USD the Victim as Portland Ends Its Losing Streak at 21 Games

Before Saturday, the last time the University of Portland’s men’s basketball team had won a game was Feb. 6, 1988.

The Pilots defeated the University of San Diego, 68-64, in Portland, then lost their next 21.

Saturday, in front of 1,244 fans at USD, Portland won again, 57-54.

Afterward, several Portland players tried to throw the tiniest Pilot into the USD swimming pool. But Adolphis Gaffney, a 5-foot 9-inch junior guard, escaped to the locker room.

Portland Coach Larry Steele is no stranger to locker-room celebrations but hadn’t seen one under these circumstances.

Steele played at Kentucky under college basketball’s all-time winningest coach, Adolph Rupp. In the National Basketball Assn., he won a world championship with the Portland Trail Blazers (1976-77) during his 9-year career.

“It feels terrific,” said Steele, who won for just the seventh time in two seasons at Portland, which is 1-14 this season. “The effort has always been there. But we haven’t been rewarded.

“Our rebounding has been decent. Our execution has been decent. But the bottom line is, we have to make the shots when they count. Bart Koenitzer made the shots tonight when they counted.”

With a tight game on the line in the second half, Koenitzer, a 6-foot 10-inch junior center, scored 12 of his game-high 16 points.

After an uninspired first half, Koenitzer came to life in the second. He finished having made 6 of 12 shots from the floor and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line and added a game-high 8 rebounds and 7 blocks.

“In the second half, I just felt real good,” Koenitzer said.

Koenitzer also had 2 assists, one of which was a key pass to Steve Hutchinson, who scored on a layup with 4 minutes 50 seconds to play. It was Portland’s sixth consecutive point and pulled the Pilots even at 49-49.

USD’s Gylan Dottin (14 points) hit a 3-pointer, Koenitzer made two free throws, and Dottin then made two as USD led, 54-51, with 2:59 left.

USD (5-9, 0-2 in the WCAC) would not score again, missing six shots down the stretch.

Koenitzer made the next two baskets, then dished off to Ron Deaton, who scored on a layup with 45 seconds left.

USD’s Wayman Strickland (0 of 10 from the floor) fired from 3-point range with 35 seconds to play and missed. Craig Cottrell rebounded, but his power shot inside was blocked by Koenitzer. Kelvin Woods missed a wild layup try, then fouled Hutchinson with 15 seconds left.

Hutchinson missed the free-throw attempt, and USD had another chance to tie. But Danny Means’ 3-point attempt was off the rim; Woods rebounded and passed out to Strickland, who likewise missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The Toreros, plagued by poor shooting all year, shot just 32% (20 of 63) from the floor, including 19% (4 of 21) from 3-point range. At the free-throw line, they made just 48% (10 of 21).

“You want to put the blame on this game, you stick it on me,” USD Coach Hank Egan said. “That’s as bad as I’ve seen a basketball team play.”

In Friday’s 71-66 overtime loss to Gonzaga, the Toreros made just nine shots inside the key against the Bulldogs’ zone defense.

From the start against Portland’s zone, it was apparent USD was trying to work the ball inside more. The Toreros made 10 shots inside the key before scoring from the outside and led, 32-31, at the half.