CHENEY, Wash. (AP) -Nik Raivio scored 16 points and Luke Sikma added 13 points and 14 rebounds, helping Portland hold off Eastern Washington 64-58 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
T.J. Campbell scored 15 points for the balanced Pilots to help offset Benny Valentine's 20 points for the cold-shooting Eagles.
A driving basket by Raivio with a little more than five minutes left in the game gave Portland a 51-39 lead, its biggest margin since an early 17-5 edge. But the Eagles battled back, closing to within 58-52 on a three-point play by Kevin Winford with 1:56 left.
Portland answered with a floater by Sikma to push the lead to 60-52 and closed it out by hitting four of six foul shots in the final 45 seconds.
Brandon Moore added 14 points for Eastern Washington, which hit just 1 of 9 from the floor and trailed 12-2 to start the game.
