PORTLAND PILOTS (4-7, 0-0 WCC)
WEEK 7: vs. BYU / at San Francisco
 
Brigham Young Cougars (5-6, 0-0 WCC)
Day: Thursday
Date: Dec. 28, 2017
Place: Portland, Ore.
Time: 7:00 PM
Gym: Chiles Center
Live Video: TheWtv.com
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. BYU
Overall: 4-20  •  Last 5/10: 0-5/0-10
H: 2-10  •  A: 2-9  •  N: 0-1
Last: @BYU 73, POR 60 (2/23/2017)
 
San Francisco Dons (5-6, 0-0 WCC)
Day: Saturday
Date: Dec. 30, 2017
Place: San Francisco, Calif.
Time: 2:00 PM
Gym: War Memorial Gym
Live Video: TheWtv.com
Live Stats: USFDons.com
 
POR vs. USF
Overall: 31-33  •  Last 5/10: 0-5/1-9
H: 19-11  •  A: 12-18  •  N: 0-4
Last: @USF 83, POR 71 (2/18/2017)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots open the West Coast Conference schedule this week as they host Brigham Young on Thursday night before traveling to San Francisco to face the Dons on Saturday afternoon.
• Tip-off with the Cougars is set for 7 p.m. at the Chiles Center, while Saturday's game with San Francisco is set for 2 p.m. at War Memorial Gym.
• A live stream for both games is available at TheW.tv.
 
LAST WEEK
• Portland closed the non-conference portion of their schedule by dropping a double-overtime shootout to Saint Francis, who overcame a 29-point second-half deficit to defeat the Pilots 106-101 at the Chiles Center on Dec. 20.
• Darian Slaga led the Pilots with a career-high 27 points on 10 of 14 shooting.
• It's the first time to reach the century mark in points for Portland since 1997.
• Previously Weber State topped the Pilots 91-70 at the Chiles Center on Dec. 17.
• Weber State out-scored Portland, who was led by Kate Andersen's 14 points, 25-11 in the fourth quarter en route to the win.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• The 101 points scored by the Pilots against Saint Francis on Dec. 20 mark the first time the Pilots reached the century mark since 1997 when they scored 104 against Idaho.
• The 106-101 loss to the Red Flash was also the first game to go to double overtime for the Pilots since a 78-73 win at Pepperdine in 2011.
• Darian Slaga's career-best 27 points, which came on 10-for-14 shooting, against Saint Francis are the most scored by a Pilot since Cassandra Brown poured in 30 at Pepperdine on Jan. 17, 2015.
• Portland's game vs. Weber State on Dec. 17 was the 100th in the career for head coach Cheryl Sorenson, who is in her fourth year at the helm of the Pilots.
• Portland opened the campaign at 3-0, which was start to a season since the 2010-11 squad opened 4-0.
• The Pilots rank in the top five of the West Coast Conference in a handful of categories, including free throw percentage (2nd, .705), offensive rebounds (4th, 15.1), rebounding defense (4th, 34.9 rpg), rebounds (5th, 40.3), rebounding margin (5th, +5.4), and field goal percentage defense (5th, .401).
• Individually, Kate Andersen ranks third in the WCC in free throw percentage (.844) and is eighth in steals (1.9), Lisa Kaempf is seventh in free throw percentage (.778), Maddie Muhlheim is eighth in three-pointers made (16), and Julie Spencer is eighth in offensive rebounds (2.8).
• The Pilots are a young squad with seven newcomers, which features six true freshmen and a junior transfer.
• Portland's top returning scorer and rebounder from last season is junior forward Julie Spencer, who is coming off a break-out year; she averaged career bests of 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest as a sophomore, she claimed four double-doubles, and she corralled 18 rebounds during a game vs. Pacific, which was the most boards by a Pilot since 2013.
• Spencer has two double-doubles this season, with 15 points and 10 boards against Hawai'i and 14 points and 10 rebounds vs. Portland State; she scored a career-high 24 points on 12 of 15 shooting at Cal State Fullerton.
• Redshirt-senior Rachelle Owens, who only appeared in one game last year before an injury cut her season short, collected career highs of 13 points and seven assists vs. Utah Valley.
• Junior guard Darian Slaga missed a handful of games recently with an injury, but she returned on Nov. 28 to hit three three-pointers and score 15 points off the bench against Portland State; Slaga leads the team in scoring (12.6 ppg) and is coming off a 27-point outburst against Saint Francis.
• The Pilots were selected to finish 10th in the WCC, finishing just two points behind ninth-place Pepperdine in the preseason coaches' poll.
• 2017-18 marks the fourth year for head coach Cheryl Sorenson, who was previously an assistant for the Pilots; she assumed the reins of the program after long-time head coach Jim Sollars retired following the 2013-14 season; Sorenson is approaching her 100th game as head coach.
• Sorenson, who starred collegiately at the Washington, was a high school All-American at nearby Clackamas High School.
• Portland has been to four NCAA Tournaments (1994-97), two WNIT's (1998 & 2009) and one WBI (2010).
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
• BYU is averaging 68.4 points per contest, while also allowing 68.4; the Cougars lead the WCC in blocks (5.8 bpg).
• The Cougars are young with eight newcomers and they returned just 5 players with significant playing experience.
• Senior Cassie Broadhead Devashrayee leads the WCC in scoring with a 20.1 points per game mark.
• Jeff Judkins is in his 17th year as head coach and has led the Cougars to the NCAA Tourney eight times.
• San Francisco has won two of their last three and they enter Thursday's home game vs. San Diego averaging 70.5 points per game.
• The Dons, who are allowing 71.3 points, are second in the WCC in rebounding (42.7 rpg).
• Senior guard Anna Seilund (13.5 ppg) leads three Dons scoring in double digits and senior forward Michaela Rakova (12.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg) is the team's top rebounder.
• Head coach Molly Goodenbour is in her second season at the helm of the Dons.