NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Thomas van der Mars scored nine of his team-high 14 points in the opening minutes to spark Portland to a 79-51 win over Drake in the Challenge in Music City on Saturday. Portland, which beat Murray State, 64-61 in the opener Friday, jumped to a 24-11 start over the opening 10 minutes and led by 16 points at halftime, 38-22. The win gives the Pilots five straight to open the season, matching their best start under coach Eric Reveno, whose 2009-10 team got off to a 5-0 start and was ranked in the Top 25.

Portland got balanced scoring from its entire roster. Only one player failed to score against the Bulldogs while the team shot 50 percent from the floor (27 for 54). Gary Ricks, Junior scored 23 points to lead Drake (1-5), which lost to Valparaiso in the opener, 66-46.