Skip To Main Content

University of Portland Athletics

Schedule

The Portland men's basketball bench erupts following a play versus Michigan State at the PKI.
Ryan Reynolds

Men's Basketball

Pilots to Face San Francisco, No. 8 Gonzaga in Nationally-Televised Games

Portland Pilots (8-10, 0-3 WCC) vs. San Francisco Dons (12-7, 1-3 WCC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023
Time: 8 p.m.
Place: Portland, Ore.
Arena: Chiles Center
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 910 ESPN Portland
Live Coverage Links: Video I Audio I Stats
Tickets: PortlandPilots.com/Tickets

Portland Pilots (8-10, 0-3 WCC) at #8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-3, 3-0 WCC)
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Spokane, Wash.
Arena: McArthey Athletic Center
TV: ESPN2
Radio: 1080 The Fan
Live Coverage Links: Video I Audio I Stats

THIS WEEK
• Portland continues West Coast Conference play with a pair of nationally-televised games this week.
• The Pilots return home to host the San Francisco Dons on ESPNU Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Chiles Center.
• The team then travels to No. 8 Gonzaga on Saturday for a 7 p.m. tip-off on ESPN2.
 
GAME COVERAGE
• Thursday's game on ESPNU will have Steve Quis and Ben Braun on the call.
• Saturday's ESPN2 broadcast will feature Dave Flemming and Sean Farnham.
• Radio coverage on Thursday will be on 910 ESPN Portland, while Saturday's game has been shifted to 1080 The Fan. Jason Swygard and Joel Sobotka will provide the radio commentary.
• Live coverage links for Portland games can be found at PortlandPilots.com.
• Follow @PortlandMBB on Twitter and Instagram for the latest team content.

ABOUT THE PILOTS
• The injury-riddled Pilots enter Thursday's game having lost five in a row.
• Portland dropped an 85-43 decision at Saint Mary's on Saturday. The Pilots shot just 26 percent overall and made 1-of-19 three-pointers.
• UP has been without starting F Moses Wood (foot) for the last three games, while leading scorer Tyler Robertson returned to the lineup Saturday after missing the two prior (ankle). Starting PG Mike Meadows has been in-and-out of the rotation, missing nine games as well with a groin issue.
• Prior to conference play, the Pilots ranked top 30 nationally in three-pointers made, three-point field goal percentage and assists per game, but have struggled offensively in league play.
• Portland leads the WCC and ranks 22nd nationally in both free throws made (16.4) and attempted (23.1) per game.
• Robertson is 16th in the nation in total assists (92), 24th in assists per game (5.4), 27th in free throws made (79) and one of 16 players with a triple-double this year. He also leads the WCC in each of those categories.
• Robertson broke the Pilot record for both free throws made and attempted in a game on Nov. 11 against Portland State. He made 22-of-24 overall to break the previous marks held by Jim Winters (20-of-23) which dated back to a matchup with Seattle U on Feb. 12, 1956.
• The team matched a school record with 18 three-pointers made in a 100-61 victory over New Orleans on Dec. 10. Robertson eclipsed the 1,000-career points mark in the same game and also broke the Pilot single-game record for assists with 15.
• Head coach Shantay Legans was hired last March after he led Eastern Washington to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. In his four years as head coach at EWU, Legans compiled the best overall (.605) and conference (.726) winning percentages in school history. He recorded his 100th career win on Nov. 30 vs. Multnomah.
• The Pilots finished last season 19-15 overall and sixth in the WCC, recording their highest win total since 2010 and their fourth-highest win total since joining Division I in 1958. The 7-7 record in WCC play was also their best since 2015 and the team recorded its first ever postseason victory at the Division I level (def. New Orleans in The Basketball Classic).
• The Pilots set a single game scoring record a year ago in a 122-78 victory over Willamette, eclipsing the 115 scored against St. Martin's in 1978. Portland also broke the program's single game three-pointers made record with 18 against VMI on Dec. 3, 2021, while the team's 264 three-pointers made marked the second most in single-season school history (289 in 2015-16).
• The Pilots finished last season ranked seventh in the nation in free throw percentage (.791) to establish a new UP single-season record. The team also finished 12th in free throws made (544) nationally last year.
• Portland returns all five starters and the top seven scorers from last year's team. The Pilots return 91.1 percent of the scoring production from last year, second nationally to Virginia (91.4).
• The Pilots signed G Vince Delano and F Cyprian Hyde to National Letters of Intent in November. Delano (6-2, 170) currently attends Arizona Compass Prep, one of the top basketball prep schools in the country. Hyde (6-10, 220) finished last season averaging 16.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
• A total of 13 former Pilots are currently playing professionally, while alum Erik Spoelstra ('92) has won two NBA Championships as head coach of the Miami HEAT. Ben Sullivan ('07) also won a 2021 title as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff and is now an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics.
• A total of 17 Pilot games are currently scheduled for television, including a minimum of seven on national TV between the ESPN family of networks and CBS Sports Network.
 
INJURY BUG & ROSTER NOTES
• Mike Meadows had missed nine games this year due to a groin injury in non-league play before returning to the lineup against LMU on Dec. 29.
• Moses Wood (foot) missed the LMU game and Tyler Robertson went down with an ankle injury in the first half and did not return. Both missed the BYU game on Dec. 31, while Robertson returned to the lineup against Saint Mary's.
• Chris Austin started all 34 games last year and was second on the team in scoring (14.4), but broke his leg in the season finale at Southern Utah and will redshirt this season.
• Freshman F Bol Dengdit is also redshirting, while Maine transfer G Vukasin Masic had an NCAA immediate eligibility waiver denied and will sit out the 2022-23 season.

BEFORE AND AFTER
• With the lineup in limbo, Portland's offensive numbers have changed dramatically since starting WCC play.
• The Pilots were one of the top offensive teams in the country during non-league play averaging 79.3 points, making 10.0 three-pointers per game at a 39 percent rate and dishing out 17.1 assists per game... all top 30 nationally.
• Through three WCC games UP is averaging just 57.7 points, making 4.3 threes at 22 percent from beyond the arc and recording 6.3 assists per game.

BALANCED ATTACK
• Seven Pilots are averaging 6.4 or more points this season, while six different players have scored 20 or more points in a game.
• This year's team has much more depth than Legans' squad a season ago as the Pilots were playing a primarily seven-man rotation by season's end.
• 11 players are averaging more than eight minutes per game.

SHARING THE BALL
• The Pilots are averaging 15.3 assists per game, which is best since the 1991-92 Portland team averaged 18.3. The program record is 19.2 per game during the 1977-78 season.
• The 28 assists against Multnomah matched last year's 28 against New Orleans for the most since the Pilots recorded 30 against Texas Southern on Dec. 29, 1995. The team record is 34 versus LMU on March 5, 1988.

RECORD-BREAKING ROBERTSON
• Tyler Robertson broke the UP record for assists in a game with 15 against New Orleans on Dec. 10. The previous mark was 14 by Dionn Holton on Dec. 9, 1995 vs. Southern Oregon.
• The Melbourne, Australia native also scored his 1,000th career point in the same contest.
• Against Portland State on Nov. 11, Robertson set the Pilot record for both free throws made and attempted in a game. He converted 22-of-24 overall to break the previous marks held by Jim Winters (20-of-23) which dated back to a matchup with Seattle U on Feb. 12, 1956.
• He ranks third among Portland's career leader in free throw percentage (.847) and ranked second in the WCC and 22nd in the nation in free throw percentage (.883) last year including a streak of 34 consecutive free throws made.
• Last season, he posted a remarkable 31-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist triple-double in a Feb. 12 win over LMU to join teammate Mike Meadows as the only players in program history to record a triple-double – Meadows did so against Willamette. Only 26 players in the nation last season had triple-doubles with UP and Western Kentucky the only teams with more than one player on the list.
• Robertson became the only NCAA Division I player in the last 25 years to log a 30-point triple-double, make 5-plus threes without a miss (5-for-5) and drill 10-plus free throws without a miss (10-for-10) in his remarkable performance against LMU. No other player has achieved all three of those marks throughout an entire career, but Robertson accomplished it a single game.
 
THE NEWCOMERS
• Coach Legans brought in a talented recruiting class including four transfers and five freshmen. The additions of 6-foot-10 grad transfer Joey St. Pierre (Milwaukee), 6-foot-9 former WAC Freshman of the Year Wyatt Lowell (Utah Valley/BYU/Snow JC) gives the Pilots more size this season.
• Mississippi State transfer Alden Applewhite is good sized wing with a versatile skill set, while Maine transfer Vukasin Masic provides scoring and distributing ability as a combo guard.
• Freshman guard Juanse Gorosito is an elite shooter, while freshman Bol Dengdit has good size and skill for a wing at 6-11.

PILOTS VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS
• The Pilots dropped to 7-75 all-time against opponents ranked in the AP Poll and 0-10 against team's ranked No. 1 after narrow losses to North Carolina and Michigan State at PKI.
• Portland has lost 19 consecutive games to ranked opposition with the last win an 82-73 defeat of No. 18 Gonzaga on Jan. 9, 2014 at the Chiles Center.
 
PILOTS SIGN TWO DURING EARLY NLI PERIOD
• Portland announced the signings of G Vince Delano and F Cyprian Hyde to National Letters of Intent this week.
• Delano (6-2, 170) currently attends Arizona Compass Prep, one of the top basketball prep schools in the country. Last season he competed for Phoenix Prep in the elite prep basketball circuit, The Grind Session. He broke the circuit record for most three-pointers in a game (10) and helped lead Phoenix Prep to the Grind Session Final Four.
• Hyde (6-10, 220) provides versatility from the post position with his size and athleticism. An elite shot blocker with three-point shooting range, Hyde was named the Vista High School Defensive Player of the Year last season. He finished the season averaging 16.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
 
PILOTS SHOW OUT AT PKI
• The team concluded a challenging non-league schedule that included games against North Carolina, Villanova and Michigan State at the Phil Knight Invitational, as well as road games against Kent State and Oregon.
• The Pilots put the country on notice by pushing then-No. 1 UNC and Michigan State to the wire in close games and knocking off Villanova at the event.
• Portland will not host BYU or visit Santa Clara as part of the WCC's unbalanced league schedule.
• The Pilots are the only team nationally that played Gonzaga and North Carolina, the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country.
 
HEAD COACH SHANTAY LEGANS
• Legans was hired in March of 2021 after he led Eastern Washington to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. In his four years as head coach at EWU, Legans compiled the school's best overall (.605) and conference (.726) win percentages.
• Legans finished third or better in the Big Sky Conference all four seasons, led the Eagles to the 2020 regular season crown and 2021 tournament title.
• His teams improve each year as the season progresses best illustrated by his 47-18 (.723) record in games played after Feb. 1 in five years as a head coach.
• All three assistant coaches are back this year for the Pilots. Bobby Suarez and T.J. Lipold came with Legans from Eastern Washington, while Jeremy Pope came on board after coaching most recently at Arizona Compass Prep.
• His staff is among the nation's youngest as all three assistants are under 35.

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO
• The Dons (12-7, 1-3 WCC) are No. 111 in the latest NCAA Net Rankings and No. 101 on KenPom.com.
• USF led a majority of the game against Gonzaga last Thursday before falling 77-75 and bounced back for a road win at LMU (72-70) on Saturday.
• Notable wins have come against Arizona State, UNLV, Fresno State and Wichita State. The Dons also have WCC losses to Santa Clara and San Diego.
• Guards Khalil Shabazz (15.2) and Tyrell Roberts (14.8) led USF.
• Head coach Chris Gerlufson is in his first year on the Hilltop.
 
PORTLAND-SAN FRANCISCO SERIES HISTORY
Overall: USF leads 66-29
H / A / N: 18-27 / 10-36 / 1-3
Streak: POR W1
Last 10 / 5: 2-8 / 1-4
Last Meeting: Pilots 69, San Francisco 68 (Feb. 8, 2022 at USF)

ABOUT GONZAGA
• The Bulldogs (14-3, 3-0 WCC) are ranked No. 8 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, No. 12 in the latest NCAA Net Rankings and No. 14 on KenPom.com
• Gonzaga has won nine straight including a pair of close wins against San Francisco and Santa Clara last week in the Bay Area. Other notable wins have come against Michigan State, Kentucky, Xavier, Alabama, Washington and Kent State. Losses have come against Texas, Purdue and Baylor.
• Drew Timme scores a team-high 21.8 points per game.
• Head coach Mark Few has led GU to the NCAA Tournament in all 23 seasons at the helm, including Final Four runs in 2017 and 2021.
 
PORTLAND-GONZAGA SERIES HISTORY
Overall: GON leads 106-66
H / A / N: 35-44 / 22-49 / 9-13
Streak: GON W14
Last 10 / 5: 0-10 / 0-5
Last Meeting: #2 Gonzaga 104, Pilots 72 (Jan. 29, 2022 at GON)
 
Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App.  For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

Donate Today
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Pilot Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly helps our nearly 300 student-athletes as they strive to make a difference in our community and achieve academic and athletic excellence. Thank you for support of Pilot Athletics!

Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.
 
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad

Sponsors