PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland men's basketball team got a 25-point performance from the bench and led for more than 11 minutes in the second half before falling 89-81 to the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in the Phil Knight Invitational opener Thursday at Moda Center.

The Pilots (4-3) had three players score in double figures, led by Moses Wood, who had 21 points. Alden Applewhite added 14 points off the bench and Tyler Robertson chipped in as well with 13 points, seven assists and two steals.

The Portland offense was very productive from three-point land, knocking down 12 threes on 32 attempts. Wood was the most prolific shooter for the Pilots, draining four treys in the contest.

Portland forced 13 North Carolina turnovers while committing 12 themselves in Thursday's game. The Pilots turned those takeaways into 20 points on the offensive end of the floor. Chika Nduka's three steals led the way for Portland.

How It Happened
After falling behind 18-8, Portland went on a 10-0 run with 12:54 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Joey St. Pierre, to tie the game at 18. North Carolina then pulled ahead, sending the Pilots into halftime down 40-38.

After intermission, Portland kept the Tar Heels from increasing their lead before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Wood's jumper, to seize a 73-69 lead with 5:57 to go in the contest. North Carolina re-asserted control, outscoring the Pilots 20-8 the rest of the way to hand Portland the 89-81 loss. Portland got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 12 of its 43 total points.

Game Notes
» Portland found success from beyond the arc, knocking down 12 treys in the game.
» The Pilots put on a passing clinic, recording an assist on 22 of 28 field goals.
» The Portland bench made an impact by adding 25 points to its scoring output.
» The Portland defense forced 13 turnovers.
» Moses Wood led the Pilots with 21 points.
» Portland got a team-high six rebounds from Chika Nduka in addition to eight points.
 

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Up Next
The Pilots continue the PKI on Friday against the loser of the Villanova-Iowa State game from Thursday. Tip-off is set for noon at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

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