The Portland Pilots men’s basketball team is set to play against the ninth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs on Wednesday, February 25, at 6:00 p.m. in Spokane, Washington, at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with Greg Heister and Richard Fox providing commentary.
Following this matchup, Portland will return home for their final regular season game against San Diego on Saturday. This event will also mark Senior Day and a doubleheader that includes the University of Portland women’s team facing Gonzaga later that afternoon.
Portland comes into the game after a loss to Seattle University, where they closed a significant gap in the second half but were unable to overcome a late run by their opponent. Joel Foxwell led the Pilots with 20 points during that contest.
Earlier in the season, Portland achieved a notable victory over then-No. 6 Gonzaga, marking its highest-ranked win in program history according to the AP Poll and snapping multiple losing streaks against ranked opponents and Gonzaga specifically.
Freshman point guard Joel Foxwell has had an impactful debut season. He set new school records with his performance against Pepperdine—scoring 35 points and delivering eight assists—and has surpassed previous freshman scoring records at Portland. “Foxwell garnered his seventh WCC Freshman of the Week award after averaging 27.5 points, 5.5 assists and 2.5 steals in games against Pepperdine and Seattle U,” according to team officials.
Another freshman standout, Timo George from the Netherlands, was performing as one of the team’s top scorers before suffering a shoulder injury in December; he remains out for the season along with Riley Parker due to foot injury.
Senior center Jermaine Ballisager Webb has contributed consistently since joining the starting lineup twelve games ago and recently represented Denmark’s senior national team during international competition.
Head coach Shantay Legans is currently recovering from an Achilles tendon injury sustained while filling in at practice amid roster shortages caused by injuries and illness among players.
The Pilots’ roster reflects significant international diversity, featuring nine student-athletes from seven countries. Four members are Australian—a continuation of recruiting efforts under Legans’ tenure—and several players have experience representing their respective national teams at various levels.
Recent transfer additions were selected for their experience with successful programs; junior transfers Garrett Nuckolls and Cameron Williams helped lead Trinity Valley JC to a national title last year while other transfers bring NCAA Tournament experience from different schools.
On staff changes this season, Mark Berokoff joined as assistant coach bringing more than four hundred career wins along with championship credentials from prior coaching roles. Anthony Separovich was also added as an assistant coach; both he and newly promoted Decclan Mclean have contributed significantly to recruiting talent from Australia through established pipelines.
Gonzaga enters Wednesday’s contest ranked ninth nationally (AP Poll), holding a record of 27-2 overall and having secured five consecutive wins since their defeat by Portland earlier this month. Head coach Mark Few leads a program recognized for consistent postseason success including two national championship appearances during his tenure spanning twenty-five seasons.
Tickets for upcoming home events are available through PortlandPilots.com/Tickets, where fans can also find information about group packages or download the official app for updates.
