WCC Basketball Fans

Gonzaga 67, Portland 64

An already awful season was getting worse for Gonzaga. Then, out of nowhere, a band of basketball brothers came back from the brink. The 2011 season might never be the same again.
Robert Sacre had 17 points and 12 rebounds, enabling the Gonzaga Bulldogs to roar back from an early deficit and defeat the Portland Pilots at the Chiles Center in Portland, Oregon. It was the Bulldogs’ 16th straight win and their 30th win in 31 games over Portland; Portland hasn’t beaten Gonzaga at home since 1996. Pilots head coach Eric Reveno fell to 0-10 against the Bulldogs in his five years at helm in Oregon’s largest city. For the Bulldogs it was a welcome win, their second in a row after a three-game conference losing streak.

Early on, it seemed like the Pilots had a chance… actually, much more than that. They jumped out to a quick lead, finding themselves up 19-6 with just over 12 minutes left in the half. Gonzaga was as flat as a tortilla, with little energy and even less confidence. The authoritative nature of Portland’s start might have come as a shock to casual college basketball fans who might not have realized the extent to which the Zags have slipped this season. Gonzaga is vulnerable in a way it’s never been before. The absence of strong point-guard play or prominent wing scoring from agile, multi-dimensional forwards has made GU a much more toothless team than it’s been in quite some time. Portland pounced on these Gonzaga weaknesses and had the Chiles Center rocking. Gonzaga was about to sink to 4-4 in the West Coast Conference, something that would have been absolutely mind-blowing in prior seasons. Yet, the trajectory of GU’s season suggested that more rough times would greet the Northwest’s most consistent and recognizable national program (more so than the University of Washington in Seattle).
Then, however, something emerged and grew inside the hearts and souls of the Gonzaga lads. Something would not allow this proud program to go gently into that good Portland night.
The Portland lead slowly deteriorated after that early burst from the Pilots; the score was 34-28 at halftime and by the 11-minute mark in the second half, the Bulldogs had taken the lead and were up 51-41 after a 23-7 run that started and ended at the defensive end of the floor. It seemed like coach Mark Few finally got through to the Bulldogs, lighting fires under fannies up and down his bench. Sacre, Steven Gray (15 points) and David Stockton (12 points and 6 assists) all stepped it up a notch to lead their team to a sweet and satisfying win that could inject some fresh confidence into what had been a sad-sack locker room.

Jared Stohl and Nemanja Mitrovic each had 16 points, Tim Douglas had 14 points, and Luke Sikma added 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Pilots in the loss. The Pilots did make one last run, getting to within two at 53-51 with 5:33 left, but could not get over that final bump. Down 63-59 in the final minute, Douglas hit a driving layup to get the score to 63-61, but Gray hit four free throws in the final 11 seconds to seal the deal for the Bulldogs.
A team might have gotten its mojo back. We’ll see what the next few weeks bring for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer