RENO, Nev. - The Pacific women's basketball team (2-1) used a second-half comeback to down Nevada (0-2) in a 76-71 final that came down to the final minute.
"There was the comeback from last year, but there was also the comeback in the game," said Head Coach Bradley Davis. "On the road, you have to have grit, and we did. I was very proud of them for that."
Sophomore Elizabeth Elliott set a career-high in rebounds with 13 as she recorded her first double-double of the season by scoring 17. Senior Sam Ashby scored 14 points and grabbed 11 boards for her first double-double of the year. Junior Liz Smith led the Tigers in scoring with 18 and went a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line. Ashby added four steals, while junior Cecilia Holmberg set a career-high in blocks with three. Sophomore Anaya James led the team in assists with six. The Tigers outrebounded the Wolf Pack 52-27 while grabbing 20 offensive rebounds, both season highs for the team.
"Rebounding has been our huge focus this summer and this fall," continued Davis. "Liz Elliott was just a beast on the boards, and Sam came up with some huge offensive rebounds for us. She did a good job flying in. That is what you need on the road when shots are not falling."
The first quarter remained close as neither team led by more than four during the opening stanza. The Tigers took an early lead, but the Wolf Pack battled back to take a one-possession lead heading into the second.
Pacific awoke in the second quarter, leading by as many as nine as the Tigers scored 21 points to take a 35-31 lead heading into the half. The Tigers shot above 50% in the second quarter while out-rebounding the Wolf Pack 10-4 heading into the second half.
The Wolf Pack scored 20 points in the third, including taking the lead early in the quarter and holding the Tigers to just 28.6% shooting from the field.
The story of the fourth quarter was the free-throw line. The Tigers took 15 free throws and sank 13, including 10 straight, to close out the game. Nevada led by as many as six in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers chipped away at the lead and took the lead for the first time in the fourth quarter as junior Madelene Ennis made a layup and drew a foul to complete the three-point play. A Holmberg jump shot gave Pacific the lead for good with 3:37 remaining.
The Tigers are back in action on Friday at 4 p.m., hosting Rice at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
