PORTLAND PILOTS (7-22, 3-15 WCC)
WEEK 16: The WCC Tourney / First Round
 
Pacific Tigers (13-16, 7-11 WCC)
Day: Thursday
Date: March 1, 2018
Place: Las Vegas, Nev.
Time: 2:00 PM (Appx.)
Gym: Orleans Arena
TV: BYUtv
Online Video: TheW.tv
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. PAC
Overall: 9-10  •  Last 5/10: 2-3/4-6
H: 4-4  •  A: 4-5  •  N: 1-1
Last: @POR 89, PAC 67 (2/10/18)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots travel to Las Vegas, Nev., this week for the 2018 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships, where they'll open with a first-round game against the Pacific Tigers at the Orleans Arena.
• Tip-off is set for approximately 2 p.m. for the Pilots and Tigers, and the game will be broadcast live on BYUtv.
• A stream for the game is also available on TheW.tv.
 
LAST WEEK
• The Pilots capped the regular season with a convincing 82-58 win over Pepperdine on senior day on Saturday at the Chiles Center.
• Portland honored its three seniors, Ashley Gray, Rachelle Owens, and Sara Zaragoza, and all three played huge roles during the win.
• Gray limited Pepperdine's leading scorer, Yasmine Bacote-Robinson, to just 3-for-14 shooting, Owens dished a career-high 11 assists, and Zaragoza was dominant in the post en route to a career-best 16 points.
• Owens' 11 dimes are the most by a Pilot in a game since 2011.
• Darian Slaga led the way with a game-high 23 points, and Maddie Muhlheim buried four three-pointers and finished with 14 points.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Juniors Darian Slaga and Julie Spencer both earned All-WCC Honorable Mention for their first conference honor.
• Previously Rachelle Owens was named to the WCC All-Academic Team, while Spencer earned all-academic honorable mention.
• With four three-pointers during the win over Pepperdine last Saturday, Maddie Muhlheim became the record holder for most three's in a season for a Portland freshman with 47.
• Rachelle Owens handed out a career-high 11 assists on senior day last Saturday against Pepperdine, which missed matching the program record for assists in a game by just two; the 11 assists are the most for a Pilot in game since ReZina TecleMariam had 12 against San Diego in 2011.
• Ashley Gray went 13-for-14 from the free throw line against Pacific at the Chiles Center on Feb. 10, which are the most free throws by a Pilot since 2007 when Laiken Dollente also converted 13.
• Six Pilots scored in double figures during the win over Pacific, marking the first time Portland has had six players score double digits in points since Dec. 4, 2009, which was also a win over Pacific.
• Portland's win against Saint Mary's on Jan. 27 was the first over the Gaels since 2010, a string of 17 straight losses.
• The 101 points scored by the Pilots against Saint Francis on Dec. 20 mark the first time the Pilots reached the century mark since 1997 when they scored 104 against Idaho.
• The 106-101 loss to the Red Flash was also the first game to go to double overtime for the Pilots since a 78-73 win at Pepperdine in 2011.
• Darian Slaga's career-best 27 points, which came on 10-for-14 shooting, against Saint Francis are the most scored by a Pilot since Cassandra Brown poured in 30 at Pepperdine on Jan. 17, 2015.
• Portland's game vs. Weber State on Dec. 17 was the 100th in the career for head coach Cheryl Sorenson, who is in her fourth year at the helm of the Pilots.
• Portland opened the campaign at 3-0, which was start to a season since the 2010-11.
• The Pilots are fourth in the WCC in free throw percentage (.709), rebounding margin (+2.4), and offensive rebounds (13.2).
• On Portland's all-time single season charts, the 13.2 offensive rebounds averaged by the Pilots rank third.
• Julie Spencer has four double-doubles this season, including 16 points and 14 rebounds during a win over Saint Mary's on Jan. 27.
• Spencer's 18 boards during a game vs. Pacific (12/29/16) last season were the most boards by a Pilot since 2013.
• Junior guard Darian Slaga missed a handful of games earlier this season with an injury, but she returned to lead the team in scoring (12.6 ppg); she recently scored 23 against Pepperdine, the second time this season to score more than 20..
• Slaga currently ranks third all-time at UP in career free throw percentage (.810).
• Redshirt-senior Rachelle Owens only appeared in one game last year before an injury cut her season short.
• Sophomore Kate Andersen is having a breakout season, putting up 8.9 points per contest; On Feb. 1 at Pepperdine she poured in a career-high 24 points.
• Head coach Cheryl Sorenson was previously an assistant for the Pilots; she assumed the reins of the program after long-time head coach Jim Sollars retired following the 2013-14 season.
• Sorenson starred collegiately at UW and was a high school All-American at nearby Clackamas High School.
• Portland has been to four NCAA Tournaments (1994-97), two WNIT's (1998 & 2009) and one WBI (2010).
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
• The Pacific Tigers, who have lost three straight and five out of their last six, lead the conference in scoring offense (75.4 ppg) but are 10th in defense (75.8 ppg).
• Senior guard GeAnna Luaulu-Summers is one of four Tigers averaging in double digits, scoring a team-high 16.7 per game, which ranks fourth in the conference.
• She's tops in the WCC in assists (5.7) and had a triple double earlier this season.
• Sophomore Jenelle Grant is the team's top rebounder with a 7.2 boards per game mark.
• Head coach Bradley Davis is in his third season at the helm of the program.