Correction: An earlier version of this story inaccurately said that both basketball teams lost in the first round in the WCC tournament when the women's team did not lose in the first round.
Nearly a year ago today, the Pilots women’s basketball team was flying back to Portland champions. They had just won the WCC tournament and secured a spot in the NCAA tournament.
This year they are flying back unceremoniously after losing 56 to 74 to LMU and finishing 12 and 12 on the year and nine and eight in league play.
The men’s team, after nearly missing the WCC tournament because of a false positive COVID-19 test, lost in the first round to Santa Clara 86 to 95, finishing the season in the same spot they’ve been in the last three years; last.
This year the men’s team went six and 15 overall and zero and eleven in league play. The Pilots parted ways with head coach Terry Porter midway through the season with interim Ben Johnson leading the team to zero and four.
For both teams the season was largely overshadowed by COVID-19: fans were not allowed inside Chiles, games had to be postponed and canceled and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown did not grant UP an exemption from COVID-19 state restrictions until 20 days before tipoff.
William Seekamp is the Sports Editor for The Beacon. He can be reached at seekamp22@up.edu.
