Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. --- With time winding down, Portland’s potential game-tying three pointer bounced off the rim to allow the Santa Clara Broncos to escape the Chiles Center with a win in Thursday’s West Coast Conference opener. Junior forward Amy Pupa’s put back at the buzzer made the final score 59-58, giving her a career-high 17 points in the loss.
 
Portland (5-9, 0-1 WCC) trailed 58-52 with 1:12 left after a layup by Santa Clara’s (9-5, 1-0 WCC) Arteivia Lilomaiava. Sophomore guard Jasmine Wooton brought the Pilots within four after a quick layup.
 
Opting not to foul, the Pilots came up with a huge defensive stop as Pupa stole a Bronco pass and the Broncos were whistled for reaching in. Portland missed both free throws, however, and were forced to foul when Santa Clara recovered the loose ball.
 
But Portland’s hopes remained alive Santa Clara missed the front end of a one-and-one. Sophomore forward Cassandra Thompson wisely threw the ball off a Bronco as the teams jostled for the rebound on the sideline. Wooton trimmed the deficit to two with another quick layup.
 
Now in the double bonus, Santa Clara missed another free throw – their third in the final 1:34 – keeping it a one possession game.
 
Portland looked to tie the game on the other end as Thompson missed a three. The ball bounced out of bounds off a Santa Clara player, giving Portland one last shot.
 
Freshman guard Ellen Nurmi broke through on a screen with six seconds left, but her attempt bounced off the front of the iron and into the arms of Pupa. With no time to kick it out for another three, Pupa unsuccessfully tried to draw the foul on her put back.
 
Pupa just missed her second career double-double, shooting .545 (6-for-11) from the floor en route to a career-high 17 points and nine rebounds.
 
Thompson, meanwhile, picked up her second straight double-double. After a 14 point, 12 rebound performance against Portland State last Saturday, Thompson posted 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Santa Clara was led by Nici Gilday’s 15 points, helping the Broncos’ bench outscore the Pilots’ bench 25 to six.
 
The Pilots dominated the glass with 44 boards including 18 offensive rebounds. The Broncos had 33 rebounds, nine of the offensive variety.
 
Despite the three missed free throws late in the game, Santa Clara finished 14-for-18 from the line. The charity stripe was not as kind to Portland, which hit 11-of-20 on the night.
 
Overall, there were 14 ties and 12 lead changes in the game.
 
Portland hosts the San Diego Toreros (8-5, 0-1 WCC) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. as conference play continues. The Pilots look to avenge a 70-60 loss to the Toreros that ended the Pilots season last year at the West Coast Conference Tournament. San Diego lost its WCC opener at Gonzaga Thursday night, 77-57.