The 4 remaining games

Here we go, hard to believe we are already entering the home stretch of WCC play....

4 games left: 2/19 vs. a surging Pepperdine team @ Chiles, 2/21 vs. LMU @ Chiles, 2/26 @ USD (a sinking ship?) and 2/28 @ SCU (had been surging, but lost @ Pepp).


Misc. ramblings:

I like the thought of the Pepp & LMU games being focused on to assure us a top 4 finish, and the USD & SCU games to assure a 2nd place finish and the double bye. Depending on what SMC does, that game @ SCU could be for all the marbles....

I really hope everyone shows up in force for the final homestand, to support this team and it's outstanding accomplishments this season so far!

The Pepperdine game on Thursday got much more interesting after last weekend, as they knocked off USD and SCU at home . We certainly cant "phone it in"... Has anyone seen Pepp play recently? What are they doing well? What changed in the past couple weeks for them to all of a sudden click?

LMU on Saturday: The no-senior Senior Night. I guess there are probably senior cheerleaders and/or band members... but none on the team. LMU beat USD at home and only lost to SCU by 5 at home, so this is going to be a game, too! (Or is SCU sliding, after their impressive streak of wins?)

Final homestand. Get out and support the team. From the Athletic Department:

Men’s Hoops Returns to Chiles Center for Final Homestand
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland men’s basketball team will play its final two regular season home games this week at the Chiles Center. Portland, second in the West Coast Conference standings entering the week, will host Pepperdine on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Loyola Marymount on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets for both games are available through all Ticketmaster outlets (www.ticketmaster.com, 503-224-4400) or by visiting the Pilot Box Office at the Chiles Center, Mon. – Fri., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Pilots (16-9, 7-3 WCC) have posted the program’s most wins in a season since advancing to the NCAA Tournament and finishing with a 19-11 record in 1996. Portland holds a half game lead over Saint Mary’s (7-4) in the WCC standings with four games remaining. The second seed is crucial as it gets a bye to the WCC Tournament semifinals. The conference tournament will be held March 6-9 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Pepperdine (8-18, 5-5) is one of the hottest teams in the WCC having won four of their last five games, including a home sweep of San Diego and Santa Clara last weekend.

Loyola Marymount (2-24, 1-9) also has some momentum after knocking off San Diego and narrowly losing to Santa Clara last week.