by RENO, Nev. – Nevada women’s basketball collected its first win of the 2016-17 campaign on Sunday afternoon over Portland, 72-59. The game saw four Wolf Pack players score in double figures, which is the second time this season such a feat has been accomplished.
In the opening period of play, the Pack (1-1) made its offensive aggression known early, scoring four of its first six points of the game from the free throw line, which led to Nevada reaching the bonus at the 5:39 mark. Following a three pointer made from junior guard Halie Bergman, the Pack closed out the final 1:07 of the first quarter on a 7-0 run to lead 22-18.
Bergman finished the game with 12 points, including a career-high four three pointers made. She knocked down her second long ball of the afternoon in the second quarter, forcing the Pilots (0-2) to call their first timeout of the game.
With the Pack holding on to a 25-22 lead, defense played a prominent role for both teams over the next three minutes before an offensive outpouring from Nevada. After back-to-back baskets from sophomore forward Terae Briggs (Crow Tribe) and sophomore guard Riana Everidge that initiated an 11-2 run, the Pack ended the opening half with its biggest lead of the game, 38-28.
The Pilots closed the Pack’s lead to seven points to begin the second half, but Briggs and senior guard Stephanie Schmid recorded back-to-back scores to give Nevada a 12-point advantage at the media timeout. At the 2:13 mark, Briggs pulled down her career-high 13th and final rebound of the game, which helped the Pack pull away with its largest lead of the game, 56-41, at the end of the quarter.
Briggs would end up recording her first career double-double in the fourth quarter, after hitting the second of two free throws, finishing with 10 points and 14 rebounds. With 1:21 remaining, Everidge knocked down her lone three pointer of the game, finishing with a team-high 16 points and five rebounds. Those were the final points for the Pack, as the team closed out the game with the 72-59 victory.
Up next, Nevada will travel to Sacramento, Calif. for a battle against Sacramento State on Nov. 16. Tipoff for that matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.
