PORTLAND, Ore. -- Lucy Cochrane set the program record for blocks in a Pilot career as the Portland Pilots clawed their way to a 65-54 win over the San Diego Toreros.
The Pilots (10-7, 2-1) had two players score in double figures, led by Maisie Burnham, who had 17 points. Emme Shearer tacked on 15 points and two steals and Kennedy Dickie added seven points and four steals.
Cochrane notched four blocks on the day and now has 231 for her career, the most by any Pilot at the Division I level. She did so in 66 games in a Pilot uniform.
Portland moved the ball well in Thursday's game, piling up 15 assists on 24 made field goals. Individually, McKelle Meek dished out the most for the Pilots with six assists.
Portland's defense held San Diego to only 35.6% shooting from the field, including 28.6% from beyond the arc. This is the fifth game in a row Portland's held an opponent under 40% shooting from the field.
How It Happened
Portland struggled out of the gate, falling behind 20-11 after one quarter. Portland kept the Toreros from increasing their lead before going on a 6-0 run to narrow the deficit to 26-23. San Diego responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Pilots trailing 33-25 heading into halftime.
The Pilots came out of halftime on fire, going on a 9-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Burnham, to grab a 34-33 lead with 8:24 to go in the third. Before the third period was over, the Pilots added three points to that lead and entered the fourth quarter with a 47-43 edge. Portland played well near the basket, scoring 14 of its 22 third-quarter points in the paint.
Portland started tacking on points in the fourth almost immediately, going on an 8-0 run, finished off by Burnham's three, to grow the lead to 55-43 with 7:32 to go in the contest. The Toreros narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Pilots still cruised the rest of the way for the 65-54 win. Portland took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 10 of its 18 points in the paint.
Game Notes
» Portland rallied from an eight-point 33-25 halftime deficit to pick up the win. This is the fourth game the Pilots have won after trailing at the half.
» The Pilots held the Toreros to only 35.6% shooting from the field, marking the fifth game in a row where they've held an opponent under 40% shooting.
» Portland recorded 15 total assists in the game, led by McKelle Meek who had six.
» The Pilots turned 26 turnovers into 33 points on the offensive end.
» Lucy Cochrane had four blocks in the game to reach 231 for her career. She is now the all-time block leader for Portland at the Division I level.
» The Pilots were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording eight blocks as a team.
» Maisie Burnham led the Pilots with a game-high 17 points. This is the 13th game where Burnham has scored at least 10 points.
» Portland got a team-high eight rebounds from Lucy Cochrane.
Up Next
The Pilots will host the Santa Clara Broncos on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 5 p.m. The University of Portland is monitoring the potential snowstorm and will have updates on PortlandPilots.com. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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