MALIBU, Calif. – The Portland Pilots went cold in the second half, falling 86-68 to the Pepperdine Waves. The Pilots fall to 11-10 on the year and 5-4 in WCC play.
Ella Zimmerman scored a career-high 18 points off the bench for the Pilots, grabbing five boards as well. It's the first time Zimmerman has ever scored more than 10 points in a game for her career. It's the second highest point total for any Pilot this season. Jada Kennedy was the only other Pilot in double digits, scoring 10 points and adding two blocks.
Portland had 13 steals defensively and forced 23 turnovers as a team. Offensively, the Pilots struggled, shooting 37.5% from the field and 25% from outside the arc. Portland had six blocks as a team as well.
How it Happened
Pepperdine took an early 5-0 lead, but Portland responded quickly to put themselves in it. An 8-0 run gave the Waves some separation and the lead, but Portland put together a 6-0 run themselves and kept it within two the rest of the quarter, ultimately trailing 17-15 after the first 10 minutes.
The Pilots and Waves traded runs in the second quarter, with the Pilots throwing together a 6-0 run after a slow start for both teams in the quarter. Portland got their lead as big as five points before the Waves put together a big run to take back control. They outscored the Pilots 14-2 in the final five minutes of the quarter to take a 35-28 lead into the half.
The Pilots went cold in the third quarter right when the Waves got hot, with Pepperdine starting the third with an 11-2 run to take a 16-point lead. Portland cut into that lead slightly but couldn't make up the deficit, entering the final quarter down by 21. The Pilots couldn't make much headway in the fourth, losing 86-68.
Game Notes
- Zimmerman scored a career-high 18 points off the bench for Portland. It's the first time she's scored in double-digits this season and in her career.
- Zimmerman's 18 points are the second most points scored by a Pilot this season.
- Kennedy scored in double digits for the second time in her career and added two blocks.
- Portland had 13 steals and forced 23 turnovers.
- The Pilots got 39 points from their bench.
Up Next
The Pilots return home to take on the Saint Mary's Gaels at the Chiles Center. The two teams play on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for tickets, live stats, audio and video options.
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