LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The fifth-seeded Pacific women's basketball team (17-13, 9-9 WCC) opened their postseason in style Friday afternoon, taking down Santa Clara 67-49 in the second round of the UCU West Coast Conference Basketball Championships at the Orleans Arena

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 
 
First Half

• Pacific started their 2020 WCC Tournament campaign on an offensive tear, leading 9-2 at the first media timeout while starting the game with a 6-for-7 shooting clip led by four points apiece from Kaylin Randhawa and Brooklyn McDavid.
• The Tigers ended the first quarter shooting 52.9 percent from the floor while holding the Broncos to 36.4 percent, including 1 of 4 from deep. 
• Pacific got points from seven of the nine Tigers who saw the floor in the first quarter.
• Santa Clara battled back as they had in their first-round win over San Francisco, cutting Pacific's lead to 27-19 with five minutes remaining until halftime.
• The Tigers punched back though with a 6-0 run in under two minutes to take control with a 33-19 lead at the five-minute mark of the second quarter while holding Santa Clara to one of their last 10 from the field. 
• Pacific outrebounded the Broncos 20-15 in the first half.

Second Half

• Valerie Higgins' triumphant return to the court continued, as the redshirt junior reached double figures for the 21^sttime this season with a pair of free throws in the third quarter to put Pacific ahead 44-28.
• Pacific entered the fourth quarter in a tight game after a 16-16 third quarter score, but not without a clutch 10-of-12 performance from the free throw line in the frame.
• The Tigers outworked Santa Clara on the glass in the third quarter, pulling down nine rebounds to the Broncos' four. Four of those nine went to Higgins.
• Pacific's defense shined through in the fourth quarter, holding the Broncos without a field goal for a four-minute stretch 

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:

• Pacific held the Broncos to just one offensive rebound the entire game while pulling down seven of their own.
• The Tigers outrebounded Santa Clara 41-25 on the day, their third most this season and second highest rebound total against a WCC opponent.
• The Tigers shot 84.6 percent from the free throw line against SCU, led by a perfect 8-of-8 performance from Higgins and a 10-for-12 performance overall in the third quarter.
• Higgins notched double double number 26 on the year in her return, going for 14 points and 11 rebounds. 
• Josephine Millard continued to impress on the floor with six points off the bench, tying Callie Kaiser for the team lead. 

UP NEXT: 

• The Tigers will live to fight another day, taking on No. 4 Portland tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at the Orleans Arena. Pacific swept the regular season series with a 77-73 victory in Portland, followed by a 77-70 win in Stockton.

FOLLOW US:

• For more updates and more information on the 2019-20 Pacific women's basketball team, be sure to follow @Pacific_Hoops on Twitter, @pacificwbb on Instagram and @PacificWomensBasketball on Facebook.