STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific women's basketball team (14-10, 7-6 WCC) battled with Portland once again, out-foughting the Pilots (14-10, 7-6 WCC) once more Saturday afternoon at the Alex G. Spanos Center to make it six straight over UP with the 77-70 win.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
First Half
- Pacific started hot offensively with Brooklyn McDavid converting her first two field goals.
- The Tigers kept it up offensively with a 9-2 run in a span of 3:25, led by five points from Sofie Tryggedsson.
- Kaylin Randhawa hit three of four field goals late in the first half, ending the first 20 minutes with a team-high eight points on 3-of-7 shooting.
Second Half
- Valerie Higgins opened the half continuing a streak of four of five from the field, keeping Portland on their heels in a tight game that never seemed to waver from a two-point lead for either side.
- The Tigers more than doubled up the Pilots throughout the second half on points off turnovers (17-8) and second-chance points (15-6) at the 1:37 mark of the third quarter.
- Pacific went on another run of three of four field goals, this one to pull within one, 56-55, at the 8:11 mark of the fourth quarter.
- Tryggedsson buried her second triple of the day at the 6:31 point of the fourth quarter, a key shot to tie the game at 60. Higgins then drove through the lane a minute and a half later to give Pacific the 62-60 lead in the midst of a 7-1 run.
- Higgins buried a jumper before McDavid hit the transition layup on the ensuing Tiger possession, putting Pacific up 74-70 with :50.2 remaining and capping off an 8-2 run.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
- McDavid got in double figures once again with 15 points on 7-of-19 shooting, pulling down seven rebounds with two assists and a steal. McDavid was one of three Tigers in double figures on Saturday, joining Higgins (28) and Tryggedsson (10).
- Pacific controlled the game's tempo with a 26-18 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter, shooting 40 percent for the game.
- Pacific tamed Portland in second-chance points (21-6), steals (13-5) and offensive boards (14-4), while ending the game on an 11-2 run.
- Higgins was named the City of Stockton Human Resources Hardworking Player of the Game with 28 points (one short of a season high) on 10-of-15 shooting, a career-high 18 rebounds, six steals, three assists and two blocks.
WHAT COACH DAVIS SAID:
On big plays against the Pilots
"We really wanted to focus on controlling the tempo with the way that Portland plays. They can make you play at a hectic pace. We at times fell into that, but I thought for the most part we were able to bring it back under control in the fourth quarter, especially, and take the transition looks when they were there, but then slow it down and really work for a great shot when we didn't have something right away. I thought that was a good sign for this team moving forward."
On Pacific not panicking under pressure
"You can see where against a pressuring team like Portland, you can get frustration and then frustration can win. I thought we did a good job with staying composed and creating good looks for the game."
On Valerie Higgins and Sofie Tryggedsson
"What those two bring, especially those two, is just a calm and composure sense of 'there's no need to panic, there's no need to get rattled.' When we can have two players with that on the floor, it helps you settle down."
UP NEXT:
- Pacific will head back on the road for the final time in 2019-20, visiting San Diego and BYU next weekend as the Tigers seek to make up for earlier losses to both the Toreros and Cougars.
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