2021-2022 Schedule/Season

We have known for some time the Pilots were heading to Honolulu to take on the Rainbow Wahine the weekend before Thanksgiving in what will probably be a multi-team event, but now it looks likely the Pilots will also detour to Palo Alto to play the National Champion Cardinal before heading across the Pacific.

Stanford, coming off their first National Championship in 29 years, is expected to be a #1 seed this coming season along with Baylor, South Carolina, and UConn.

DoubleDipper wrote:...it looks likely the Pilots will also detour to Palo Alto to play the National Champion Cardinal before heading across the Pacific.

Stanford, coming off their first National Championship in 29 years, is expected to be a #1 seed this coming season along with Baylor, South Carolina, and UConn.

I'm told this is a home-and-home deal...Stanford is expected to be in the Chiles Center in November 2022.

Wow! We probably have not had a home game against an opponent that good since Louisville in… 2011?? 2012??

FloridaPilot wrote:Wow! We probably have not had a home game against an opponent that good since Louisville in… 2011?? 2012??

Yes, #14 Louisville came to town to showcase the Schimmel sisters, Shoni and Jude, and blew out the Pilots in 2011 before playing in the National Championship game a year later.

I agree that Louisville was the best opponent UP played in the Chiles Center since Coach Pat Summit brought her Lady Vols to town in 1997 to beat the Pilots and end the season at 39-0 and win the National Championship.

But technically, the highest ranked (not necessarily the best) team to come the Chiles Center since 1997 was last year when #10 Gonzaga beat the Pilots before losing to UP 9 days later in the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas.

FloridaPilot wrote:Wow! We probably have not had a home game against an opponent that good since Louisville in… 2011?? 2012??

Mark your calendars!  I am told a preseason Top-10 team, likely better than Louisville, will be in the Chiles Center on December 4th when Coach Kelly Graves brings the Ducks to Portland.

The meeting will mark Kelly’s 25th anniversary year (1996-97) of leaving his UP-assistant position for his first D1 head coaching job (St. Mary’s).

Stanford in Palo Alto November and Oregon in Portland in December...

It appears there is going to be a Veterans Day (November 11) doubleheader in the Chiles Center (tentative):

5pm Willamette vs. MBB
7:30pm UC San Diego vs. WBB



Two days later (November 13) the women will play Weber St. in Portland before playing at Stanford on November 17 and in Hawaii November 19 and 21…probably against Hawaii and Prairie View, but maybe against Missouri.

2021-22 Portland Women's Basketball WCC Schedule:

Dec. 30 at LMU
Jan. 1 at BYU
Jan. 6 vs. Gonzaga
Jan. 8 at Saint Mary's
Jan. 13 vs. San Francisco
Jan. 15 vs. Pacific
Jan. 20 at Gonzaga
Jan. 22 vs. Santa Clara
Jan. 27 at San Diego
Jan. 29 at Pepperdine
Feb. 3 vs. BYU
Feb. 5 vs. LMU
Feb. 10 vs. Saint Mary's
Feb. 12 at Pacific
Feb. 17 at San Francisco
Feb. 19 at Santa Clara
Feb. 24 vs. San Diego
Feb. 26 vs. Pepperdine

Home games are in bold

Copyright 2021 University of Portland Athletics

Qfficial 2021-22 Portland Women's Basketball Schedule:

Nov. 5 vs. Willamette (Exhibition), 6 PM
Nov. 11 vs. UC San Diego^, 5 PM (MBB vs. Willamette, 7:30 PM)
Nov. 13 vs. Weber State^, 7:30 PM (MBB vs. Alcorn St., 5 PM)
Nov. 16 at Stanford, TBA
Nov. 19 at Hawaii~, TBA
Nov. 21 vs. Prairie View A&M~, TBA
Nov. 30 vs. Warner Pacific, 6 PM
Dec. 4 vs. Oregon, 6 PM
Dec. 9 vs. CSUN, 6 PM
Dec. 12 at Portland State, TBA
Dec. 14 vs. Stephen F. Austin, 6 PM
Dec. 20 at Fresno State, TBA
Dec. 30 at LMU*, TBA
Jan. 1 at BYU*, TBA
Jan. 6 vs. Gonzaga*, TBA
Jan. 8 at Saint Mary's, TBA
Jan. 13 vs. San Francisco*, TBA
Jan. 15 vs. Pacific*, TBA
Jan. 20 at Gonzaga*, TBA
Jan. 22 vs. Santa Clara*, TBA
Jan. 27 at San Diego*, TBA
Jan. 29 at Pepperdine*, TBA
Feb. 3 vs. BYU*^, TBA (MBB vs. St. Mary's, TBA)
Feb. 5 vs. LMU*, TBA
Feb. 10 vs. Saint Mary's*, TBA
Feb. 12 at Pacific*, TBA
Feb. 17 at San Francisco*, TBA
Feb. 19 at Santa Clara*, TBA
Feb. 24 vs. San Diego*, TBA
Feb. 26 vs. Pepperdine*, TBA

Home games in BOLD
^ Indicates doubleheader
*Indicates WCC game
~Indicates Hawaii Tournament

Copyright 2021 University of Portland Athletic

It is still a long way off, but the Sunday December 12 game @ PSU now has an announced tip-off time of 2pm.

Also noted on the PSU schedule is the Vikings will be going to Hawaii on the same dates as the Pilots to play the same teams, Hawaii and Prairie View, but on opposite days.

Nov. 19
PSU vs. Prairie View A&M
UP at Hawaii

Nov. 21
UP vs Prairie View A&M
PSU at Hawaii

Almost time for the excitement to begin:

Official practice can begin on October 2, 40 days prior to the first "counter" against UC San Diego on Veterans Day, November 11 @ 5pm.

(WBB plays Willamette in an exhibition game on November 5 @ 6pm.)

The Pilots have added a third non-D1 game to the schedule: Evergreen St. at 4pm on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 28th in the Chiles Center.

This makes sense as it is the first game in week after returning from Hawaii, and it is two days before another tune-up game against Warner Pacific and 6 days before the showdown with the Ducks in the Chiles Center on December 4 at 6pm.  

I'm not sure what heading would be best for this, so I'll use this one.  After 20 years of season tickets, we stopped supporting Terry Porter and the men's team three years into his debacle. Instead we switched our allegiance to the women's team.  Besides the enjoyment of watching their success, you could see good coaching in action, and see how supportive the players have been of one another.  The thing I wanted to comment on today though is their marketing, communication, and gratitude.  We've get periodic updates year-round from Sharon Rissmiller, personal thanks from the players for any contributions made to the team, and yesterday got a thank you signed by the entire team along with amusing pictures of their Mt Hood trip - and we made just a very small contribution.   That's how to build loyalty.  The men's program ought to pay attention to the successful side of the house.

bullwinkle wrote:The men's program ought to pay attention to the successful side of the house.

I guess the only way we will find out is to contribute to the support of the men's team.  

bullwinkle wrote:We've get periodic updates year-round from Sharon Rissmiller, personal thanks from the players for any contributions made to the team, and yesterday got a thank you signed by the entire team along with amusing pictures of their Mt Hood trip - and we made just a very small contribution.   That's how to build loyalty.  

I agree, the updates from Coach Rissmiller go a long way toward keeping us interested in WBB...it is something Coach Kelly Graves did when he was an assistant at UP.

When Mrs. Dipper and I received a very nice handwritten note from Lucy Cochrane this past spring it inspired us to support the team even more, which in turn resulted in another handwritten note last week, this time from Emily Sewell.

Yes, WBB has discovered the winning formulas, on and off the court.

Pilots picked to finish 5th, and Alex and Haylee have been named to the preseason All-WCC team

2021-22 WCC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll Place Team First Place Points:
1. BYU 8 80
2. Gonzaga 2 72
3. San Diego 66
4. San Francisco 53
5. Portland 51
6. Santa Clara 40
7. Saint Mary's 32
8. LMU 26
9. Pepperdine 16
10. Pacific 14



https://portlandpilots.com/news/2021/10/13/womens-basketball-andrews-fowler-named-to-all-wcc-preseason-team.aspx

Reloaded Pilots set Expectations High for 2021-22 Season --

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2021/10/21/womens-basketball-reloaded-pilots-set-expectations-high-for-2021-22-season.aspx

Gameday! Exhibition tipoff vs Willamette in 12 hours

Adam wrote:Gameday! Exhibition tipoff vs Willamette in 12 hours

Spiffed-up your post...

DoubleDipper wrote:

Adam wrote:Gameday! Exhibition tipoff vs Willamette in 12 hours

Spiffed-up your post...

Cheers, looks schmicko!

UP's team is as deep as I have ever seen it, and it may be a good thing as three potential starters sat out Friday night's game with injuries.

But as so often can happen, some of the new kids on The Bluff stepped right in and were instrumental in the Pilots 79-35 defeat of Willamette U.   Of course, junior Alex Fowler and senior Haylee Andrews were the leading scorers, but freshman MJ Bruno and sophomore transfer Maisie Burnham showed they will be big contributors this coming season.

All 14 available players saw action, and all but two, grad-student Rose Pflug and junior Keeley Frawley scored...but we all know those two are capable of making the big plays.

The most fun for the fans and especially for the players began in the 4th quarter when the seven players who had gotten most of the playing time were pulled and the next seven took over without skipping a beat.  When each of the freshmen scored their first collegiate points the bench went wild in genuine excitement for their hard-working teammates...and the fans fed off the player's energy.



Not sure when Lucy, Emme, and McKelle will be back in action, but until then the team seems to be in good hands.

Next up: At home against D1 UC San Diego at 5pm next Thursday 11/11 (Veterans Day), before the men play Willamette at 7:30.

14 - 0 start and nice lead at the quarter



*  Also just a note Emma has decided to redshirt after weighing up where she is at coming back off her ACL recon last year

Great win to get the season going

Adam wrote:*  Also just a note Emma has decided to redshirt after weighing up where she is at coming back off her ACL recon last year

Apparently Maddi Condran will also redshirt, which was not unexpected.

Both Maddi and Emma were sitting at the far end of the bench tonight continuing to root on their teammates.  Both will get plenty of practice time to make themselves and their teammates stronger.

MJ Bruno did not play while nursing an ankle and McKelle continues to improve each day and now has the walking boot off, but it will be quite some time before she is able to play.

Adam wrote:14 - 0 start and nice lead at the quarter



*  Also just a note Emma has decided to redshirt after weighing up where she is at coming back off her ACL recon last year

Wow.

After last night's drubbing at the hands of the Pilots, UC-San Diego wants a rematch!

It will be next season in San Diego.  

Coach Meek tells me UC-San Diego is expected to come in 5th or 6th in the 11-team Big West Conference this season, and of course UP was picked by the coaches to come in 5th in the WCC.