Jan. 8, 2014
Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. -The 24th-ranked University of San Diego women's basketball team saw their undefeated season come to an end with a 72-51 loss to the University of Portland Wednesday evening in a West Coast Conference game at the Chiles Center.
With the loss, the Toreros fall to 15-1 overall, move to 4-1 in the WCC and saw their program record 15-game winning streak come to an end. With the win, the Pilots improve to 9-6 overall, and 2-2 in the WCC.
Senior forward Felicia Wijenberg scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting from the field, while pulling down seven rebounds. Amy Kame was the next highest scorer with eight points, and she dished out six assists. Sophia Ederaine pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds to go along with six points. As a team, USD had its worst shooting night of the season, shooting 29.4% from the field, and they were out rebounded for the first time all season long, 45-33.
In the first half, the early going was a back and forth affair that featured four lead changes over the first four minutes of action. Then with the game tied at 11-all, a Malina Hood 3-pointer sparked a 6-2 Torero run to give USD a 17-13 lead with 8:02 to play.
The Pilots then got red hot from the field and took advantage of a poor shooting half for the Toreros. A pair of Jasmine Wooton free throws would spark a 14-1 Portland run to give the home team all the momentum and a 27-18 lead with 4:24 to go.
San Diego would then begin to get a little something going, as a Wijenberg lay-up and a pair of Alysse Barlow free throws cut the lead down to five at 27-22. That is as close as USD would get in the first half, as the Pilots managed to hold on and go into the break up seven at 31-24.
In the second half, the Pilots continued to take advantage of poor USD shooting and quickly built up a double-digit lead on a Wooton 3-point play with 16:35 to go. The Pilots then slowly pulled further and further ahead and built up a lead to 17 on a Cassandra Brown 3-pointer with 13:05 to go.
The Toreros then made a push, as a Wijenberg lay-up sparked a 9-0 Torero run to cut the lead down to eight at 50-42 with 10:06 to go, forcing the Pilots into a timeout. The Pilots then answered with a 6-0 run, and never looked back as they went on to claim a 72-51 win.
The Toreros will return to action on Saturday, as they remain on the road and head over to Spokane, Wash. To take on 9-time defending champion Gonzaga Bulldogs.
