By David Thompson
Last December, snow storms left a blanket of white more than a foot deep in some places around Portland. The conditions made it almost impossible to get from place to place. People had to miss work, stay inside, and hope for the snow to melt.
Such was the case for the University of Portland women's basketball team, who missed a game against the University of Oregon in Eugene due to the storms. The game that was originally scheduled for Dec. 22 was made up on Monday as the Ducks beat the Pilots 64-55.
The loss put a damper on a superb performance by junior Laiken Dollente, who was 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with a team high 18 points. Dollente's performance was only to be outdone by University of Oregon junior Micaela Cocks, who was 6 of 7 from 3-point land finishing with 22 points.
The Pilots controlled most of the first half leading 32-25, but could not keep the lead after missing every field goal in the final seven minutes.
The Pilots loss to Oregon put their record at 1-2 for the weekend and came just two days after a 59-56 win over Pepperdine.
While the 1-2 record may not have given the result that Pilot fans would hope for, the win against Pepperdine gave reason for hope.
Saturday's win, which was sandwiched between the two losses to Loyola Marymount and the University of Oregon, gave the Pilots an overall record of 3-2 in conference and 10-9 overall, the best start in over a decade for the University of Portland.
The 3-2 conference record is a reflection of the second best defense in the West Coast Conference as well as inspired play from sophomore Tara Cronin.
Cronin has played at higher level since conference play started and is averaging a team best 14 points in the five games, including scoring outbursts of 20 and 18.
"I've been looking more for my shot, mainly the pull up jumper," Cronin, who compliments Dollente nicely in the starting rotation, said. The two are averaging 26 of Portland's 56 points per game.
The Pilots controlled the start of the game turning solid defense into an early lead that reached 15 points in the first half before fading a little down the stretch. The Pilots halftime lead was down to seven after Pepperdine went on a 15-7 run to end the half. From that point, neither team had a lead larger than eight the rest of the game.
As the Waves slowly pulled back into the game, tying it at 50 with 2:53 left, the Pilots responded with team play and stout defense.
The next two minutes the teams traded baskets and the game was again tied at 54 with 29 seconds remaining. With the ability to wait for the last shot, Cronin took an opening and drove baseline converting on a clutch lay-up with 18 seconds on the clock. Dollente was then fouled after rebounding a missed 3-point shot by Pepperdine. Dollente made both free-throws to put the Pilots up 58-54 with six seconds remaining.
Pepperdine responded when senior Jessica Ross made a jumper with two seconds left, but it was too little too late for the Waves.
A holding call was called on freshman Lauren Bell when she grabbed Dollente's jersey on the ensuing inbounds play. Dollente made the first free throw, and missed the second limiting Pepperdine's last chance to a full-court heave that fell 20 feet shy of the hoop.
As promising as Saturday's win was for the Pilot's, Thursday's loss to Loyola Marymount was equally as frustrating. The Pilots only saw the lead after making the first basket of the game.
The game was one of streaks as LMU shot out to a 13 point lead following a 25-10 run that lasted about ten minutes.
The Pilots then responded by pulling to within seven before halftime.
The lead stayed steady for LMU until senior Karlie Burris nailed a three followed by a steal and layup by Cronin, to pull the Pilots to within two at 39-41.
That was as close as the Pilots got and from that point, the Lions controlled the game and the Pilots fell 53-64.
This week the Pilots continue WCC play as they take on the San Diego Toreros in San Diego, Calif. on Thursday before heading to the McKeon Pavilion to take on the Gaels of Saint Mary's College Saturday.