PROVO, Utah – The Portland Pilots put up a strong first half against the BYU Cougars but couldn't quite close it out, falling on the road 74-64. Portland is 1-1 on the year after the loss.
The freshmen shined off the bench for Portland, with Sara Mangan and Pahlyss Hokianga scoring 18 and 13 points each. This is the second straight double-digit scoring game for Mangan and the first for Hokianga, both posting career highs. Mangan's 18 points are the most by a Pilot freshman since Dyani Ananiev scored 20 against Seattle U in 2023. Rhyan Mogel added 15 points as well for her second straight game in double-digit scoring.
The Pilots held the Cougars under 40% shooting and to just 21.9% from outside the arc, but struggled offensively themselves. BYU won the battle on the boards 52-36. Portland forced 17 turnovers and had seven steals in the contest, with Mangan's two steals leading the way. The Pilots hit seven 3-pointers, led by Mangan's four.
How it Happened
It was a rock fight to start, with neither team scoring for the first two and a half minutes. Neither team gained a clear advantage as they struggled from the field. But the freshmen off the bench in Mangan and Hokianga both hit key 3-pointers, with Mangan's bomb towards the end of the half giving Portland a 14-11 lead after one.
Mangan and Hokianga continued to put up points for the Pilots in the second quarter, with Mangan hitting a pair of 3-pointers and Hokianga getting to the line often. Portland started the quarter with a 6-0 run to push the lead to as much as nine. The Cougars used a 7-0 run of their own to eventually cut that lead to one. The Pilots put together a 7-0 run of their own to get that lead back up to eight before a late layup from Olivia Hamlin ended the run. The Pilots still led 34-28 at the half.
The Cougars turned it on to start the third quarter, opening the periodwith a 14-1 run to take a seven-point lead. Portland struggled from the floor with only 10 points in the quarter, falling behind 61-44. Portland had a stronger fourth quarter, outscoring the Cougars 20-13 to bring it back to single digits behind eight points from Mogel. But it was too little too late as the Pilots fell 74-64.
Game Notes
- Mangan and Hokianga both set career highs with 18 and 13 points each. It's the first time Hokianga scored over 10 points for her young Pilot career.
- Mangan and Mogel's 18 and 15 points respectively are both season highs and also a career high for Mangan.
- Mangan's 18 points are the most by a freshman in a single game since Dyani Ananiev scored 20 against Seattle U in 2023.
- Portland held the Cougars to just 37.3% shooting overall and 21.9% from outside.
- The Cougars outrebounded the Pilots 52-36.
- The Pilots forced 17 turnovers and had seven steals in the contest. Mangan's two steals led the way.
Up Next
The Pilots are off to Big Sky country for a rematch against the Montana State Bobcats. The two teams play on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. PST. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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