@ Cal St. Fullerton 12/22

Portland Pilots (7-4) at Cal State Fullerton Titans (4-7)
Date: Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Fullerton, Calif.
Arena: Titan Gym (4,000)
Video: BigWest.tv
Radio: 910-ESPN Portland
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com

GAME INFORMATION
The Portland men's basketball will conclude its non-conference schedule on Thursday against Cal State Fullerton at Titan Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on BigWest.TV. This will be Portland's fourth game in eight days. All Pilot games will have radio coverage on 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT) with Jason Swygard calling the action. Coverage starts 30 minutes prior to tip-off and will have a complete post-game show.

LAST TIME OUT
Calaen Robinson hit a late three-pointer and the Portland State Vikings held on for a 77-75 victory over the Portland Pilots in an intense city rivalry game before 2,679 fans Tuesday night at the Chiles Center. The Pilots overcame a 13-point deficit to take the lead late, but the Vikings converted last in a game that featured numerous clutch plays. Gabe Taylor recorded a game-high 22 points, while Alec Wintering battled through early foul trouble to finish with 18 points and Jazz Johnson added 15. The Pilots used a 10-0 run sparked by a pair of Taylor baskets to take a 67-65 lead with 4:25 remaining to energize the home crowd. Portland would lead 72-69, but a pair of PSU three-pointers in the final two minutes went unanswered. Portland shot 68 percent from the field in the second half to overcome a 42-33 halftime deficit. The Vikings shot 48 percent overall and had a 37-26 rebounding margin and 20-12 edge in second chance points.

PILOT QUICK HITS
• Junior F Gabe Taylor was named the WCC Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in a pair of wins over South Dakota and Oregon State. Taylor drilled the game-winning three-pointer on Friday vs. USD, his second consecutive game-winner after tipping in a shot against UTRGV in double OT on Dec. 5. He then added 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Tuesday's loss to Portland State.
• Portland's 53-45 win over OSU on Sunday was the first against a Pac-12 opponent since the 2009-10 season (Oregon and UCLA) and snapped a four-game losing streak to the Beavers.
• Portland's four-player 2017 recruiting class has been ranked No. 17 nationally by The Hoop Scoop, tops among all mid-majors.
• Alec Wintering and Jazz Johnson comprise the No. 3 scoring backcourt in the nation (39.4) and No. 7 scoring duo overall nationally.
• Wintering, Markelle Fultz (Washington) and Jaylen Adams (St. Bonaventure) are the only players in the nation ranked Top 25 in scoring and assists.
• Wintering ranks 23rd nationally in scoring (21.3), 22nd in assists per game (6.0) and 11th in minutes per game (36.. He leads the WCC in scoring, is second in steals (2.0) and minutes, and third in the league in assists.
• The Pilots are No. 29 in the nation in free throw percentage (.757) and 15th in defensive rebounds per game (29.5).
• Portland's four losses have come against quality competition as UCLA is ranked No. 2 nationally, Colorado and Dayton are coming off of NCAA Tournament trips with experienced rosters, and Portland State has now won five of their last six games.
• Redshirt freshman Chier Maker made his collegiate debut on Friday after the NCAA deemed him eligible following semester exams.
• Senior F Jarrel Marshall missed the last three games with an ankle injury and is doubtful for Thursday.
• First-year head coach Terry Porter took over the program in April and hired an experienced collegiate staff to support his transition in long-time Pac-12 assistants Bob Cantu (USC) and Ben Johnson (WSU).
• The Pilots return five of their top six scorers from last year's team that finished 12-20 overall and 6-12 in the WCC. League coaches picked the Pilots eighth in the WCC Preseason Poll.
• Porter welcomes five newcomers to the roster in true freshmen Andre Ferguson, Alec Monson, Malcolm Porter and Joseph Smoyer, as well as sophomore transfer Franklin Porter (Saint Mary's). Malcolm and Franklin Porter are redshirting the 2016-17 season.

ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON
The Titans (4-7) lost at Omaha in overtime on Sunday, their second OT loss of the season. Fullerton defeated Portland State in double OT earlier this year, 106-100. They also have a 78-77 victory against Pacific. The Titans are 4-1 at home this season and are led by Tre' Coggins who averages 19.6 points per game. Fullerton is hoping to get 2016 Big West Freshman of the Year Khalil Ahmad back now that the Titans have completed fall semester. Ahmad was deemed academically ineligible for the fall and has not appeared in a game this year. Last season, Ahmad scored a game-high 25 points in the Titans 65-60 loss to Portland at the Moda Center. Head coach Dedrique Taylor is in his fourth season at the helm and the Titans were picked sixth in the Big West Preseason Poll.

Well, lets hope the wake-up call from Tuesday will have the team ready to compete from the opening tip tonight...  and have the legs to get it done with this being the 4th game in 8 days.  Note the 7:30 tip.

Portland Pilots (7-4) at Cal State Fullerton Titans (4-7)
Date: Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016
Tip-off: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Fullerton, Calif.
Arena: Titan Gym (4,000)
Video: BigWest.tv
Radio: 910-ESPN Portland
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com

GAME INFORMATION
The Portland men’s basketball will conclude its non-conference schedule on Thursday against Cal State Fullerton at Titan Gym. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on BigWest.TV. This will be Portland’s fourth game in eight days. All Pilot games will have radio coverage on 910 ESPN-Portland (KMTT) with Jason Swygard calling the action. Coverage starts 30 minutes prior to tip-off and will have a complete post-game show.

ABOUT CAL STATE FULLERTON
The Titans (4-7) lost at Omaha in overtime on Sunday, their second OT loss of the season. Fullerton defeated Portland State in double OT earlier this year, 106-100. They also have a 78-77 victory against Pacific. The Titans are 4-1 at home this season and are led by Tre’ Coggins who averages 19.6 points per game. Fullerton is hoping to get 2016 Big West Freshman of the Year Khalil Ahmad back now that the Titans have completed fall semester. Ahmad was deemed academically ineligible for the fall and has not appeared in a game this year. Last season, Ahmad scored a game-high 25 points in the Titans 65-60 loss to Portland at the Moda Center. Head coach Dedrique Taylor is in his fourth season at the helm and the Titans were picked sixth in the Big West Preseason Poll.

The UP write-up notes that CSUF is looking to get Ahmad back, but didn't I hear there are 2 players they are looking to get back tonight?  It would be nice to grab a road win tonight heading into the holiday and conference play.

Looks like you beat me to it, BS! Great minds, etc.

Stream is 720p max. I guess it'll do

Pilots lose in OT 77-72. Were up 9 with 2 minutes to play. Giving up 23 offensive rebounds might have not helped.

Three Things
1. I have an old dictionary. Under "BORING," it says "Basketball - walking the ball up the court and running the clock out. Examples: Dick Bennett's Washington State Cougars, Eric Reveno's Portland Pilots (under Derrick Rodgers at point guard)." I hope this team isn't added.
2. I thought Cal State players must be huge to pull down 52 rebounds to our 33. So I did the average height of everybody that played at least 15 minutes. Cal State came to an average of 6' 3" vs Pilots 6' 5". Must be something else.
3. Alec is the best Pilot I've seen in my 15 years as a fan, but I wonder if Terry shouldn't reconsider whether running the entire offense off Alec is the best plan. He is so fun to watch, but his turnovers continue to be up and he just get's brutalized at times. I worry he won't get through the year without injury.