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Natalie Fraley dribbles down the court.

Women's Basketball

Pilots Close Nonconference Play Against Crosstown Rival Portland State

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots Women's Basketball closes nonconference play with a matchup against their crosstown rival, the Portland State Vikings. The two teams play this Sunday, Dec. 21 at Viking Pavilion. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.

OPPONENT INFORMATION
Opponent: Portland State Vikings (4-7, 0-0 Big Sky)
Day: Sunday
Date: Dec. 21, 2025
Time: 2 PM
Place: Portland, Ore.
Arena: Viking Pavilion
Video: ESPN+
Audio: PortlandPilots.com
Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. PSU
Overall: 33-28 • Last 5/10: 4-1/8-2
H: 19-12 •  A: 13-14  • N: 1-2
Last: @POR 71, PSU 46 (2024-25)

PEEK INTO THE PORT
  • The Portland Pilots are 5-6 on the year after taking a tough loss to the Oregon Ducks 85-59.
  • Lainey Spear led the way for Portland with 15 points. It was a season high for Spear and also the third time this season she's led Portland in scoring.
  • Dyani Ananiev and Julia Dalan racked up the defensive numbers, with Ananiev nabbing four steals and Dalan two blocks. It's the seventh time Ananiev's posted multiple steals in a contest and the ninth time Dalan's had multiple blocks.
  • Rhyan Mogel matched her career highs for both assists and rebounds with eight dimes and five boards.
  • The Pilots lead the WCC currently in steals per game (11.4), turnovers forced per game (21.27), assists per game (17.5) and bench points per game (29.4). Nationally, they're 11th in blocks per game (6.4), 29th in bench points and 30th in assists.
  • Dalan anchors the defense in the pain, with her blocked shots average leading the nation at 3.45 per contest. She is second both nationally and among freshmen in total blocks at 38.
  • Her 38 blocks this season are the most by any Pilot freshman since Rachel Warren in the 2005-06 season (42).
  • Ananiev's 31 steals ranks second in the WCC while her 3.1 steals per game ranks first. She is 37th and 30th nationally in the two respective categories.
  • Ananiev currently leads Portland at 9.9 points per contest. Dallow is close behind at 9.8 points per contest while Mogel's at 9.0.
  • Mogel is also second in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (2.05), third in total assists (45) and fourth in assists per game (4.5).
  • Nine different Pilots are averaging at least five points per game.
  • The Pilots were picked to finish fourth in the WCC this season, with Ananiev named to the All-WCC Preseason Team.
  • Ananiev played in just 10 games last season, averaging 7.4 points per contest along with 1.8 steals. She was a 2023-24 All-WCC Freshman Team selection.
  • The Pilots return eight players from last year and add seven newcomers.
  • Of the eight returners, none started a game last year. Rhyan Mogel and Lainey Spear are the only two players to have played in every game, with Mogel's 20.6 minutes leading all returning players.
  • Florence Dallow, Natalie Fraley, Tiffany Barbosa, Ella Zimmerman and Caitlin Monahan also all return.
 
A LOOK BACK AT HISTORY
  • The Pilots had a historic season in 2024-25, finishing 31-5 overall and 17-3 in WCC play to win a share of the 2024-25 WCC Regular Season Title. It's their fourth title, either tournament or regular season, in six seasons.
  • Their 31 wins were a program record and their 17 wins in WCC play were also a new high for the program.
  • Last year, they made the WCC Championships final for the fourth time under head coach Michael Meek and also qualified for the WBIT for the first time in program history.
  • In the WBIT, they beat the Stanford Cardinal and the Seton Hall Pirates on the road to advance to the quarterfinals before falling to Villanova Wildcats in that round. The wins were the first ever road playoff wins for the Pilots, the first win ever over Stanford and the first ever over a Big East squad.
  • Portland led the way in numerous statistical categories last season, leading the conference in points per game (75.7), scoring margin (12.4), steals per game (10.3), turnover margin (4.56), free throws made (16.44), free throw percentage (16.44), free throw attempts (21.08), assists per game (17.3) and assists-to-turnover ratio (1.16).
  • Nationally, they were fifth in free throws made per game, 16th in free throw percentage, 21st in assists per game and free throw attempts, 34th in assist-to-turnover ratio and steals per game and 35th in points per game and turnovers forced per game (19.47).
  • The Pilots set numerous program records at the Division I level, with the most points (2,726), points per game (75.7), field goals made (946), free throws made (592), free throw percentage (.780), rebounds (1,288), defensive rebounds (844), offensive rebounds (444) and assists (620).
MEEK AT THE HELM
  • Michael Meek is in his seventh season as head coach of the Portland Pilots.
  • Meek has been dominant through six seasons, winning WCC Tournament titles in 2020, 2023 and 2024 and the regular season title in the 2024-25 season.
  • Meek has won at least 20 games in five of his six full seasons as head coach of the Pilots, including a program record 31 wins overall and 17 WCC wins in the 2024-25 seasons.
  • Meek is 365-103 in his career dating back to his time at George Fox. He is 135-68 in his time with Portland.
  • Meek ranks eighth among all active coaches in NCAA Division I with at least five seasons of experience in winning percentage at .780.
 
ABOUT THE VIKINGS
  • The Portland State Vikings are 4-7 on the year, most recently defeating the Seattle U Redhawks 85-62 at home.
  • Last year, they went 4-24 overall and 1-17 in the Big Sky, finishing last.
  • The Pilots have taken the last four contests against the Vikings, including last season's edition of the Bridgetown Rivalry by a score of 71-46.
  • Kyleigh Brown leads the Vikings in scoring at 19.1 points per contest.
  • Karlie Burris is in her first year in charge of the Vikings. Burris, an assistant coach the last four years at UNLV, is a former Portland Pilot, playing on The Bluff from 2005-09 and earning All-WCC Honorable Mention her junior and senior year.
Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App.  For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

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