Box Score

SEATTLE, Wash. --- The Portland Pilots overcame an early double-digit deficit, but the Seattle Redhawks would prevail 63-61 in a non-conference women’s basketball game played on Friday night at the Washington Dental Thanksgiving Tournament at the Connolly Center. Sophomore Jasmine Wooton scored a career-high 17 points for the Pilots, who drop to 1-4 on the year and will next face Boston College on Saturday.
 
The Pilots found themselves trailing Seattle (1-3) early as the Redhawks jumped out to a 22-9 lead 11 minutes into the game. But Portland responded with a 19-7 run, which made it a one-point game at the break. Sophomore Cassandra Thompson scored eight points during the spurt, and Wooton capped the outburst with a lay-up to pull the Pilots within 29-28.
 
Portland carried the momentum into the second half and the Pilots soon claimed a lead for the first time on the night. Freshman Ellen Nurmi followed a lay-up with a three-pointer and junior Amy Pupa handed the Pilots a 37-31 lead with another lay-in three minutes into the second stanza.
 
The Pilots would maintain the lead for the next eight minutes, and Portland still led by six when freshman Annika Holopainen converted from underneath the hoop with 8:00 remaining.
 
But Seattle would re-group and respond with 11 unanswered points to jump back in front. A three-pointer from the Redhawks’ Sylvia Shephard gave SU a 54-49 lead with 5:29 to play. Seattle’s lead was still five points moments later before Portland sophomore Kari Luttinen  made a free throw and Holopainen buried a three to pull the Pilots within one.
 
Again Seattle would push the lead back to five points and again the Pilots answered, this time with back-to-back lay-ups from Thompson and Wooton that made it a 62-61 game with 26 seconds showing on the clock. But the Redhawks would then force a pair of costly Portland turnovers in the closing seconds to preserve the win.
 
Wooton hit five of seven from the floor and made six free throws en route to a career high in points. Her previous career best of 11 points came last season at Hawai’i. Thompson also scored a career high with 15 points, while Luttinen finished with 11 points playing in front of her hometown crowd. The Seattle native added five rebounds, while Pupa grabbed a team-high seven boards.
 
Shephard led the Redhawks with 21 points and Kacie Sowell added 19.
 
Portland out-shot Seattle 49 percent to 38 percent, but the Redhawks made four more free throws than the Pilots. UP was also hurt by 27 turnovers, while SU claimed a 42-32 advantage on the glass.


The Pilots next conclude their stay in Seattle with a game on Saturday against Boston College, who lost to Sacred Heart earlier on Friday. Tip-off between the Pilots and Eagles at the Connolly Center is set for 6 p.m.