The Portland Pilots women’s basketball team will play the Sam Houston Bearkats in the opening round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) on March 19 at 6 p.m. at the Chiles Center, according to a March 18 announcement from the university.
This matchup marks another postseason appearance for the Pilots, who are participating in their 14th postseason tournament in program history. The team has previously qualified for the NCAA Tournament seven times, the WNIT four times, the Women’s Basketball Invitational twice, and once for the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament. Their last WNIT appearance was in 2022 when they secured their first-ever win in that tournament against Colorado State.
Under head coach Michael Meek, now in his seventh season, Portland has earned a bid for postseason play each year. Last season, they reached new heights by finishing with a program-record 31 wins and sharing the West Coast Conference regular season title. The Pilots also advanced to the quarterfinals of last year’s WBIT after defeating Stanford and Seton Hall on the road—both firsts for the program.
The team’s recent performance includes a victory over Washington State at this year’s Credit Union 1 WCC Women’s Basketball Championships before falling to Oregon State in the quarterfinals. Standout players include Rhyan Mogel, who scored 19 points against Washington State; Lainey Spear and Dyani Ananiev have also contributed significantly on both ends of the court. Ananiev leads with 76 steals this season, matching a recent high set by Emme Shearer two years ago.
Statistically, Portland leads its conference in blocks per game (5.6), turnovers forced per game (20.5), and steals per game (11.0). Julia Dalan is notable nationally for her shot-blocking ability as a true freshman with a record-setting 69 blocks this season.
Sam Houston enters Thursday’s contest with an improved record of 18-12 after finishing fifth in Conference USA play. Key players include Deborah Ogayemi and Fanta Kone—the latter earning CUSA Defensive Player of the Year honors while leading her conference in several categories including steals and assists.
Looking ahead, both teams aim to extend their seasons with a win as they meet for their first-ever matchup.
