SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The Portland Pilots shot 61.5% from the field and 54.5% from outside to defeat the Santa Clara Broncos 80-68. The win is the sixth in a row for Portland.
The Pilots (18-6, 12-1 WCC) had two players score in double figures, led by Alex Fowler, who had 26 points and six rebounds. Liana Kaitu'u tacked on 21 points off of the bench and Lucy Cochrane added nine points, two steals and three blocks. Fowler is now just the second Pilot in program history to reach 2,000 career points.
How It Happened
After falling behind 15-8, Portland went on a 7-0 run with 3:08 left in the first quarter to tie the game at 15. Santa Clara then pulled ahead, sending the Pilots into the second quarter down 22-17.
Portland started off the second quarter by going on a 12-0 run to take a 29-22 lead. The Pilots proceeded to tack on one point to that lead and enjoyed a 42-34 advantage heading into halftime. Portland dominated in the paint, scoring 16 of its 25 points close to the basket.
Portland continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 7-0 run to expand its lead further to 61-49 with 52 seconds to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Broncos had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Pilots still entered the fourth quarter with a 61-51 edge.
Portland started tacking on points in the fourth almost immediately, going on a 5-0 run to grow the lead to 66-51 with 9:28 to go in the contest. The Broncos narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Pilots still cruised the rest of the way for the 80-68 win.
Game Notes
» The Pilots made over half of their attempts from three point range, knocking down six of 11 shots. Their 54.5% mark from outside is their highest this season and their best since 2015.
» The Portland bench came alive by scoring 29 points.
» Portland shot 61.5% percent from the floor. That's their best percentage this season, their best mark since the 2010 season and their second best mark in a game in program history.
» Alex Fowler had a game-high 26 points and Liana Kaitu'u added 21. Kaitu'u's total is both a season and a career high.
» Fowler became the second Pilot in program history to score 2,000 point for her career.
» The Pilots hold their best record in WCC play since the 1996-97 season.
Up Next
The Pilots headed up to Spokane for a showdown against the No. 17 Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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