2020-2021 WCC Games

This time the Pilots led every category but came up short 77-76 at the buzzer.

Unfortunately, the glaring category they led in was turnovers.

Geezaldinho wrote:This time the Pilots led every category but came up short 77-76 at the buzzer.

Much, much better performance than the last time the Pilots played SCU, but the loss really hurts the Pilots' chances of a first-round bye in the tournament with USD and BYU on the road looming after USF at home this Saturday.

Good to see Maddie return in surprisingly good form after weeks away due to injury, but then McKelle went down with an ankle or foot injury after only one minute of play.  I do not know why Rose did not play, and it appears Jayce is done for the year.

Today's scheduled game against USF in the Chiles Center has been postponed, and the teams are attempting to reschedule the contest for tomorrow...weather permitting.

It is just too difficult/dangerous for players and staff to attempt to drive to campus....

Too bad, today's game would have been televised.

DoubleDipper wrote:Today's scheduled game against USF in the Chiles Center has been postponed, and the teams are attempting to reschedule the contest for tomorrow...weather permitting.

Game on!

The Pilots (7-5) and USF (7-7) will attempt to play tomorrow (Sunday) at 4pm in the Chiles Center.

DoubleDipper wrote:The Pilots (7-5) and USF (7-7) will attempt to play tomorrow (Sunday) at 4pm in the Chiles Center.

USF, a team that has improved considerably from last year, was just too physical and too quick for UP...almost always racing through the pressing Pilots in their 74-71 win.

It was pretty obvious from the start the referees wanted to get the game over with and hit the road before it iced-up, because they were allowing traveling and banging like I've never seen in a WCC women's game...consequently, Alex was roughed-up like never before and was limited to just two field goals.

The Pilots were again without Rose and McKelle, and this time Coach Rissmiller too, as she was snowed-in at home.

(USF has the most international roster I've ever seen: USA (3), Finland, Croatia (3), Latvia, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Australia, Greece, and Poland).

In the midst of a 4-game losing streak, the Pilots have dropped out of the coveted top-4 places in the standings in the race to Las Vegas, and currently reside in 6th place with two regular season games remaining.

The Pilots still have a mathematical chance of moving up, but the chance is slim.

Picked to finish 3rd in the preseason coaches poll, the Pilots are playing well, but all 10 teams in the conference are improved this season and opposing teams are more prepared to take on the defensive pressured thrown at them by UP.

Lots of what ifs this year. What if Jayce and Maddie are healthy throughout? What if Lucy Cochrane was in the middle creating mismatches for Alex and disrupting opposing offenses. Still very optimistic for this year, but lots to look forward to as well.

Uh oh, UOP upset USD yesterday leaving UOP and UP in a virtual tie for 6th place in the conference...

Unless UP wins its last two games of the season this coming Thursday and Saturday, they are in danger of slipping into the dreaded bottom four for Las Vegas.

DoubleDipper wrote:Uh oh, UOP upset USD yesterday leaving UOP and UP in a virtual tie for 6th place in the conference...

Unless UP wins its last two games of the season this coming Thursday and Saturday, they are in danger of slipping into the dreaded bottom four for Las Vegas.

The Pilots beat UOP twice this season, but KenPom moved the Tigers up, putting UP in the bottom four...making tonight's and Saturday's games must wins...

Well, that wasn't easy...

Down by 10 at the half after scoring only 28 points, the Pilots came out in the second half playing great defense while converting it to offense to go on a 17-0 run, and ended up winning, 73-63.

If the Pilots can beat PU on Saturday they might be able sneak back up to 6th place and a first-round bye in Las Vegas.

DoubleDipper wrote:Down by 10 at the half after scoring only 28 points, the Pilots came out in the second half playing great defense while converting it to offense to go on a 17-0 run....

I would like to have heard that halftime "encouragement!"

DoubleDipper wrote:If the Pilots can beat PU on Saturday they might be able sneak back up to 6th place and a first-round bye in Las Vegas.

IT DOESN'T MATTER!

Because USD has canceled its final week of play and will NOT attend the WCC Tournament, all the teams below #3 USD will automatically move up one seed and only the #8 and #9 seeds will play on Thursday. The #7 seeded team will get a bye to play the #6 team on Friday.

The Pilots will likely be seeded #6 or #5 when it's all settled...

I feel badly for Cindy Fisher and her Toreros who played UP in the WCC Championship game last year...they had the potential to win it all this season.

WCC wrote:The WCC will enact previously adopted conference policy for seeding and bracketing the women’s basketball tournament field without all 10 teams available. Utilizing the Ken Pomeroy Conference Adjusted Winning Percentage, the WCC will seed the full field for the women’s basketball tournament this Sunday, Feb. 28. Once set, San Diego will be removed from the field of eligible teams, and each program with a lower seed than San Diego’s will advance one spot. The WCC Tournament will begin next Thursday, March 4. The No. 10 seed vs. No. 7 seed game, scheduled for next Thursday, will not be contested. The No. 7 seed will advance to the next round, where it will face the No. 6 seed on Friday, March 5.

It's Senior Night for the Pilots!

Except it is in the afternoon and there will be no parents, siblings, friends, or fans as in the past.

Coaches and teammates will be saluting Maddie Mulheim, Jayce Gorzeman, Kris Woolridge, and Lauren Walker.

The Pilots take on the Waves at 2pm, and it will be on TV...NBC Sports NW.

DoubleDipper wrote:
SCU, 2-0 at the half...I'm heading to the golf course.

Big mistake. You missed a hell of a basketball game.

The Pilots were down by 15 with nine minutes left when they went into dervish mode on defense and had a three point lead 6 minutes later. Then the teams traded leads until UP tied it up with 5 seconds left when Kelsey Lenzie got Fouled  trying a 3 and hit all three foul shots.

They kept it up in OT and won going away 101-94.

31 points from Andrews , 29 by Fowler, and 15 by Mulheim on Senior day.

Geezaldinho wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:SCU, 2-0 at the half...I'm heading to the golf course.

Big mistake. You missed a hell of a basketball game.

You are correct, I did not see the second half of the soccer loss, but due to the magic of technology and my DVR, I just finished watching the Pilots OT win over Waves in its entirety.

In addition, and online only, I watched what turned out to be a very emotional salute to our seniors with all the normal ceremony, and best of all, players' parents and grandparents sending their love via the big screen.

With its win today, I think UP will be the #5 seed in Las Vegas...we'll find out in the morning.