PORTLAND PILOTS (5-1)
WEEK 4: vs. Abilene Christian / Loyola Chicago
 
Abilene Christian Wildcats (4-0)
Day: Friday
Date: Nov. 29, 2019
Place: Portland, Ore.
Time: 2 PM
Gym: Chiles Center
Online: Video I Stats
 
POR vs. ACU
Overall: 0-0  •  Last 5/10: 0-0/0-0
H: 0-0  •  A: 0-0  •  N: 0-0
Last: N/A
 
Loyola Chicago Ramblers (5-0)
Day: Sunday
Date: Dec. 1, 2019
Place: Portland, Ore.
Time: 2 PM
Gym: Chiles Center
Online: Video I Stats
 
POR vs. LUC
Overall: 0-0  •  Last 5/10: 0-0/0-0
H: 0-0  •  A: 0-0  •  N: 0-0
Last: N/A
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots play their next five games at home, beginning this weekend when they host the Abilene Christian Wildcats on Friday and the Loyola Chicago Ramblers on Sunday.
• Tip-off for both games is 2 p.m. at the Chiles Center.
• Links for live streams and live stats for both games can be found at PortlandPilots.com.
 
TICKETS/PROMOTIONS
• The Pilots are offering some special ticket deals for this weekend's games, including a $2 Black Friday option, which will be available beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
• You can take advantage of this special offer by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets and using the promo code 'BLKFRI', or you can purchase the $2 ticket at the box office on the day of the game and mention the Black Friday promotion.
• Sunday's game with Loyola Chicago is part of a hoops double header as the men's team follows with a contest vs. Incarnate Word; one ticket is good for both games.
• Fans can also visit PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or call/text 503-943-GoUP for information on tickets for this week and every Pilot home game.
• For information on fan promotions, please visit PortlandPilots.com/Promotions.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots split their two games on the road last week, pulling away from Air Force on Saturday after nearly rallying to defeat CSUN on Thursday.
• Alex Fowler poured in a career-best 27 points against the Matadors.
• Fowler then scored 20 points against the Falcons as the Pilots claimed a 72-56 win.
• Kate Andersen added 16 points and 10 boards at Air Force for her second career double-double.
• Fowler was named the WCC's Player of the Week following the weekend.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• The Pilots have nabbed two of the three WCC Player of the Week awards handed out this season.
• First it was Haylee Andrews, now it's freshman Alex Fowler, who averaged 23.5 points and 7.0 rebounds during Portland's games at CSUN and Air Force.
• Fowler exploded for a career-high 27 points against the Matadors, and she was 19 of 25 (.760) from the field overall.
• Andrews was the league's inaugural player of the week (Nov. 11) after she averaged 23 points and 8.5 rebounds during Portland's two season-opening wins.
• Andrews posted a double-double against Utah State with 18 points and a career-best 13 rebounds, and she poured in 28 points against the Weber State; she also shot 67% from the field.
• At 5-1, the Pilots have matched the second best start to a season ever.
• Previously the Pilots got off to only their third 4-0 start ever, and it was the first time since 2010-11.
• The Pilots are 14th in the country in field goal percentage (.486), they rank 17th in assists per game (18.8), and they're No. 18 in steals (68).
• Portland also leads the WCC in all three categories, and they're second in the league in three-pointers (37), three-point percentage (.381), and rebound margin (+14.2).
• Freshman Alex Fowler has posted a pair of double-doubles during her first five collegiate games, including an 18-point and 14-rebound performance against Fresno State.
• Individually, Fowler is seventh in the nation in field goals (48) and is 19th in field goal percentage (.658).
• Maddie Muhlheim is 27th nationally in free throw percentage (.929), and Kate Andersen ranks 26th in steals (16).
• Muhlheim set a program record last year when she buried nine three-pointers against San Diego; she currently ranks eighth all-time at UP with 129 career three's.
• The Pilots are under the guidance of first-year head coach Michael Meek, who came to The Bluff after a successful nine-year stint at George Fox University.
• Meek is the sixth head coach in UP women's basketball program history, and he's easily off to the best start ever for a first-year head coach at Portland.
• With George Fox, Meek led the Bruins to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, which included NCAA Division III championship game appearances in 2012 and 2015.
• With a career collegiate coaching record of 235-36 (.867), Meek ranks fourth in career winning percentage among active coaches with five-plus years of experience at all divisions of women's college basketball.
• Freshman Alex Fowler led her team in both scoring and rebounding as Australia finished second overall at the 2019 FIBA U-19 Women's World Cup last summer in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Fowler averaged 9.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, she was fourth overall in rebounding at the tournament, and she landed on the World Cup's All-Star Team.
• First-year assistant coach Sharon Rissmiller ('01) is a UP alum who starred on the court for the Pilots from 1997 to 2001; she still ranks ninth all-time with a .770 career free throw percentage, and she compiled 1,069 career points.
• Portland has been to four NCAA Tournaments (1994-97), two WNIT's (1998 & 2009) and one WBI (2010).
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS
• The Abilene Christian Wildcats play at Oklahoma on Tuesday before coming to Portland.
• The Wildcats feature the top offensive in the country, averaging 98.5 points per game; they're allowing just 49.3 points.
• Their .555 shooting percentage ranks second nationally.
• Breanna Wright leads five Wildcats scoring in double digits with a 14.8 per game mark.
• In her eighth year as head coach is Julie Goodenough, who lead ACU to the tourney last season.
• The Loyola Chicago Ramblers have won all five of their games to open the year.
• The Ramblers are scoring 80.8 points and allowing 61.4.
• Janae Gonzales is fifth in the nation in three's per game (4.20) and she leads the team in scoring (14.0 ppg).
• Abby O'Connor is averaging 13.2 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds.
• Kate Achter is in her fourth year as head coach at Loyola Chicag