UP-UW-Milwaukee

Men’s Hoops Opens Season with Decisive Win over Milwaukee

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots led from start-to-finish and opened the 2010-11 men’s basketball season with an 80-60 victory over UW-Milwaukee in the opening game of the Athletes in Action Classic Friday afternoon at the Chiles Center. Senior guard Jared Stohl led four Pilots in double figures with 15 points, going 5-for-9 from the three-point line. Senior forward Luke Sikma contributed a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Pilots (1-0) also got a big boost off the bench from freshman guard Tanner Riley, who finished with 14 points, five assists and no turnovers in 23 minutes of action. Junior Nemanja Mitrovic added 11 points and five rebounds.

Portland jumped out to an 11-0 lead as Sikma began the scoring with a putback and later hit a three-pointer during the run. Riley came off the bench to cap the rally with consecutive jumpers for his first collegiate points. The margin would grow to 17-2 on a three-pointer by Stohl. Another trey by Stohl late in the half gave the Pilots their largest lead of the game at 40-18, but two late three-pointers by Tone Boyle and Lonnie Boga brought the Panthers within 40-26 at the half.

Milwaukee would pull within nine points on three occasions early in the second period, but the Pilots quickly pushed the margin back to 17 points on a Riley three-pointer with 10:37 remaining. The outcome was never in doubt thereafter.

Portland held the Panthers (0-1) to 34 percent shooting for the game and 6-of-22 from three-point range. The Pilots connected on 48 percent from the field and finished 10-of-21 from beyond the arc. UP made 16-of-18 free throws compared to 10-of-18 for the Panthers.


Boyle paced Milwaukee with 13 points, while Anthony Hill contributed 11.

Many freshmen had their first taste of Division I action for the Pilots, and all played well off the bench. Point guard Tim Douglas finished with eight points and five assists in 24 minutes. Center Riley Barker had two points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in 10 minutes. Forward Ryan Nicholas added four points, four rebounds and two steals in seven minutes of action, while Korey Thieleke got his first action with two minutes off the bench. Sophomore JC transfer Derrick Rodgers grabbed two rebounds in six minutes of action.

Portland has little time for rest and relaxation as they are scheduled for three games in three days as host of the Athletes in Action Classic. Saturday’s slate features Florida Atlantic vs. UW-Milwaukee at 4:30 p.m., followed by the Pilots vs. UC Davis at 7 p.m. Sunday concludes the tournament with Milwaukee vs. UC Davis at 3 p.m. and Portland vs. Florida Atlantic at 5:30 p.m.