Skyward Showdown: Pilots Face Off Against Zags and Lions This Weekend!

PORTLAND PILOTS (14-1, 3-1 WCC)
WEEK 9: vs. Gonzaga & LMU
 
Gonzaga Bulldogs
(7-8, 2-2 WCC)
Day: Thursday
Date: Jan. 2, 2025
Location: Portland, Ore.
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Chiles Center
Online Broadcast: ESPN+
Statistics: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. GU
Record: 30-62 •  Last 5/10: 2-3/3-7
H: 14-28 •  A: 10-32  • N: 6-2
Recent Meeting: POR 67, GU 66 (2024)
 
LMU Lions
(6-5, 0-3 WCC)
Day: Saturday
Date: Jan. 4, 2025
Location: Portland, Ore.
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Chiles Center
Online Broadcast: ESPN+
Statistics: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. LMU
Record: 44-37 •  Last 5/10: 5-0/9-1
H: 26-14 •  A: 16-20  • N: 2-4
Recent Meeting: POR 83, @LMU 48 (2024)
 
UPCOMING EVENTS
• The Portland Pilots continue their home stretch, welcoming the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Thursday, Jan. 2, and the LMU Lions on Saturday, Jan. 4.
• Visit PortlandPilots.com for video and real-time stats as well as tickets for both matches.
 
LAST PERFORMANCE
• The Pilots hold a 14-1 record this season, having defeated the Santa Clara Broncos on the road before losing in overtime to the Oregon State Beavers at home.
• Alexis Mark became the third Pilot this season to achieve a double-double, recording 14 points and contributing 13 rebounds against the Broncos. Her 13 rebounds were the highest by a Pilot in a single game this season.
• Lainey Spear also recorded a season-high of 14 points from the bench. She has scored in double digits a career-high five times this season.
• In the outing against the Beavers, the Pilots faced their first loss of the year in overtime. Shearer and Burnham both tallied 21 points.
• Burnham has reached at least 20 points in five games this season, while Shearer has done so in four games.
 
NOTABLE STATISTICS
• Maisie Burnham and Emme Shearer rank second and third respectively in the WCC in
made free throws at 67 and 61 each. Burnham’s figure also places her 16th nationally.
• Shearer’s free throw percentage of 91.0% ranks 28th nationally.
• McKelle Meek is positioned third in total assists (69), fourth in assists per game (4.0), and first in assist/turnover ratio (4.00), which is second nationally.
• Hull’s prowess in defending the paint places her third in the conference for total blocks (25) and fourth in blocks per game (1.67).
• Shearer’s 254 steals stand as sixth all-time for the Pilots and 16th among all active NCAA Division I players. She currently leads the conference in total steals (35) and is second in steals per game (2.4).
• Shearer and Burnham are among the leading scorers in the conference, holding the second and third ranks respectively. Shearer averages 16.7 points per game, while Burnham posts an average of 16.5.
• Maisie Burnham is among only eight players in the WCC to have recorded a 20-point, 10-rebound game this season, and one of three WCC players to achieve this twice.
• Shearer is among just 30 players in the country averaging at least 16.5 points and two steals per game. She is the sole WCC player doing so.
• Alexis Mark stands second in the conference in total steals (32) and fourth in steals per game (2.33) and total rebounds (101).
• Mark is among merely eight players nationally averaging a minimum of 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game against Division I opponents. She is the only WCC player achieving this.
• Portland is currently leading the WCC in field-goal percentage (46.6%), turnover margin (7.47), turnovers forced per game (23.07), steals per game (12.1), scoring offense (80.1), scoring defense (59.9), scoring margin (20.2), assists per game (18.4), and free throws made per game (16.27).
• Nationally, they rank 15th in free throws per game, 27th in steals per game, 19th in turnover margin, 22nd in turnovers forced per game, 36th in free throw percentage (76.0%), 34th in field goal percentage, 29th in points per game, 35th in scoring margin, and 21st in assists per game.
• The Pilots’ 14-1 record matches their finest start in program history, equaling that of the 1996-97 season.
 
PRESEASON ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• The Portland Pilots were predicted to finish third in the WCC in the annual coaches preseason poll. This marks the third consecutive year they have been predicted to finish at least in the Top three.
• Two Pilots were selected for the 2024-25 All-WCC Preseason Team: Emme Shearer and Maisie Burnham. It is the second consecutive year both players have made the preseason roster.
 
CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN
• For the second consecutive year, the third time in the last five seasons, and the fourth time in program history, the Portland Pilots were declared the champions of the WCC Tournament.
• They achieved a remarkable 67-66 victory over the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs in the championship match, marking their third win over the Zags in the WCC Tournament in the past five seasons.
• They are the first non-Gonzaga WCC team to capture back-to-back tournament titles since Pepperdine in 2003.
• The championship match was the conclusion of an impressive tournament journey that saw the Pilots convincingly defeat the LMU Lions in the quarterfinals and come from behind from a 16-point deficit against the Santa Clara Broncos in the semifinals.
• Kennedy Dickie was named the tournament MVP after averaging 18.7 points and 6.7 rebounds, including a double-double in the semifinals. Maisie Burnham also earned her second All-WCC Tournament Team selection.
 
AWARD SEASON
• Three Pilots received All-WCC accolades last season, with Emme Shearer being named to the All-WCC First Team, Maisie Burnham to the second team, and Dyani Ananiev to the freshman team.
• Shearer extends the streak to five years with at least one Pilot making the first team. The last time the program had a similar streak was from the 2006-07 season to the 2010-11 season. Shearer led the team with an average of 12.1 points per game and topped the WCC in total steals (76) and steals per game (2.2).
• She was the first Pilot to achieve at least 70 steals ina term since Kate Andersen during the 2019-20 term.
• Burnham recorded an average of 11.9 points per match for the Pilots and ranked among the top 20 in the conference for both steals per match (1.4) and points per match. This marked the second consecutive year Burnham has been selected for the All-WCC Second Team.
• Ananiev became the first Pilot since Shearer in 2020-21 to be named to the All-WCC Freshman Team. She posted an average of 8.2 points and 1.45 steals per match, the highest scoring average for a Pilot freshman since Alex Fowler during the 2019-20 term.
• Ananiev is among two athletes in the WCC to be listed in the top 12 for both steals and blocks per match, and she additionally made a team-leading 50 three-pointers.
• McKelle Meek also secured a spot on the WCC All-Academic First Team for the second straight year.
 
LAST SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• The Pilots topped the WCC in multiple metrics last season, such as blocks per match (5.6), steals per match (11.0), turnovers forced per match (19.7), and bench points per match (21.9).
• On a national scale, the Pilots were positioned ninth in blocks per match, 17th in steals per match, and 28th in turnovers forced per match. They also ranked 37th overall with an average of 16.3 assists per match.
• Under the leadership of head coach Michael Meek, the Pilots achieved at least 20 victories in four out of the last five seasons. This is the first occasion at the Division I level that they have secured four or more seasons with 20 or more wins within a five-year span (they accomplished this once at the NAIA level).
• For the first time since the period between 1994 and 1997, the Pilots have clinched at least 20 victories for three consecutive years.
 
RETURNING PLAYERS
• The Pilots retained all eligible players from last year’s roster, boasting 11 official returnees. Additionally, the Pilots see the return of three out of their five starters: Shearer, Burnham, and Meek.
• In addition to the achievements of Burnham and Shearer, Meek participated in all 34 matches for the Pilots, starting 33 times, and led the team in assists with 119 while averaging a team-high 3.5 assists per match. These assist statistics ranked seventh and eighth in the WCC, respectively.
• Other players returning for the Pilots include Ananiev, Lainey Spear, Rhyan Mogel, Natalie Fraley, Florence Dallow, Melika Samia, and Emma Strelein.
• Spear and Mogel were part of a remarkable freshman class last year along with Ananiev. Spear competed in 30 matches for Portland in her inaugural year, averaging 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds from the bench, primarily playing in the frontcourt.
• Spear’s mother, Kristin Spear (née Hepton), is also a former Pilot, having accumulated over 1,000 points during her career and making the All-WCC First Team three times.
• Mogel, on the other hand, participated in all 34 matches last year from the bench, averaging 2.6 points per contest. Her 37 steals were the second most recorded by any Pilot player coming off the bench.
• Spear and Mogel both hail from local schools, with Spear leading the Beaverton High School Beavers and Mogel representing Clackamas High School.
• Fraley transferred to Portland last season after a year at Utah State. She played in 33 matches, averaging 2.9 points and 1.6 rebounds.
• Dallow got her initial minutes for the Pilots after redshirting her freshman year, participating in 21 matches with an average of 3.9 points per match for Portland before sustaining an injury late in the season.
• Samia was sidelined last season due to a knee injury. Eddy played in three matches before enduring a knee injury of her own.
• Eddy is a local talent who graduated from Saint Mary’s Academy and is the granddaughter of the legendary NBA coach Rick Adelman.
• Strelein made appearances in 13 matches last season for Portland.
 
NEWCOMERS
• In addition to the returning players, the Pilots welcome five newcomers, comprising two transfers and three freshmen.
• The transfers joining the Pilots are Trista Hull, a forward/center from Boise State, and Alexis Mark, who transferred from LMU within the conference.
• Hull, a native of Yakima, spent three years with the Broncos, averaging 4.2 points and 5.6 rebounds last season over 32 matches. She ranked second on the squad in rebounds per match and total blocks as well (42).
• Mark, meanwhile, received All-WCC Honorable Mention last season with the Lions, averaging 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. That rebounding average placed fifth in the WCC.
• Three freshmen are joining the Pilots this year: Ella Zimmerman, Tiffany Barbosa, and Caitlin Monahan.
• From Redondo Beach, Zimmerman was a powerful presence inside for Redondo Union High School. She garnered various accolades throughout her high school tenure, being recognized as an All-CIF Division I selection last year.
• Zimmerman was also named the Daily Breeze All-Area Player of the Year during the 2022-23 season and earned the title of Basketball Bay League MVP for the same year.
• Barbosa is an international talent coming from Stockholm, Sweden. The tall guard has competed with the Swedish national team, notably playing most recently with the U-20 squad.
• Barbosa’s teams in Sweden have clinched the Nordic Championships for the past four years. She received All-Star recognition in the most recent Nordic Championships.
• Monahan is a Pacific Northwest native from Mercer Island in Washington. She was a three-time All-Kingco selection at the 3A level.
• Monahan’s grandfather, Terry Monahan, is also an alumni player in men’s basketball for the Pilots.
 
COACHING STAFF
• The Pilots are under the leadership of sixth-year head coach Michael Meek. Meek holds the eighth position in career winning percentage (343-92, .789) among active NCAA DI coaches.
• Tom Batsell has been serving as an assistant coach with Meek since 2005, during Meek’s tenure as head coach for Southridge High School. Between 2005-10, the Skyhawks secured six state titles.
• Sixth-year assistant coach Sharon Rissmiller (’01) is an alum of Portland who excelled on the court for the Pilots from 1997 to 2001; she continues to stand 10th all-time with a .770 career free throw percentage, accumulating 1,069 career points.
• Assistant Coach Jerod Gibson joins the team after previously serving as head coach for Linn-Benton Community College over the past five years, where he compiled a record of 72-49.
• Completing the staff are director of operations Kianna Hamilton and graduate assistant Nicolas Duacara. Hamilton played last year for the Pilots in 27 matches, averaging 4.8 points and recording 32 steals.
 
ABOUT THE RIVALS
• The Gonzaga Bulldogs hold a 7-8 record for the year with a 2-2 conference score, while the LMU Lions are at 6-5 overall with a 0-3 WCC record.
• Last season, the Bulldogs triumphed as the regular season champions of the WCC, concluding with a record of 32-4 overall and a flawless 16-0 in WCC action. They progressed to the Sweet 16 in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
• The Pilots lost both regular season contests against the Zags but managed to overcome the Bulldogs in the 2024 WCC Tournament Championship.
• The Lions, on the other hand, finished the year with an 11-19 overall record, holding a 5-12 mark in the WCC. Earlier this year, the Pilots defeated the Lions 83-48 in Los Angeles.
• Lisa Fortier enters her 11th year as head of the Bulldogs, while Aarika Hughes is in her fourth year with the Lions.

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