WCC Tourney: Pilots vs. SMC, Saturday, High Noon

by **PilotNut** Thu Mar 05, 2015 10:06 pm

Pilots Open WCC Championships Saturday Versus Saint Mary’s

On the Web: http://portlandpilots.com/news/2015/3/5/MBB_0305151713.aspx

Portland Pilots (16-14, 7-11) vs. Saint Mary’s Gaels (21-8, 13-5)
Date: March 7, 2015
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.
Venue: Orleans Arena
TV: ROOT Sports NW/TWCSN/CSN CA
Radio: Sports 910 (KMTT)

POR vs. SMC Series
Overall Series: 29-60
Home: 21-23
Road/Neutral: 7-34/ 1-3
Last 5/10: 0-5/1-9
Last: SMC 68, POR 51 (2/19/15 at Saint Mary’s)

PILOTS AT THE WCC TOURNAMENT
• Portland is 10-25 all-time at the WCC Championships and 3-5 in Las Vegas.
• Head coach Eric Reveno is 4-8, advancing to the semifinals in 2009 and 2010.
• Portland’s lone WCC Tournament Championship came in 1996.
• Visit WCCSports.com for all tournament information.

ABOUT SAINT MARY’S
• The Gaels (21-8, 13-5 WCC) lost at Santa Clara in the final seconds on Saturday to fall into a tie for second-place with BYU and are the No. 6 seed for the tournament.
• Senior C Brad Waldow and senior G Kerry Carter earned All-WCC First Team honors.
• Waldow averages 19.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while Carter (12.6) and senior G Aaron Bright (10.8 ) also post double-digit scoring.
• Head coach Randy Bennett is in his 14th year and has led the Gaels to eight postseason appearances and five NCAA Tournaments in the last 10 seasons.
• Saint Mary’s swept the regular season series with a 74-64 win in Portland and 68-51 decision in Moraga.

by Guest Thu Mar 05, 2015 10:29 pm

3rd time's the charm!

Go Pilots!

We are the U of P!

by DoubleDipper Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:05 am

In addition to the pregame food and drink beginning at 10:30 on Satuday morning, there will be a "chalk-talk" delivered by one of the coaches commenceing at 11:40.

All this happens at the far end of of west concourse in the Orleans Arena....as you proceed through the ticket takers, just keep to your left and keep going.

Close to 100 Pilots fan are expected to attend, including some hard-core Pilot Nation contributors and readers.

by Dean Murdoch Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:34 am

DoubleDipper wrote:Close to 100 Pilots fan are expected to attend, including some hard-core Pilot Nation contributors and readers.

Enjoy! I'll be firing up byuTV in hopes that it'll be the one channel that DirecTV doesn't black out. Rolling Eyes

Also, I'm oddly confident about this game. Really hoping we're going to see 40 minutes of basketball out of this Pilots team, not the 25/38/20/18 we've seen out of them the last four games.

by **PilotNut** Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:52 am

I feel like the Pepperdine game at Chiles was about the only time we have seen a full game, with us hitting on most cylinders.

Lets hope we finally get it all together for 40 minutes in this game. If Voldy and Thomas can keep Waldow in check, we stand a chance!

by **PilotNut** Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:52 am

I feel like the Pepperdine game at Chiles was about the only time we have seen a full game, with us hitting on most cylinders.

Lets hope we finally get it all together for 40 minutes in this game. If Voldy and Thomas can keep Waldow in check, we stand a chance!

by DoubleDipper Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:00 am

"Wandering by" one of the casinos early this morning, I noticed that SMC was favored over UP by 6.5 points with an o/u of 132.5.

The only underseed that is favored is USD by 2 over PU (o/u 118).

GU by 17 over USF (135.5).

BYU over SCU by 12.5 (145).

by wrv Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:55 pm

This is the kind of win that might save a job or two.

Go Pilots.

by Dean Murdoch Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:05 pm

There's that 40 minutes I was looking for!

Happy for these guys.

by wrv Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:35 pm

That felt good.

Ready for Monday.

by Geezaldinho Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:41 pm

Held SMC to 30% from the field, 12% from the arc, out rebounded, 5 blocks. Held their guards to 6 points.

24 points from freshmen

I'd say offhand a well coached and well executed game.

Lots of Purple in the stands. Good to see the good turnout.

by IronLions Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:50 pm

Great win Pilots!

by Dean Murdoch Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:21 pm

Interviewer: Kevin, who would you rather play on Monday? BYU or Santa Clara?

Bailey: Well...at this point, I think it's more who wants to play us?

Love it!!

by **PilotNut** Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:30 pm

A tremendous defensive effort by the Pilots... Voldy and Hartwich did a good job of controlling Waldo... Poor Thomas couldn't get a break from the refs.

Tyson looked great... And Bailey shook off a bad start to pull it together in the 2nd half.

Rumor has it the team practiced half time & second half scenarios this week, and it paid dividends today!

This feels good, and it is a long time coming! Go Pilots (and Broncos)!

by Guest Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:48 pm

I disagree on the Broncos. My mantra coming into SMC is '3rd time's the charm,' it's hard to beat a team 3 times in a row. Hence, I don't want to see SCU.

Great efforts by the freshmen today. But the key was that every starter contributed a solid effort, with 7 or more points, and the bench (i.e. D'Marques) chipped in with good support. Plus, a solid 12 minutes from Philipp when Gabe is still recuperating.

by pilotdad1 Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:14 pm

Thats more like it Pilots! I agree that this was a 40 minute effort with no major mistakes or stretches without execution. I really liked the defense in this game. That said I have always seen St Marys this year as one dimensional. They just dont have much offense to offer minus the contributions of Waldow.

The last time UP won their first game in Vegas was 2011 when Ryan went 11-12 from the field and we beat Santa Clara. I know the following two years really were painful for him going one and done but I know that when he wakes up in Lithuania he will be pleased to see the final score.

Heres to shocking another team on Monday. GO PILOTS

by NoPoNeighbor Sun Mar 08, 2015 1:23 am

GO PILOTS! Lots of great performances today, but I was most impressed by Kevin Bailey. After the first few minutes of the game he had 2 fouls and 3 turnovers and 0 points. I thought he (and the Pilots) were going to be in real trouble. But in the second half, he played with total poise and confidence. He was under control, no wild shots, played within the offensive scheme, and made some big plays when his team really needed them. A GREAT performance by a senior, on the biggest stage.

by **PilotNut** Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:02 am

NoPoNeighbor wrote:GO PILOTS! Lots of great performances today, but I was most impressed by Kevin Bailey. After the first few minutes of the game he had 2 fouls and 3 turnovers and 0 points. I thought he (and the Pilots) were going to be in real trouble. But in the second half, he played with total poise and confidence. He was under control, no wild shots, played within the offensive scheme, and made some big plays when his team really needed them. A GREAT performance by a senior, on the biggest stage.

This! Hopefully Kevin can keep it up and fill the leadership void that Rev has mentioned.

I have to mention how many other wcc fans have come up to me today, and thanked me for the Pilots knocking out Randy Bennett... He is not well liked. Smile

Right up there with good ol' Rex Walters.

I think we will have the rest of the wcc fans behind us here Monday night... Oh, and I will acknowledge many, many Gonzaga fans who have been gracious and complimentary of our game today.

It was kind of hard to tell, as they never had much to cheer about, but it seemed Pilot fans outnumbered SMC fans... And we certainly outnumbered USF.

Here's to Monday night! Go Pilots!

by Guest Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:20 am

PilotNut wrote:I think we will have the rest of the wcc fans behind us here Monday night... Oh, and I will acknowledge many, many Gonzaga fans who have been gracious and complimentary of our game today.

It was kind of hard to tell, as they never had much to cheer about, but it seemed Pilot fans outnumbered SMC fans... And we certainly outnumbered USF.

Here's to Monday night! Go Pilots!

I also have had several positive comments about the Pilots' performance. I kinda figured it's because GU fans dislike SMC and don't hate us (we don't threaten them).

I wonder if losing their final regular season game and dropping to 3rd seed dispirited SMC fans; I have seen fewer than previous years. I haven't seen many USF fans. The Pepperdine fans were loud, but not great in number. Only GU and BYU had student sections that I noticed. LMU didn't send a pep band.

by DoubleDipper Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:52 am

Likewise on the positive comments from "other" fans. One GU lady in the elevator even gave me a hug, telling me she had "just won $50 from her husband," an SMC grad.

Concur with 7587's comment....very few college age kids here except from PU. Of course it's almost a day-trip for them, but the same could be said for LMU and USD.

by Geezaldinho Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:03 am

Several fans from around the conference came up to us in the evening session and complemented the Pilots on the way they played.

BYU brings a whole different set of problems, but they looked vulnerable against SCU last night. The Pilots will have to put together another great game.

Hands, now...who of you would have said at the start of the season that a berth in the finals wouldn't have been a sign of progress in the program?

by DoubleDipper Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:16 am

And the celebration contiues....7pm today (Sunday) @ McMullens Irish Pub across Tropicana from the Orleans.

Yes, the food is FREE! Be there!

Go Pilots!

by **PilotNut** Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:34 am

McMullans is a great spot... Just to clarify, it is across the side street, immediately west of the Orleans, on the same side of Tropicana.

by Geezaldinho Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:43 am

WCC Tourney: Pilots vs. SMC, Saturday, High Noon Th_9a6a266f2ee375a6617259f7b502d0a3

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by NoPoNeighbor Sun Mar 08, 2015 12:25 pm

Assuming Gonzaga beats Pepperdine tomorrow, I imagine many GU fans will stick around to root for the Pilots against BYU.

Although the most pragmatic among them may reluctantly pull for BYU: Beating BYU in the finals could help GU's seeding; and if BYU makes it to the final it is likely to get an at-large NCAA birth, which helps the conference.

However, in a close game, many unaffiliated fans will find themselves instinctively rooting for the underdogs. The longer that the Pilots stay in the game, the more fans they will have in the Orleans.

WCC Tourney: Pilots vs. SMC, Saturday, High Noon

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