The Portland Pilots Stun Gonzaga And Head Back To The NCAA Tournament

Las Vegas, NV. — In a stunning upset, the No. 3 seed Portland Pilots defeated the No. 1 Gonzaga women’s basketball team in the West Coast Conference Championship game on Tuesday.

The game was characterized by intense defense from both teams, featuring full-court presses from the beginning to the end. At halftime, the Bulldogs held a narrow lead of just one point, with the score standing at 29-28.

Both teams struggled with turnovers, with the Zags committing 11 and the Pilots 13.

Gonzaga faced difficulties in scoring, making only 26 out of 70 shots, resulting in a field goal percentage of 37.1%. Despite their usual prowess beyond the arc, the Bulldogs managed to convert only 25% of their attempts from the 3-point line, making just five throughout the entire game.

In contrast, the Pilots displayed impressive shooting accuracy, hitting 54.2% of their field goals and shooting 50% from beyond the arc. Kennedy Dickie led Portland in scoring with 16 points, followed by Maisie Burnham with 15 points and Emme Shearer with 12. Lucy Cochrane topped the Pilots in rebounds with seven.

For the Zags, Yvonne Ejim and Eliza Hollingsworth both achieved double-doubles, with Ejim recording 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Hollingsworth contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds. Brynna Maxwell also reached double-digit scoring with 15 points.