PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Pilots (10-3, 0-1 WCC) battled, but ultimately fell 76-65 to the Gonzaga Bulldogs (10-3, 1-0 WCC) in their WCC opener. The loss snaps Portland's four-game win streak.
Alex Fowler and Emme Shearer were the leading scorers for the Pilots, with both players getting 17 points on the night. Both were solid defensively, with Fowler adding two blocks and Shearer three steals. Shearer's 17 was a career-high for the Pilot.
Andrews was the only other Pilot to eclipse double-digits with 11 points. Andrews also claimed sole possession of 10
th place among the Pilots' all-time leading scorers at both the NCAA Division I and NAIA level.
Gonzaga had strong performances from their posts, with Melody Kempton and Yvonne Ejim leading the way with 25 and 22 points respectively. Ejim's points came from off the bench, with the Zags totalling 32 points from their reserves. They shot 50% from the field as well, making them the first team to do so against the Pilots this year.
The game started at a frenetic pace, with both teams streaking down the court looking for quick buckets. A Muhlheim three gave Portland a four-point lead after the first quarter, but Gonzaga put together a 11-0 run in the middle of the second to take a commanding lead. The Pilots clawed their way back to make it 34-33 Gonzaga at halftime.
Gonzaga once again tried to regain momentum, pushing their lead up to five but never creating much separation. A last-second three from Fowler tied things up at 47 heading into the final quarter. But the Zags came out strong in the fourth and pushed their lead to 13 with a 15-2 run.
The Pilots' never wavered, however. They went on a 9-0 run that cut Gonzaga's lead to five, halting the Bulldogs' momentum. But the Pilots couldn't quite get over the hump, as Gonzaga hit some key free throws as the game wound down. Gonzaga would take this one 76-65.
The Pilots were without Lucy Cochrane and Keeley Frawley for this game as they were out due to COVID protocols. The lack of size came back to haunt the Pilots. Gonzaga outrebounded Portland 42-27 and outscored Portland in the paint 42-32. Second chance points proved to be crucial for the Zags, as they got 16 points off their own misses.
The Pilots will be back in action one week from now when they welcome the San Francisco Dons to the Chiles Center on Thursday, Jan. 13. Tipoff for that game is set for 7 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.