LAS VEGAS -- After trailing by nine heading into halftime, the Portland Pilots put together a dominant second half to defeat the Washington State Cougars 72-57. The win advances the Pilots to the final of the Credit Union 1 WCC Championship for the third season in a row.

The Pilots (29-3) had three players score in double figures, led by Maisie Burnham, who had 19 points -- 13 of those coming in the second half -- and six rebounds. Emme Shearer added 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals and Trista Hull chipped in as well with 11 points and six rebounds. Alexis Mark had a near double-double, posting nine points and 12 rebounds.

Portland dominated the glass, outrebounding the Cougars 53-39 in Monday's game, led by Mark's 12 boards. The Pilots also collected an astounding 24 offensive rebounds, a season-high, and scored 23 second chance points.

Portland's defense held Washington State to only 35.5% shooting from the field, including 11.1% from beyond the arc. They forced 10 turnovers and added eight steals as well.

How It Happened

The Pilots struggled from the field the whole first half, but managed to keep it tight in the opening period, trailing just 15-14. Washington State built on that lead, allowing the Pilots to tie at 21 before pushing the ball inside and clamping down on defense. Washington State put the Pilots at a 39-30 disadvantage heading into halftime.

The Pilots came alive in the second half, transforming the game. In the third quarter, Portland put together a 22-2 run and outscored the Cougars 26-7 overall, shifting the momentum to their side. The Pilots held a 10-point lead at 56-46 after three quarters.

The gut punch from the Pilots proved to be too much for the Cougars. Portland polished it off in the fourth, winning 72-57.

Game Notes

» Portland rallied from a nine-point 39-30 halftime deficit to pick up the win.
» The Pilots outscored the Cougars 42-18 in the second half.
» The Pilots held the Cougars to only 35.5% shooting from the field.
» Portland had a 53-39 edge on the boards in the win. That's the second highest rebounding total they've posted in a game this season.
» Portland cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 24 offensive boards in the game. That's a season-high for Portland.
» Maisie Burnham led the Pilots with a game-high 19 points. 13 of those points came in the second half.
» Portland got a team-high 12 rebounds from Alexis Mark. She was one point shy of a double-double.
» Portland advances to the WCC Tournament final for the third year in a row and the fourth time in six seasons.
» This is the second time in program history the Pilots have put together a stretch of at least three seasons in a row with a WCC Tournament final appearance. They made the final four times between 1994-97.
» Portland's 29 wins are the most they've had in a single season as a Division I team. It's the most wins in program history overall dating back to the 1983-84 season.
» Burnham officially crossed the 1,900 point mark for her career, sitting now at 1,906.
» Mark has 1,008 rebounds now for her career. She has over 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds for her career.
» Emme Shearer set a record for most games played at the NCAA Division I level by a player from New Zealand.

Up Next

The Pilots take on the 4-seed Oregon State Beavers tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the championship. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats, audio and video options.

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