PORTLAND – Portland opened the game with a 14-2 run and finished regulation with a 17-5 run to defeat crosstown rival Portland State 86-73 on Saturday night at the Chiles Center. Senior guard Ahmed Ali scored a career-high 28 points, while junior guard Latrell Jones tallied a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to propel the Pilots (3-1).

Junior forward Eddie Davis added 14 points, while Chase Adams scored 11 off the bench and Isiah Dasher chipped in nine points for Portland.

It marked the season opener for the Vikings (0-1), who had opening games scheduled at the Husky Classic in Seattle last week wiped out due to COVID-related issues among participating teams.

Portland took advantage with a blistering start as Jones converted a thunderous putback dunk and then buried a corner three-pointer to make it a 14-2 lead and force a Vikings timeout.

The Vikings weathered the early storm and Khalid Thomas sparked a late first half run with a pair of free throws and layup to make it a two-point game. Ali and Thomas then traded three-pointers as the Pilots took a 35-33 lead into the halftime locker room. 

James Scott and Thomas buried back-to-back three-pointers early in the second half to give PSU its first lead of the night at 45-43, but the Pilots responded with a Jones layup and a three points from Ali to regain the lead.

There would be ten ties and five lead changes over the course of the next eight minutes. Elijah Hardy gave the Vikings a 63-60 lead with a layup and 8:23 remaining, but the Pilots would lock down on defense and allow just two more field goals the rest of the way.

Ali converted four straight free throws to put the Pilots back on top and then Jones later drilled a corner three to make it 73-70. Adams followed with back-to-back baskets to beat the shot clock and push the lead to seven points.

Two more free throws and another runner in the lane from Adams iced the game and gave the Pilots a double-digit lead with less than a minute remaining.

Portland handled the Vikings full-court pressure well, actually forcing 20 turnovers while committing just 13 for a 22-12 edge in points off of turnovers.

The Pilots were just 3-for-16 from three-point range, but racked up a 48-26 advantage in the paint and 23-9 margin in fast break points.

Portland shot 46 percent from the field and limited the Vikings to 38 percent overall.

Ali converted 15-of-18 free throw attempts to become the first Pilot since Alec Wintering on Nov. 25, 2016 to make 15-or-more free throws in a game. He added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Pilots will now prepare for the first road game of the 2020-21 season at Oregon State on Friday at 5 p.m. The game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Network, while radio coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. on 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT).