Portland Pilots (0-0) vs. Willamette Bearcats (0-0)
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Portland, Ore. (Chiles Center)
Radio: 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT)
Online: Video I Audio I Stats
Tickets: PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or 503-943-GO-UP (4687)
 
THIS WEEK
• Portland opens the regular season by hosting Willamette University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Chiles Center.
• The Pilots will then hit the road to visit USC on Friday at 8 p.m. (Pac-12 Network) and San Jose State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
• All Portland games will have live radio coverage on 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT) with Jason Swygard calling the play-by-play. Broadcasts begin with a 30-minute pregame show and include post-game coverage. Audio streaming simulcasts, live streaming and live stats can be found at PortlandPilots.com.

TICKETS & PROMOTIONS
• Fans can visit PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or call/text 503-943-GoUP (4687) for information on tickets for every Pilot home game.
• Captains Corner: Check out the all new fan experience zone at every men's home basketball game! Located in the north concourse across from the Pilots bench, the new Captain's Corner will have games, food, drinks, and much more!
• Pregame Happy Hour: Enjoy food and discounted drinks before every game in the Chiles Center Mezzanine! Happy Hour begins for 1-hour prior to tip-off and goes until the game starts.
• Pilots Kids Club: Presented by U.S. Bank, Kids 12 and under get a season ticket, t-shirt and much more for just $15 (exclusions apply). For more information or to join, CLICK HERE.
• Double Dribble Days: See two games for the price of one when the Portland men and women play a double-header. Home doubleheaders this year are on the following dates: 11/2, 12/1, 12/19, and 2/1.
• FREE kids admission during Winter Break: Kids 12 and under can attend the following games during Winter Break for FREE: Men - 12/13, 12/16, 12/19, 1/4 and Women - 12/15, 12/19, 1/9, 1/11.
• Youth Fan Experiences: Introducing special fan experiences for groups of 10 or more, kids can become a Bench Buddy, create a High Five Tunnel for the team, or get the chance to be a Lil' Anchor for pregame introductions! Spaces are filling up fast, to sign-up call or text 503-943-4687.
• For information on all fan promotions for the 2019-20 season, please visit PortlandPilots.com/Promotions.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots defeated George Fox by an 89-72 margin in the team's lone exhibition game on Saturday night.
• Junior F Tahirou Diabate led five Portland players in double figures with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
• Diabate had a double-double by halftime with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but the Pilots needed all of his effort as they trailed a majority of the first half and were down 34-32 at the break.
• Sophomore G Takiula Fahrensohn sparked an early second half run with nine points in a three minute span to give the Pilots a 43-38 lead. The margin would grow to 22 points late in regulation as the Pilots outscored the Bruins 57-38 in the second period.
• Junior G Malcolm Porter contributed 15 points and four rebounds, while junior F Jacob Tryon added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench in just 15 minutes.
• Freshman PG Chase Adams was aggressive at both ends of the court and finished with 10 points, six assists and two steals. Junior G Quincy Ferebee also had a solid all-around game with eight points, four rebounds and three assists, while committing zero turnovers.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS...
• UP in Openers: Portland is 8-2 in both home openers and season openers over the last ten years... last year the Pilots defeated Multnomah 111-103 to open the regular season.
• Returning Pilots: Portland returns two starters, nine lettermen and adds five newcomers along with a returning redshirt to the 2019-20 roster.
• Walker Leads the Way: Junior G JoJo Walker is a two-year starter expected to take on a leading role this season… he led the team in assists each of the last two seasons and ranked eighth in the WCC with 3.3 assists per game a year ago… he is the team's leading returning scorer after averaging 11.5 per game last season… Walker enters the 2019-20 season as the Pilots' active leader in points, minutes played, steals, free throws made and three-pointers made.
• Frontcourt Returners: The Pilots return their entire frontcourt rotation from last year… juniors Tahirou Diabate and Jacob Tryon, along with sophomores Hugh Hogland, Theo Akwuba and Josh Phillips combined to average 16.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game a season ago… the five big men also were the top five players in field goal percentage on the roster during the 2018-19 season.
• Hogland Represents Japan: RS sophomore C Hugh Hogland has spent time with the Japanese National Team this year… born and raised in Hawai'i, Hogland's mother, Sanae Watanabe, is Japanese.
• Impact Transfers: The Pilots added a pair of graduate transfers in Isaiah White (Maine) and Lavar Harewood (South Carolina State)… White averaged 13.5 points per game as the second leading scorer for the Black Bears, grabbed 3.5 rebounds per game, and led the team in three-pointers made (54), steals (43) and blocked shots (22)… Harewood started 17 games and averaged 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and shot 39 percent from three-point range last year at SCSU… Portland also signed junior G Quincy Ferebee out of Southwestern CC.
• Fresh Faces: In addition to the transfers, Portland welcomes a pair of true freshmen in PG Chase Adams and C Cody Collinsworth.
• Aloha Again: Portland will travel back to Hawai'i for a non-conference tournament for the second straight season… the Pilots will take part in the 2019 Diamond Head Classic Dec. 22-25, opening the tournament against Houston... the Pilots played last season in the 2018 Rainbow Classic.
• Diverse Geographic Roster: Portland's roster features players from a variety of geographic locations… four players are from the state of California, but all other 11 Pilots hail from different states, countries or territories of the world including: Alabama, Hawai'i, Illinois, Mali, Maryland, New Zealand, Oregon, Puerto Rico, New York, Texas and Washington.
• Preseason Poll: The Pilots were picked to finish 10th in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Porter's Portland Connection: Head coach Terry Porter is in his fourth season at the helm of the Pilots… Porter is an icon in the city of Portland where his jersey was retired by the Portland Trail Blazers… Porter was a two-time NBA All-Star for the franchise and led the Blazers to a pair of NBA Finals during his 10-year stint with the team… Porter promoted Chris Buchanan to an assistant coach position in the offseason, while Faris Wasim joined the staff as the Director of Basketball Operations this fall.
 
ABOUT WILLAMETTE…
• The Bearcats are a Division III member of the Northwest Conference and finished with a 9-16 overall record last season.
• Jonathan Watts (12.8) and Justus Eaglesmith (11.0) are the top returning scorers on the roster.
• Head coach Kip Ioane is in his 19th overall year on staff at Willamette and 11th year as head coach.