PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots got a 24-point showing from the bench, but fell 74-53 to the No. 18 Gonzaga Bulldogs at home Thursday in their conference opener.
The Pilots (8-7, 0-1) had two players score in double figures, led by Maisie Burnham, who had 13 points and three steals. Natalie Fraley tacked on 10 points off of the bench and Emme Shearer added seven points and eight rebounds.
How It Happened
Portland struggled out of the gate, falling behind 20-6 at the end of the first quarter. The Pilots quickly turned it around in the second 12-0 run, highlighted by a three from Burnham, to narrow the deficit to 20-18. Gonzaga responded and expanded its lead, leaving the Pilots trailing 36-28 heading into halftime.
The Zags continued to put the pressure on Portland, and the Pilots faced a 54-38 disadvantage heading to the fourth quarter. Gonzaga kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 60-40 advantage before Portland went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Dyani Ananiev's jumper, to shrink the deficit to 60-46 with 5:39 to go in the contest. Gonzaga responded and outscored the Pilots the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 74-53.
Game Notes
» The Pilots held the Bulldogs to only 37.3% shooting from the field.
» The Portland bench came alive, scoring 24 points to its scoring output. Fraley led the way off the bench with 10 points.
» The Portland defense forced 13 turnovers.
» Portland cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 11 offensive boards in the game.
» Maisie Burnham led the Pilots with 13 points.
» Portland got a team-high eight rebounds from Emme Shearer.
» Lucy Cochrane recorded a block for the 28th straight game.
Up Next
The Pilots travel to the Bay Area to play the San Francisco Dons on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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