SPOKANE, Wash. --- Down 16 at the half, the Portland Pilots climbed within one late in the game as junior center Rachel Warren scored all 23 of her points in the second half, but the Santa Clara Broncos prevailed 83-77 in the first round of the West Coast Conference Tournament at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Thursday night. Portland was trying to become the first No.8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the 15-year history of the WCC tourney. The Pilots finish the season with a 4-24 record.

It’s the third straight game of at least 20 points for Warren, who scored a career-high 27 last week against San Diego. Sophomore guard Rachel Stratton scored in double figures for the fifth straight game, matching a career-high 16 points. Stratton also grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists, both career highs.

Sophomore wing Meagan Bermingham scored 13 points before fouling out, while senior point guard Whitney Grant netted 11 points. Grant, a four-year starter at UP, finishes her career with 1,138 points, 12th on the Portland’s all-time scoring list. She scored double figures in 25 of Portland’s 28 games this season.

Conference player of the year Michelle Cozad scored 25 points with nine rebounds, both game highs, to lead Santa Clara (18-10). Chandice Cronk scored 21 points and hit five of SCU’s 13 three-pointers.

The Pilots and Broncos combined for 59 three-point attempts, a Portland school record. The Pilots hit eight from behind the three-point arc.

Down 46-30 at the break. Portland came out of the locker room revitalized in the second half and looked early and often to Warren down low. Warren scored 18 points barely nine minutes into the half as Portland climbed all the way back to within six at 64-58. Moments later, Bermingham drilled a three-pointer to cap a 31-18 UP run to start the second half and make it a three-point game at 64-61 with only ten minutes left.

After the Bermingham three, Cronk answered with a three-pointer at the other end.

Santa Clara built the lead back up to nine points and led by seven with five minutes left when Portland made another run. Down 76-69, Warren hit a lay-up and was fouled. She made the free-throw for the three-point play. After a miss at the other end, freshman Karlie Burris nailed a three that pulled the Pilots within one at 76-75 with 4:18 on the clock. It was the closest the Pilots had been since three minutes into the game.

But as was the case all night, the Broncos had an answer, this time in the form of a Cozad three-pointer that made it a four-point game. Then up six at 83-77 with 2:13 left, both teams would go scoreless the rest of the way.

Santa Clara started the game on fire from the outside. The Broncos built a 20-9 lead 7:30 into the game, with the help of five three-pointers, two from Cronk.

Grant momentarily halted the run when she drove baseline and converted on a lay-up as she was fouled. She made the free-throw to pull Portland within 20-12. Moments later, Grant stole a SCU pass at midcourt and broke away for an easy lay-up to make it 24-18 in favor of the Broncos.

Portland kept the game close by making its free-throws. The Pilots connected on their first 13 free throws of the game, finishing the first half 14 of 15 from the line.

Only trailing 29-24 after a pair of Stratton free-throws, Santa Clara went on a 17-6 run to end the half and take a 46-20 lead into the break. Cozad had 17 at the half for SCU, Grant had 11 to lead Portland.

Portland shot 26 for 71 for the game and went 17 for 18 from the free-throw line. The Pilots outrebounded the Broncos 42-35, and outscored SCU 30-24 in the paint. Santa Clara had 10 turnovers to Portland’s 12.