Portland Rallies to Top Stanford in OT 69-68 in First Round WBIT Action
In a thrilling WBIT First Round matchup, the Portland Pilots erased a double-digit deficit and battled past the Stanford Cardinal 69-68 in overtime Thursday night at Maples Pavilion. The win sends Portland (30-4) into the second round, marking a milestone 30th victory for a program still proving its worth on the national stage.
Down 40-29 at halftime and by as many as 13 in the third quarter, Portland stormed back with trademark grit and defensive pressure. The Pilots outscored Stanford 31-20 in the second half to force overtime and held off the Cardinal in the extra period behind key stops and clutch buckets.
Emme Shearer led the way for Portland with a game-high 28 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including a pair of timely threes. Maisie Burnham added 14 points and 8 rebounds, and Trista Hull chipped in 8 points and 6 boards, including a huge three in overtime. The Pilots’ defensive intensity ramped up after halftime, forcing 12 Stanford turnovers over the final three periods.
“We’re just a ‘next play’ team,” said Portland head coach Michael Meek. “This group loves each other and competes so hard—they just don’t want the season to end. That showed tonight. We knew we had to fight, and they did.”
Stanford (16-15), hosting a postseason game outside of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 37 years, started hot. Elena Bosgana scored 19 points and Nunu Agara posted a dominant double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. But the Cardinal cooled off dramatically in the second half, shooting just 22% after the break and going 1-of-8 from three.
“They’re a great team and we knew they wouldn’t go away,” said Stanford head coach Kate Paye. “We really struggled to score in the second half, and credit to Portland for making things difficult.”
Portland’s resilience showed in the fourth quarter, where they shot 64% from the floor and got key baskets from Shearer and Burnham to tie the game at 60. In overtime, Hull’s three-pointer and a pair of late free throws helped the Pilots seal it.
The Pilots now advance to face Seton Hall in the WBIT Second Round on Sunday, March 23 (streaming on ESPN+). The winner will move on to the quarterfinals on March 27, with the WBIT Final Four and championship set for Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on March 31 and April 2, respectively.
First Round WBIT Results
- Marquette 74, Drake 69
- Virginia Tech 61, N.C. A&T 45
- James Madison 77, Davidson 50
- Saint Joseph’s 69, UAlbany 40
- Villanova 76, Boston College 70
- Seton Hall 57, Quinnipiac 40
- Minnesota 65, Toledo 53
- Florida 83, UNI 71
- Missouri St. 107, Oral Roberts 76
- Belmont 64, Middle Tenn. 51
- Texas Tech 65, Wyoming 48
- Colorado 73, Southeastern La. 41
- Gonzaga 67, UTSA 51
- Northern Ariz. 71, Arizona 69
- UNLV 63, Hawaii 46
- Portland 69, Stanford 68 (OT)
Second round: Sunday, March 23 | ESPN+
times ET
- Saint Joseph’s vs. Villanova, 2 p.m.
- Belmont vs. Northern Ariz., 3 p.m.
- Colorado vs. Gonzaga, 3 p.m.
- Missouri St. vs. Minnesota, 3 p.m.
- Seton Hall vs. Portland, 4 p.m.
- James Madison vs. Marquette, 4 p.m.
- Virginia Tech vs. Texas Tech, 4 p.m.
- Florida vs. UNLV, 5 p.m.
