GAME NOTES: The slumping Portland Pilots and streaking Gonzaga Bulldogs are set to begin West Coast Conference play this evening in Spokane.
Portland has suffered six consecutive defeats to plummet to 3-10 overall and 0-7 on the road. The Pilots were no match for Nevada last Thursday, falling to the Wolf Pack in a 78-60 final.
As for Gonzaga, it has posted four straight wins to move to 9-2 overall, and the club is 6-1 in front of the home crowd. Last Thursday, the Bulldogs knocked off Air Force by a 70-60 final, and the last three victories have come by double figures.
The Bulldogs hold an 87-65 series lead over the Pilots, which includes 16 consecutive wins.
Portland hasn't played particularly well at either end of the court this season, as the club is generating a modest 65.3 ppg while yielding 77.2 ppg to opponents. The Pilots are paced by Ryan Nicholas, who nets 11.3 ppg on the strength of his 50 percent field goal efficiency. Nicholas is also tops with 7.2 rpg. The only other double-digit scorer in the fold is Tim Douglas, as he adds 10.6 ppg to the mix. Kevin Bailey scored 15 points for Portland in the 18-point loss to Nevada last time out, and Douglas added 12 points. The game was essentially over by intermission, as the Pilots trailed by 20 points after shooting 34.6 percent from the field in the first half. They were 0-of-6 from three-point range in that initial frame and simply could not fight back.
The trio of Kevin Pangos, Elias Harris and Robert Sacre has been solid offensively for Gonzaga this season. Pangos paces the group with his 14.5 ppg, while Harris is close behind with 13.8 ppg. As for Sacre, the team's center, he provides 12.4 ppg and 6.6 rpg, as he places second on the boards behind Harris (8.1 rpg). The Bulldogs are generating 73.7 ppg while permitting 64.3 ppg to opponents. In the recent 10-point win over Air Force, Pangos exploded for 23 points on the strength of a 6-of-12 effort from three-point range. Sam Dower added 16 points off the bench, while Harris tallied a dozen points. The Bulldogs earned a 20-10 advantage in points from the foul line in that affair, as well as a 30-20 edge on the glass.
Expect Gonzaga to get the job done on its home floor to reach double digits in victories for the season. The Bulldogs figure to once again win the West Coast Conference title in 2012.
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