• Wintering was named the WCC Player of the Week on Jan. 2 after averaging 24.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in leading the Pilots to two WCC wins.
• Wintering and Johnson comprise the No. 5 scoring backcourt in the nation (37.4) and No. 9 scoring duo overall nationally.
• 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.
• Senior F Jarrel Marshall (ankle) has missed the last nine games, while junior C Philipp Hartwich (concussion) sat out Saturday's game.
• 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. The Pilots were picked 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 SAN FRANCISCO
The Dons (12-7, 2-4 WCC) are tied for fifth place in the conference standings after a 72-51 win over Pacific on Saturday snapped a four-game losing streak. San Francisco knocked off Utah and Illinois State en route to a solid non-league performance with a young roster for first-year head coach Kyle Smith. A former Saint Mary's assistant, Smith plays 10 players double-figures minutes and leading scorer Ronnie Boyce (14.6) comes off the bench as the lone senior in the rotation. Smith regularly starts three sophomores and two freshmen. The Dons were picked to finish ninth in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
LINEUP ADJUSTMENTS
After using the same starting lineup for eight straight games heading into last week's contests, head coach Terry Porter mixed up the starters for both games. Ray Barreno earned his first start of the year on Thursday vs. Saint Mary's, and then Porter went small with Chier Maker getting his first career start on Saturday vs. LMU. Maker responded with a season high nine points. Sophomore G Rashad Jackson also played big minutes and responded with 11 points in the second half against the Lions. With Jarrel Marshall missing the last nine games (ankle) and Philipp Hartwich out last Saturday (concussion), Porter has not yet been able to settle into a consistent rotation.

PORTLAND VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
Portland is 7-60 all-time against Associated Press Top 25 opponents, has lost its last five games against ranked teams, and has never defeated a top 10 opponent. The Pilots last win against a ranked opponent came against then-No. 18 Gonzaga, 82-73, on Jan. 9, 2014. Portland's win over Minnesota at the 2009 Anaheim 76 Classic snapped an 11-game losing streak against ranked opponents.

WINTERING DOING SPECIAL THINGS
Alec Wintering leads the WCC in minutes played (37.5), ranks second in assists (5.8) and steals (2.0), and third in scoring (20.1). The Charlotte, N.C. native has scored 20 or more points eight 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 currently ranks 42nd nationally in scoring, 24th in assists, 38th in steals, and third in minutes played per game. The Charlotte, N.C. native also ranks third among all active players nationally in total assists (565), 11th in steals (175), and 31st in scoring (1,538).

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 has 565 and is eight shy of 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 (495) and is second in steals (175), No. 6 in three-point percentage (.402) and is on pace to break the record for games started. Wintering's 1,538 points ranks fifth all-time.

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 ninth highest scoring duo in the nation and No. 5 backcourt combination nationally:
Top Scoring Tandems in the Nation

1. Marcus Keene (G)/Braylon Rayson (G), Central Michigan	48.0
2. Michael Young (F)/Jamel Artis (F), Pittsburgh	43.1
3. Jack Gibbs (G)/Peyton Aldridge (F), Davidson	42.6
4. Matt Mobley (G)/Jalen Adams (G), St. Bonaventure	41.7
5. Alec Peters (F)/Shane Hammink (F), Valparaiso	38.7
6. Egor Koulechov (F)/Marcus Evans (G), Rice	38.5
7. Randy Onwuasor (G)/James McGee (G), Southern Utah	38.4
8. Malik Monk (G)/De'Aaron Fox (G), Kentucky	38.1
9. Alec Wintering (G)/Jazz Johnson (G), Portland	37.4

WINTERING NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Alec Wintering was named the WCC Player of the Week on Jan. 2 and was also named the CollegeSportsMadness.com National High-Major Player of the Week after averaging 24.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists in leading the Portland Pilots to a pair of wins to open WCC play. Wintering erupted for 26 points, five rebounds, six assists and zero turnovers in an 80-76 road win at Pacific on Thursday and followed with 23 points, six rebounds and eight assists in a 73-60 victory against Pepperdine on Saturday. Wintering twice earned the WCC Player of the Week award last season and is the second Pilot in the last three weeks to earn the WCC weekly honor. Gabe Taylor won the December 19 award after leading the Pilots to wins over South Dakota and Oregon State.

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)
FG Pct. Defense	.452 (269)	.419 (112)
3-Pt FG Defense	.381 (326)	.355 (227)
Defensive Rebounding	23.8 (284)	27.0 (81)

JOHNSON THRIVING IN STARTING ROLE
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 tied for fifth in the WCC in scoring (17.3) and shooting 50 percent from the field, 49 percent from three-point range and 85 percent at the foul line. He is leading the WCC in three-point percentage and ranks third in FT percentage. 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.

TAYLOR BLOSSOMING IN EXTENDED ROLE
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. 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 11 times in 17 games and is 11th in the WCC in rebounding (6.1) and 17th in scoring (12.6).

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.

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.

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.
 
OFFENSIVE STRUGGLES
Portland entered its Jan. 5 game at Santa Clara ranked third in the WCC in scoring at 77.8 points per game. The Pilots then recorded back-to-back season lows in scoring with 42 points at Santa Clara and 33 against Saint Mary's. Portland shot 30.2 percent against the Broncos and 25 percent against the Gaels. The Pilots also made just three and two three-pointers in the games, respectively.  Portland bounced back with a better effort in a 79-78 loss to LMU on Saturday.

POSTPONEMENTS GALORE!
Portland has had two games postponed because of inclement weather this year. The Dec. 10 game at Boise State was postponed when the Pilots were unable to fly out of Portland. That game will not be made up this season. The Jan. 7 home game versus Gonzaga was also postponed and has been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 23 at 5 p.m.
 
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.