PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots bounced back with a dominant 80-61 victory over the LMU Lions. The win puts the Pilots 15-2 on the year and snaps a two-game losing streak.
The Pilots (15-2, 4-2) had four players score in double figures, led by Emme Shearer, who had 16 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Trista Hull tacked on 15 points and six rebounds, Alexis Mark helped out with 14 points, five assists and three steals and Rhyan Mogel added 14 points with two steals. The Pilots shared the ball well, with 24 assists on the night. McKelle Meek led the way with 11 assists, including no turnovers.
Portland grabbed 43 rebounds in Saturday's game compared to LMU's 36, led by seven boards from Maisie Burnham. The Pilots also put in work on the offensive glass, turning 14 rebounds into 14 second chance points.
Portland did a great job disrupting LMU shots in the contest, coming away with seven blocks. Natalie Fraley led the way individually for the Pilots with two rejections, a career high. Maisie Burnham also added two blocks.
How It Happened
After jumping out to a 9-6 advantage, Portland went on a 5-0 run with 2:48 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Shearer, to increase its lead to 14-6. The Pilots entered the quarter break 16-11 advantage. Portland kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 12-0 run early in the second period to increase its lead to 28-11. The Pilots kept that lead for the remainder of the period and enjoyed a 40-23 advantage heading into halftime. Portland forced eight Loyola Marymount turnovers in the second quarter and turned them into eight points.
Portland continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on an 8-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Lainey Spear, to expand the lead to 52-29 with 5:56 to go in the third. The Pilots added three points to that lead and entered the fourth quarter with a 64-38 edge. Portland played well near the basket, scoring 18 of their 24 points in the paint.
Portland kept its lead intact before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Rhyan Mogel's layup, to grow the lead to 77-45 with 4:29 to go in the contest. The Lions narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Pilots still cruised the rest of the way for the 80-61 win.
Game Notes
» The Pilots shot well from three point range, knocking down nine of 20 long range attempts.
» Portland held the Lions to only 37.3% shooting from the field.
» The Pilots never trailed after taking a 16-11 first quarter lead.
» Portland shared the ball well, recording an assist on 75% of made field goals for 24 total. They've recorded at least 20 assists in seven of the last eight games.
» McKelle Meek totaled 11 assists for Portland, the most by a Pilot in two years. She is one of five players in the nation to have posted a game with at least 11 assists and no turnovers in a game.
» Portland had a 43-36 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Portland defense forced 25 turnovers and added 16 steals. Alexis Mark and Dyani Ananiev had three steals each.
» The Pilots were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying seven blocks as a team.
» Portland cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.
» Emme Shearer led the Pilots with a game-high 16 points.
» The Pilots' 15-2 start is their best since the 1996-97 season.
Up Next
The Pilots take on the Pepperdine Waves on Thursday, Jan. 9 down in Malibu. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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