SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Despite a valiant effort, the University of San Francisco women's basketball team (13-15, 10-9 WCC) dropped a heartbreaking 68-67 decision to Portland (27-3, 16-3 WCC) Thursday evening at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Despite Emma Trawally Porta giving San Francisco the lead on the first field goal of the contest, Portland answered with a 10-2 scoring run, gaining a 10-4 advantage at the 7:20 mark of the opening quarter.
- Battling back in the following minutes, the Dons tied the game at 12 at 5:27 with a Trawally Porta layup and back-to-back three-pointers from Freja Werth and Cami Fulcher. The Dons took the lead following a defensive stand as Werth knocked down a mid-range jumper for a 14-12 lead less than a minute later.
- Consecutive three-point field goals from McKelle Meek and Emme Shearer put the Pilots back on top, 18-14 at 1:59, and built a five-point advantage with a minute remaining, 21-16, following another three-pointer.
- Trawally Porta scored the final field goal of the first quarter, a straight-away three-pointer with 15 seconds left to trim the deficit to 21-19.
- Portland expanded its margin at the start of the second quarter, connecting on two layups for a 25-19 lead at 8:29.
- Holding the Pilots to just two points in the following two minutes, San Francisco tied the game at 27 near the midway point of the quarter. Fulcher scored five straight for the green and gold, highlighted by a long three-pointer, while Angeliki Ziaka hit a shot from a distance to cap off the 8-2 scoring run.
- Trading baskets in the back half of the period, five straight points from the Dons evened the score at 37 heading into the halftime break. Trailing 37-32, following a turnaround jumper from Rhyan Mogel, Werth made a driving layup and hit a three-pointer with under a minute left.
- San Francisco held the advantage in the third quarter, gaining the lead at the 8:58 mark after outscoring Portland 5-2 to begin the period. Aya Kéita kicked off the scoring with a baseline jumper, and Werth added her fourth three-pointer for a 42-39.
- With the game tied at 46, Werth and Kéita continued to propel the green and gold, combining for six straight points for a 52-46 edge with 3:18 left in the third. The Dons matched the Pilots throughout the final three minutes and led 56-50 following a made jumper from Werth after 30 minutes of play.
- Holding onto a narrow margin during the fourth quarter, San Francisco led by four at the three-minute mark as Trawally Porta drained a long ball for a 63-59 advantage.
- In a battle of free throws late in the game, the Pilots regained the lead, 65-64, following two Trista Hull free throws with 47 seconds left. Fulcher responded with two free throws of her own, putting the Dons back up one, 66-65, with 31 seconds on the game clock.
- Leading by two, 67-65, after Werth knocked down one free throw with nine seconds left, Portland's Alexis Mark collected her own rebound and tied the game with a layup while being fouled. Mark ultimately completed the three-point play to secure the win for the Pilots, 68-67.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- Leading both teams in scoring, Werth matched her career high with 26 points while shooting an efficient 56.3 percent (nine-for-16) from the field. Werth was also a factor on the defensive end, matching her career-high in steals with four.
- Scoring in double figures for the third time in four contests, Fulcher posted 14 points while only missing one shot. Fulcher also added four rebounds, one assist, and two steals and connected on all four of her free-throw attempts.
- Trawally Porta added 10 points and a game-high four blocks in 25 minutes of action.
- As a team, San Francisco shot 64.3 percent (nine-for-14) from the three-point line, the highest three-point percentage in a game this season. Three players had two or more three-pointers throughout the contest, led by Werth's team-high four.
POSTGAME WITH THE DONS:
UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns to War Memorial at the Sobrato Center when it takes on San Diego at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 1 for the regular-season finale.
FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco women's basketball program, follow the Dons
@USFDonsWBB on Twitter,
@USFDonsWBB on Instagram and
@USFDonsWBB on Facebook.
MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today!
Click here to purchase.
SPONSOR US:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor –
Planet Orange – for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact
Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.
