CHENEY, Wash. --- Portland controlled the first half and led Eastern Washington by five at the break, but the Eagles would come back to claim a 72-65 win over the Pilots in a non-conference women's basketball game played on Wednesday night at Reese Court. Cassandra Brown and Cassandra Thompson each scored 16 points to lead four Pilots in double figures.
 
The Pilots (2-8) led for almost the entire first half, twice building a nine-point lead. Nine minutes in, Brown drilled a three-pointer to give Portland its biggest lead to that point at 21-12. The Eagles (5-4) then momentarily cut into the deficit before the Pilots again were able to push it to nine, this time with the help of four points from Jasmine Wooton and a three-pointer by Hannah Mattson.
 
After Mattson's three made it a 30-21 game with 2:45 left in the half, the Eagles held the Pilots scoreless the rest of the way, pulling within 30-25 at the break. Eastern Washington shot just 29 percent during the first half, but the Pilots were hurt by an 8-1 difference in turnovers.
 
The Eagles then opened the second half with a 28-10 run that allowed EWU to surge ahead 53-40 with 10:21 left. Portland would pull within five after a jumper by Ashley Gray and back-to-back three's by Brown and Jazmyn Johnson, but the Eagles responded with a quick 7-2 outburst to make it a double-digit lead with 4:31 remaining.
 
From there the Pilots would try hang around and Portland cut the deficit to six points twice with less than two minutes remaining, courtesy consecutive buckets by Thompson. But the Eagles made enough shots and free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
 
The Eagles scored 47 points in the second half and shot 38.6 percent for the game. EWU connected on seven three-pointers and went 11 of 14 at the foul line.
 
Turnovers proved to be the difference as the Eagles held a 14-5 edge in points off turnovers, which was fueled by 17 Portland miscues. EWU committed just eight turnovers on the night.
 
Brown and Kari Luttinen each had a team-best nine rebounds as the Pilots claimed a 46-39 edge on the glass. Luttinen also had 11 points, while Wooton added 12.
 
The Pilots combined to shoot 40.3 percent, hit six three's out of 18 tries and were 9-for-13 on free throws.
 
Lexie Nelson and Hayley Hodgins both scored 16 points for the Eagles, while Jade Redmon registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.

The Pilots next remain on the road to play their final non-conference game of 2014. On Sunday Portland will be in Boise, Idaho, to face the Boise State Broncos at 1:00 p.m. (Pacific) at Taco Bell Arena.