On Saturday, March 18, the women’s basketball team took on Oklahoma University in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Pilots who were seeded 12 lost 63-85 against the no. 5 Sooners.
This is the Pilots fifth time qualifying for the NCAA tournament but only their fourth time competing since the last time they qualified the tournament was canceled in 2020.
Media credit: Evan Luecke
The first quarter started off with the Pilots scoring the first points of the game, by the end of the first quarter however, Oklahoma was up 27 points to Portland’s 21.
While the Sooners kept the lead throughout the rest of the half the Pilot’s trailed closely behind. The first half ended with a five point deficit 34-39.
The Sooners took off in the second half though and by the middle of the fourth quarter the score was 57-80. While the Pilots battled to the end OU kept putting away the baskets and in the end the Pilots weren’t able to come back.
Media credit: Evan Luecke
Three players for the Pilots scored double digits. Alex Fowler had 18 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Lucy Cochrane had 12 points and six blocks — both tying her season highs — and Emme Shearer added 12 points.
With the season over the Pilots now set their sights to next year, the biggest question is: Will Alex Fowler be returning? She has one more year of eligibility but has not confirmed her choices yet.
Wilder Isom is the sports editor for The Beacon. She can be reached at isomw@up.edu.
