PORTLAND PILOTS (6-19, 2-12 WCC)
WEEK 14: at Santa Clara / Saint Mary's
 
Santa Clara Broncos (7-18, 3-11 WCC)
Day: Thursday
Date: Feb. 15, 2018
Place: Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 7:00 PM
Gym: Leavey Center
Live Video: TheW.tv
Live Stats: SantaClaraBroncos.com
 
POR vs. SCU
Overall: 30-43  •  Last 5/10: 0-5/1-9
H: 15-16  •  A: 11-24  •  N: 4-3
Last: SCU 50, @POR 43 (1/6/18)
 
Saint Mary's Gaels (16-9, 9-5 WCC)
Day: Saturday
Date: Feb. 17, 2018
Place: Moraga, Calif.
Time: 2:00 PM
Gym: McKeon Pavilion
Live Video: TheW.tv
Live Stats: SMCGaels.com
 
POR vs. SMC
Overall: 21-44  •  Last 5/10: 1-4/1-9
H: 14-17  •  A: 6-24  •  N: 1-3
Last: @POR 68, SMC 65 (1/27/18)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots begin a stretch of three straight road games when they head to California this week for West Coast Conference contests at Santa Clara and Saint Mary's.
• First the Pilots will be in Santa Clara to face the Broncos on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Leavey Center.
• Saturday brings a 2 p.m. tip-off with the Saint Mary's Gaels at McKeon Pavilion.
 
PLAY4KAY FREE THROW CHALLENGE
• The Pilots are partnering with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund by joining the Play4Kay Free Throw Challenge, and they're competing against other college basketball teams around the country to see who can raise the most money for those battling cancer.
• Fans can make donations for every free throw the Pilots make during the month of February by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Play4Kay, and all proceeds will go towards breast cancer awareness.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots split a pair of WCC home games last week, succumbing to San Francisco 76-63 on Thursday night before rolling past Pacific 89-67 on Saturday afternoon.
• Thursday's game with the Dons was close until the fourth quarter when San Francisco used a lengthy run to pull away for the win.
• Rachelle Owens scored 14 points, and Kate Andersen added 13.
• Six players scored in a double digits against the Tigers as the Pilots shot better than 50 percent from the field.
• Julie Spencer scored a team-best 23 points, while Ashley Gray was an impressive 13 of 14 at the free throw line en route to a career-high 17 points.
• Andersen collected a career-best 10 boards as Portland won the battle of rebounds for the 17th time this season.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Ashley Gray went 13-for-14 from the free throw line against Pacific at the Chiles Center last Saturday, which are the most free throws by a Pilot since 2007 when Laiken Dollente also converted 13.
• Six Pilots scored in double figures during the win over Pacific, marking the first time Portland has had six players score double digits in points since Dec. 4, 2009, which was also a win over Pacific.
• Portland's win against Saint Mary's on Jan. 27 was the first over the Gaels since 2010, a string of 17 straight losses.
• 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.
• The Pilots are third in the WCC in free throw percentage (71.2), they're fourth in offensive rebounds (13.9) and rebounding margin (+3.3), and they're fifth in overall rebounds (38.7).
• On Portland's all-time single season charts, the 13.9 offensive rebounds averaged by the Pilots rank third.
• Julie Spencer has four double-doubles this season, including 16 points and 14 rebounds during a win over Saint Mary's on Jan. 27.
• Spencer's 18 boards during a game vs. Pacific (12/29/16) last season were the most boards by a Pilot since 2013.
• Junior guard Darian Slaga missed a handful of games earlier this season with an injury, but she returned to lead the team in scoring (1225 ppg); she poured in a career-best 27 points against Saint Francis.
• Slaga currently ranks third all-time at UP in career free throw percentage (.812).
• Redshirt-senior Rachelle Owens, who only appeared in one game last year before an injury cut her season short, has scored a career-high 14 points twice, and she handed out a career-best eight assists at Pepperdine (2/1).
• Sophomore Kate Andersen is having a breakout season, putting up 9.8 points per contest; On Feb. 1 at Pepperdine she poured in a career-high 24 points, while last Saturday against Pacific she collected career bests in both rebounds (10) and assists (6).
• The Pilots are a young squad with seven newcomers, which features six true freshmen and a junior transfer.
• Head coach Cheryl Sorenson 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 starred collegiately at UW and 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
• The Santa Clara Broncos have lost four straight.
• The Broncos are 10th in the WCC in scoring offense (51.2) but are first in scoring defense (57.4).
• Senior forward Morgan McGwire is averaging a team-best 9.9 points, and she's second in the WCC in both rebounds (9.2) and blocks (1.8).
• Head coach Bill Carr is in his second year at Santa Clara.
• The Saint Mary's Gaels, who are coming off a win over Gonzaga, are scoring 70.4 points and allowing 66.3, and they're 10th nationally in field goal percentage (.479).
• Junior forward Megan McKay (15.2 ppg) is the team's top scorer, while junior forward Sydney Raggio (14.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg) is nearly averaging a double-double.
• Paul Thomas is in his 12th year as head coach of the Gaels, and he's led Saint Mary's to six straight 20-win seasons.