PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland nearly pulled off its second win in three days against a blue blood college basketball program but came up just short in a 78-77 loss to No. 12 Michigan State in the fifth-place game of the Phil Knight Invitational Sunday at Chiles Center. The Pilots (5-4) had overcame a 12-point deficit with three minutes left in regulation to have a pair of game-winning shot attempts in the closing seconds.
Tyler Robertson fought through a Michigan State defender on the block with the first attempt, but no foul was called and it came up short.