Stockton, Calif. - Desire Finnie scored a career-high 21 points while Emily Simons added 14 as the Pacific women's basketball team prevailed over San Jose State, 81-69, Saturday at the Alex G. Spanos Center. Pacific held the Spartans to five fourth quarter points to win a wild contest and post the Tigers' first home win of the year.

In her first career start, point guard Ameela Li posted career-highs in points with 12, rebounds with eight and assists with six as she logged a career-high 31 minutes. Finnie's 21 points came in 20 minutes of action, while Simons posted 10 points in the fourth quarter alone and connected on 7-of-8 from the field.

Mauriana Clayton added six points and a team-high 10 rebounds, while Unique Coleman scored eight points with eight boards and Hailie Eackles chipped in nine points.

Pacific appeared to pull away in the second quarter, leading by as many as 17 in the first half, but San Jose State stormed back with a 32-14 third quarter as the Tigers grew frustrated with whistles and put the Spartans on the line 14 times.

The Tigers dominated the fourth quarter, however, as they outscored San Jose State 22-5 and used a 15-2 run to open the final period. Pacific held the Spartans to 2-of-19 shooting with five turnovers in the fourth quarter, while connecting on 8-of-17 themselves.

For the game, Pacific held a 46-22 advantage in points in the paint and out-rebounded the Spartans 56-46. Pacific improves to 5-4 overall, while San Jose State falls to 1-7.

At the outset, Najah Queenland tied the at 2-2 with a jumper, but San Jose State rattled off five-straight points. Li found Clayton for an inside bucket and Eackles drove and finished. Eli Lopez Sagrera converted from the post to give the Tigers their first lead at 8-7. Li finished in transition to cap an 8-0 Pacific run.

The Tigers stretched the lead to 20-14 as Finnie hit a pair of jumpers and Chelsea Lidy added a jumper.  The Tigers led 22-17 after the first quarter, led by Finnie's eight first-quarter points.

Finnie added a three-pointer in the second as the Tigers led 28-20. Li added a three-pointer from the corner to give Pacific a 33-22 lead with 5:48 to go in the half. The Tigers held San Jose State to nine straight field goal misses, stretching the lead to 17. The Spartans struck from the free throw line to narrow the gap, but Emily Simons tallied a put-back jumper before the buzzer for a 45-32 lead at the half.

Pacific held the Spartans to just 2-of-15 shooting in the second quarter.

The Tigers shot 50 percent from the field (19-of-38) in the first half, and held San Jose State to 26 percent (9-of-35). Pacific also held a 29-20 edge in rebounding,

San Jose State opened the third quarter with back-to-back three-pointers. But Queenland and Eackles each hit threes and Finnie converted an and-one to restore a 10-point lead. The Spartans reeled off seven-straight points, five from the free throw line, to pull within three at 53-50. Coleman finished inside to provide a four-point cushion at 55-51, but back-to-back lay-ups tied the game at 55-55 with 3:32 left in the third quarter.

Finnie answered back, slicing and finishing inside, but the Spartans tied the game on free throws following a technical foul, and then took a 60-57 lead on a three by Dezz Ramos. The Spartans capped a 21-4 run with three-pointer from Rachol West, with nine of the 21 coming from the free throw line. Li hit a bucket to close the quarter, but the Spartans took a 64-59 lead into the fourth.

In the fourth, Finnie cut the deficit to three at 64-61, while Li drove and finished with the left hand. Simons put the Tigers back in front, 65-64. Finnie added a three-pointer as the Tigers reeled off nine-straight points. Simons hit a turnaround jumper, drew a charge on the defensive end, and rolled home a lay-up for a 72-66 lea with under five minutes left.

The Tigers ran clock, as Simons scored inside again, but Ramos added a three for the Spartans to trim the Pacific lead to 74-69 with 2:34 to play. But Coleman, Eackles and Li combined to hit five of six from the free throw line and Simons outback the lone miss for the game's final tally.

With her 7-of-8 shooting performance, Simons is now connecting at .676 clip for the season, including .742 from two-point range. Finnie has posted a new career high in scoring in three of the last four games.

Pacific is back in action on Tuesday, when the Tigers play host to Stanislaus State on Education Day, with a special 11 a.m. tip-off.