Pilots Host Gonzaga to Open Three-Game Homestand

Photo courtsey: portlandpilots.com

PORTLAND - The Portland Pilots (9-17, 1-10 West Coast Conference) end the regular season with a three-game homestand, beginning with a game against the conference-leading Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-9, 10-1 WCC) on Saturday at 2:00 PM at the Chiles Center.

Portland dropped both of its league games in Northern California last week.

Portland freshman forward Laura Thomas recorded her third double-double of the season on Thursday against Santa Clara, but the Broncos prevailed 90-73.

Thomas finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

On Saturday, UP freshman guard Kendra Morris scored a career-high 24 points in a 72-66 loss to Saint Mary’s.

The Pilots led the Gaels 30-28 at the half. Freshman guard Laiken Dollente added 18 points.

Dollente leads the Pilots and is second in the WCC with an average of 15.9 points per game.

She has scored in double figures 21 times this season and has scored at least 30 points twice.

Dollente leads the league and ranks 12th in the nation in free throw percentage (.890).

Junior center Rachel Warren, who is day-to-day with an injured foot, leads the team and ranked second in the conference in rebounding (7.7 rpg).

Before being injured, she led the WCC with 2.4 blocks per game, while averaging 10.6 points per game.

As a team, Portland ranks 24th in the nation and is tops in the conference by shooting .745 from the free throw line.

About Gonzaga

The Bulldogs enter the weekend in first place of the WCC with a 10-1 league mark and an 18-9 overall record.

Gonzaga won both conference games last week with a 78-68 win at Saint Mary’s on Thursday and a 79-68 win at Santa Clara on Saturday.

Freshman Heather Bowman averaged a double-double (26.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg) for the weekend.

Bowman is averaging 12.7 points per game this season and 6.2 rebounds.

Senior forward Stephanie Hawk, who has posted seven double-doubles this year, is averaging team-highs of 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

The Bulldogs are a perfect 6-0 in conference games on the road this season, with their lone conference loss coming in Spokane, Wash. to the Pepperdine Waves.

Head coach Kelly Graves is in his seventh season at the helm of the Gonzaga women’s basketball program.

Last season, Gonzaga finished with a 16-14 overall record and an 11-3 record in the WCC to claim a share of the WCC regular-season title.

Graves was an assistant for the UP women’s basketball program from 1992-97 under current Portland coach Jim Sollars.

Pilots/Bulldogs Series

The all-time series between Portland and Gonzaga is tied at 26-26.

The Bulldogs have won ten straight in the series, including a 61-48 defeat of the Pilots on Jan. 20 in Spokane.

The Pilots last defeated GU 62-59 in 2002 in Spokane. From 1994-97, the Pilots won 11 straight against the Bulldogs.

Portland holds a 14-9 all-time advantage against the Bulldogs in Portland.

The Bulldogs won both meetings last season.

In Portland on Feb. 11th, Rachel Warren scored 14 points with 14 rebounds as Gonzaga prevailed 46-41.

In Spokane on Jan. 29th, then-senior point guard Whitney Grant scored a game-high 25 points, but the Bulldogs won 67-60.

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