STOCKTON, Calif. --- After Cassandra Brown converted a clutch three-point play to give Portland a lead in the closing minute, Pacific's Hailie Eackles buried a tough three-pointer to allow the Tigers to escape with a 71-69 win over the Pilots in a West Coast Conference game played on Thursday night at the Spanos Center. Portland did have possession to potentially tie the game after the Eackles' three came with 22 seconds left, but Brown couldn't make a contested left-handed lay-up or the put-back in traffic after securing the offensive rebound.
 
Brown finished with 23 points to extend her streak of scoring at least 20 points to five straight games. She's averaging 22.3 points per game during conference play, which leads the WCC.
 
Portland (4-15, 2-6 WCC) led Pacific (14-5, 6-2) by eight at the half, but the Tigers quickly jumped ahead after starting Pilot point guard Jasmine Wooton picked up her fourth foul barely a minute into the second half. Pacific's lead would soon grow to 12 before the Pilots mounted a spirited comeback.
 
Trailing 61-49 with 7:51 showing on the clock, Cassandra Thompson sparked a 17-2 Portland run with a jumper and a lay-up. Brown added a traditional three-point play during the spurt, Kari Luttinen drained a three and Kaylie Van Loo put down a go-ahead lay-up with 3:15 left.
 
Then after a Jazmyn Johnson steal, Thompson hit an elbow jumper, and just like that Portland led 66-63 with only 2:40 remaining.
 
Pacific then briefly re-claimed the lead with a lay-up from Kendall Kenyon and a three by Eackles, but Portland refused to falter. This time it was Brown who went down the lane and gave the Pilots the lead back with a finger roll, while being fouled. She'd hit the ensuing free throw to make it 69-68 in Portland's favor with only 30 seconds showing on the clock.
 
But at the other end, Eackles buried another three from deep that was well-defended by the Pilots, and the Tigers then forced the misses by Brown to seal the win.
 
Brown, who ranks ninth in the nation in free throw percentage and is 11th in three-point percentage, finished with two three-pointers and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line. She also added 10 boards for the double-double, her first of the year.
 
Thompson just missed a double-double with 20 points and eight rebounds, while Luttinen added 15 points.
 
Kenyon had 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Tigers, while Eackles led the way with 18 points.
 
Portland shot 44.4 percent (24-for-54), went six of 14 from deep and was 15 of 17 on free throws. The Tigers countered with 47.4 percent (27-for-57) shooting, eight three's on 13 tries and were just nine of 13 from the foul line. Pacific also claimed a slight 34-30 edge on the glass.
 
The Tigers jumped out to an early 16-11 lead, but the Pilots answered in a big way with 10 straight points. Luttinen knocked down a pair of jumpers during the 10-0 run and Hannah Mattson drained two three-pointers to give Portland the 21-16 lead.
 
Portland's run would stretch to 15-4 as Luttinen continued to hit shots from all over the court. A three from the top of the key gave their Pilots their biggest lead to that point, 26-20, with 4:42 remaining in the first half.
 
Moments later the lead was down to four, but again the Pilots responded, this time with five consecutive points by Brown. After a steal at one end, Brown converted a fast break lay-up while being fouled, and the three-point play made it 36-27 game late in the second half.
 
Both Brown and Luttinen finished with 12 points during the first half as the Pilots led 36-28.
 
The Pilots next head to Moraga, Calif., for a conference game on Saturday against the Saint Mary's Gaels. Tip-off at McKeon Pavilion is set for 1 p.m.