PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots opened the 2024-25 season with a thrilling 76-65 win over the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine at the Chiles Center.
The Pilots (1-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Maisie Burnham, who had 18 points. Emme Shearer tacked on 15 points and three steals and Dyani Ananiev chipped in as well with 13 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Portland rained it in from outside, making 10 3-pointers on 21 attempts. Burnham and Ananiev each made three treys in the contest.
The Portland defense caused its share of mistakes in Thursday's game, forcing 24 Hawaii turnovers with 10 steals. Those takeaways turned into 27 points on the offensive end of the floor. Shearer's three steals led the way individually for the Pilots, moving her into seventh place all-time for the Pilots.
How It Happened
After falling behind early, Portland went on a 9-0 run with 8:07 left in the first quarter, culminating in a three from McKelle Meek, to take a 9-5 lead. The Pilots shut down the Wahine defensively to make it 18-10 Portland after the first. Portland hit five 3-pointers in the quarter.
Portland built on that early lead, pushing it to double digits deep into the second quarter. The Rainbow Wahine cut into that lead, but the Pilots still enjoyed a 40-30 advantage heading into halftime, with nine of their 22 points in the quarter coming off the bench.
The Pilots expanded their lead further with a late 13-0 run, making it 61-41 with 39 seconds to go in the third. The Pilots held onto that lead for the rest of the frame and entered the fourth quarter with a 63-43 edge. Portland took advantage of eight Hawaii turnovers in the quarter, scoring nine points off of takeaways.
Hawaii made a late push, but the Pilots fended them off for a 76-65 win.
Game Notes
» The Pilots shot well from outside, making 10 of their 21 3-pointers.
» The Pilots never trailed after taking the lead in the first quarter.
» Portland recorded 16 total assists in the game.
» The Portland bench made an impact by adding 28 points to its scoring output.
» Portland had a 28-20 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Portland defense forced 24 turnovers with 10 steals.
» Shearer's three steals puts her at 221 for her career, good for seventh all-time.
» Portland cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 11 offensive boards in the game.
» Maisie Burnham led the Pilots with 18 points. She was one of three Pilots to score in double digits, with Shearer scoring 15 and Ananiev 13.
» Portland got a game-high six rebounds from both Alexis Mark and Dyani Ananiev.
» Mark, Trista Hull and Tiffany Barbosa all made their Pilot debuts on Thursday.
» Portland head coach Michael Meek earned his 100th win in charge of the Pilots on Thursday. He's the third coach in program history to hit 100 wins with the Pilots.
Up Next
The Pilots will take on the Corban Warriors on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Chiles Center. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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