Paddling Upstream

SACRAMENTO, Dec. 31 – The University of Portland Pilots and the Sacramento State Hornets squared-off for their respective last non-conference game. The Pilots came to the match after playing a soft schedule for a WCC team, but their record forecasted a potential win over the Hornets.

Consistent with their record, the Pilots played with authority right out of the gates, going up by as much as nineteen points after the first ten minutes of play. The factor that secured their win, though, was not this run. It was their composure at the line when the Hornets tried later to close the gap. During that time, Portland made over 90% of their free throws. Effortlessly.

The Hornets did not give up after the initial Pilot run, but spotting the opposition an early 19-point lead never makes life easy. Their best attempt to go ahead came early in the second half when they decreased the deficit to seven, but they just couldn’t take psychological control of the game: Their greatest strength, phenomenal shooting, never showed up, and they drove strong to the basket no more than two times during the entire contest.

The final warm up to the main conference schedule showed Portland taking control of the flow of the game, from start to finish. This ability will be critical, as WCC coaches have picked Portland to finish last. Sacramento, on the other hand, showed once again that they do very well when they are offensively aggressive. To win, they need to be aggressive for 40 minutes.

Next up, the Pilots begin play in the WCC; the Hornets in the Big Sky.