PORTLAND, Ore. – Bol Dengdit secured a double-double with career highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds to help the Portland men's basketball team defeat the Pacific Tigers 84-81 in overtime Thursday at Chiles Center.
The Pilots overcame an eight-point second half deficit and had a chance to win at the end of regulation but came up empty on two attempts. Portland seized control in overtime and got a big blocked shot from freshman forward Austin Rapp in the closing seconds to secure the victory.
In addition to Dengdit's impressive output, the Pilots (6-13, 1-5 WCC) were led by Max Mackinnon, who had 17 points, four assists and two steals, and by Rapp, who added 14 points and five blocked shots.
Portland outrebounded the Tigers (6-15, 1-6) by a 40-29 margin, but Pacific stayed close by knocking down 14 of 29 three-pointers and shooting 49 percent overall compared to 45 percent for the Pilots.
How It Happened
After falling behind 3-0, Portland went on a 5-0 run with 18:49 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Dengdit, to take a 5-3 lead. Pacific then raced to an eight-point lead before Mackinnon hit back-to-back shots and Chris Austin converted a dunk in transition. The Tigers carried a 40-35 lead into intermission after six ties and two lead changes in the period.
Pacific led by eight early in the second half before Portland went on a 9-0 run capped by Mikah Ballew's four-point play to seize a 62-60 lead with 7:36 to go in the contest. The game would feature five ties and four lead changes through the rest of regulation.
Dengdit's putback made it 73-71 with less than a minute to go before Elias Ralph tied it with a transition dunk. Portland held for the final shot and Vincent Delano was tripped up with the ball driving to the paint. His desperation fling from the ground nearly went in, but play was stopped on an inadvertent whistle before the ball was rebounded and Portland got one more chance with three seconds left. Rapp's contested three missed and the game went to overtime.
Ralph opened overtime with a triple to put Pacific on top before Portland responded by going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Delano's tough layup in traffic, to seize an 80-76 lead with 1:13 to go in the period. Elijah Fisher's three-point play made it a one-point game and then Rapp was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three free throws.
Fisher made a layup with 30 seconds left and then Delano made one of two free throws to make it 84-81. Ralph looked like he had an easy layup, but Rapp blocked the shot and after a scramble for the loose ball Carter Benton's three missed. Lamar Washington had one more chance to tie if for the Tigers, but his corner three missed as the Pilots survived.
Game Notes
» Portland found success from beyond the arc, knocking down nine treys in the game.
» Portland tallied 17 total assists in the game.
» Portland had a 40-29 edge on the boards in the win.
» Bol Dengdit recorded career high 21 points and matched an all-time best with 13 rebounds.
» It was Dengdit's first double-double of the season and fifth of his career.
» Mikah Ballew's scored a season high 13 points off the bench for Portland.
» Austin Rapp's five blocked shots were a season high.
» Elias Ralph paced Pacific with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
» Portland native Lamar Washington, the reigning WCC Player of the Week, just missed a triple double for the Tigers with 14 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists.
Up Next
The Pilots visit the Washington State Cougars on Saturday with a 3 p.m. tip-off at Beasley Coliseum. The game will air on ESPN+ with radio coverage on 910 ESPN Portland (KMTT).
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