STOCKTON, Calif. – After erasing a 14-point halftime deficit to take the lead in the second half, the Pacific men's basketball program was unable to finish the comeback as Portland State ended on top 81-75 Wednesday at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
Pacific (5-8) trailed 43-29 at the break when it stormed out with a 14-2 run in the second half to make it a one possession game with 14:32 left. The Tigers kept streaking and led 53-51 near the midway point after a three by junior Jefferson Koulibaly.
 
Though, a late push by Portland State (6-5) was enough for the Vikings to prevail. Portland State shot .528 from the field and 5-of-9 from the three in the first half but were held to a .393 mark and 0-for-4 from three in the second.
 
All five starters scored in double-figures for the Tigers. Netting 15 points apiece were senior Elias Ralph, sophomore Elijah Fisher and Koulibaly. Ralph also pulled down seven rebounds and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
 
An all-around game came from junior Lamar Washington with 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Senior Petar Krivokapic recorded 11 points and five rebounds.
 
The Tigers made a season-high 31 free throws and shot .861 from the stripe. The last time Pacific made over 30 free throws in a game was Jan. 4, 2020 when the Tigers beat Saint Mary's in quadruple overtime.
 
Portland State was guided by Cole Farrell's 18 points off the bench. The Vikings led by as many as 20 points in the first half.
 
The Tigers came out of the gates on fire in the second half and used a 14-2 run to trim the deficit to 45-43 at the 14:32 mark after a pair of free throws by Ralph. After a bucket by Portland State, Pacific tied it 47-47 on a four-point play by Krivokapic after he drilled a three and got fouled with 12:09 left.
 
The Tigers took their first lead of the half 53-51 after a three by Koulibaly with 10:07 to go. The teams exchanged baskets up until the 5:47 mark after a dunk by Washington tied it 62-62.
 
Pacific trailed 66-64 when the Vikings garnered a pair of free throws and a lay-in to lead 70-64 with 3:24 remaining. Free throws by Koulibaly trimmed it to 72-69 with 2:13 left but the Tigers could not get closer in the final two minutes.
 
Pacific remains home to face Idaho at 1 p.m. Saturday in the non-conference finale. The game can be watched on ESPN+ with Zack Bayrouty and Don Gubbins on the call, and can be heard on Fox Sports AM 1280 as Dennis Ackerman as the voice.
 

Three-pointer and the foul!!! Tigers have erased a 14-pt halftime deficit and have tied it 47-47 with 12 mins left#PacificProud pic.twitter.com/vToHkEBjzL

— Pacific Men's Basketball (@PacificMensBB) December 19, 2024

NOTES
- Pacific is now 807-454 all-time at home, 344-221 in the Alex G. Spanos Center and 3-2 this year.
 
- Pacific and Portland State squared off for just the fourth time ever and first since Nov. 29, 1999.
 
- The Tigers entered the game ranked top-50 in the nation in defensive rebounds (27.8 drpg) and pulled down 28.
 
- Koulibaly's 15 points were a career-high, topping his previous high of 13 against Alcorn State on Nov. 9, 2021 as a member of Washington State. It was his sixth career double-figure scoring game and fifth this season. Koulibaly logged a career-high 39:35 minutes.
 
- Ralph kept his streaking going of scoring in double-figures in every game this year. It was his 73rd career double-digit scoring performance which included 60 times in four years at the University of Victoria.
 
- Fisher was 11-of-12 from the free throw line and it was the third time this year he made at least 10. Fisher turned in his 28th career double-figure scoring game and 12th this season.
 
- Washington submitted his ninth career double-digit scoring outing and seventh this year. It was the fifth time this season he finished with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.
 
- Krivokapic registered his third double-figure scoring game of the year. He drained a pair of threes in the contest.
 
- Freshman Carter Benton recorded his first career points. It came on a three-pointer with 1:41 left in the first half.
 
Tigers Tickets
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