Barker: Season-ending Injury

Senior Center Riley Barker Diagnosed with Season-Ending Knee Injury

PORTLAND, Ore. --- University of Portland senior center Riley Barker suffered a right knee injury in Thursday’s win over Santa Clara and will miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season for the Pilots. Barker had successful surgery on the knee Friday afternoon. He concludes his collegiate career No. 2 on Portland’s career blocked shots list.

“I just feel so bad for Riley,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno said, “It is hard to put into words. Although his long-term prognosis is great and I am sure he will enjoy a very good professional career overseas, he has worked so hard, been playing so well and been such a great teammate it is just a shame for this to happen in his senior year. I will miss coaching him and am sorry it ended a couple of months early. He can be proud of the year he was having and his lasting impact he has had on this year’s team as well as the program in general.”

Barker was having a great fifth year for the Pilots, providing a consistent presence on both ends of the court. He averaged 4.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while racking up 15 blocked shots. Barker was on his way to setting a new school record in blocked shots. He finishes his career with 91 blocks, 12 shy of leader Tim Frost (2000-02).

A native of Surrey, British Columbia, Barker appeared in 111 total games for the Pilots. He started two games this season and recorded double figures in both: 14 points at UNLV and 10 points at BYU. He played in just seven games to start the 2011-12 season before a knee injury cut his season short and he was granted a medical redshirt.

Also a standout in the classroom, Barker is a two-time West Coast Conference All-Academic Team selection with a 3.47 cumulative grade point average. He will graduate this spring as marketing major in the Pamplin School of Business.