Box Score MALIBU, Calif. --- The Portland Pilots held Pepperdine without a field goal for most of the fourth quarter and nearly came all the way back from a double-digit deficit, but in the end the Waves made enough free throws down the stretch and came through with some defensive stops to prevail 74-62 on Wednesday afternoon at Firestone Fieldhouse. Freshman wing Ellie Woerner led three Pilots in double figures with 14 points.
 
Portland (2-11, 0-2 West Coast Conference) hung around during the first quarter, getting four early points from both Woerner and Ashley Gray off the bench. The Waves (5-8, 1-1 WCC) did create a little separation at the end of the period, leading by seven after one.
 
Pepperdine then built a 13-point lead in the second quarter before the Pilots responded. Trailing 41-29, Gray sparked a 10-0 run by connecting on a lay-up down low. Darian Slaga and Woerner followed with three-pointers before a pair of free throws from Gray pulled the Pilots within two with about 2:00 until half.
 
But the Waves answered quickly, scoring the final eight points of the half to take a 49-39 lead into the locker room.
 
Pepperdine pushed the lead to 18 points after the break and carried a 62-48 advantage into the final quarter. But that's where the Waves went ice cold from the field, hitting their final field goal of the game with 9:12 left to play. Meanwhile the Pilots embarked on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to seven. Kaylie Van Loo had four points during the surge, including a jumper to make it a 67-60 game with 5:26 left to play.
 
From there the Waves tightened up on defense, forced a handful of turnovers, held the Pilots to only one field goal and connected on seven game-clinching free throws.
 
Woerner, Portland's leading scorer this season, hits double figures in scoring for the 10th time in 13 career games. Blades knocked down a pair from behind the three-point arc to finish with 13 points, while Gray chipped in with 10.
 
Woerner just missed her first career double-double with nine rebounds, while fellow freshman Julie Spencer also corralled nine boards.
 
Pepperdine's Erica Ogwumike had 20 points in the first half and finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Pilots outshot the Waves, 39.7 percent to 33.3 percent, but Pepperdine went a difference-making 20-for-26 at the line, compared to Portland's 7-for-15. The Waves also registered eight three-pointers, which was three more than the Pilots, and both teams finished with 45 rebounds.
 
The Pilots next take a break for the holiday before returning to the Chiles Center on Thursday, December 31 to host the Santa Clara Broncos at 4 p.m.