PROVO, Utah --- After Portland mounted a late second-half comeback, Jasmine Wooton nearly hit a game-winning three-pointer as the clock expired, but her shot missed by inches and the Brigham Young Cougars escaped with a 65-63 win over the Pilots at the Marriott Center on Thursday night. The loss was Portland's fifth straight to come down to the closing seconds, with the Pilots losing by a combined 16 points in those games.
 
It looked dire Thursday when the Cougars (20-8, 12-5 WCC)claimed a 10-point lead with six minutes left to play after the game had been close all night long. But the Pilots (4-24, 2-15 WCC) refused the falter and climbed back into the game with a lengthy run. Wooton converted a traditional three-point play to spark the run before making a nice catch and finish on a long pass from Kaylie Van Loo.
 
And then after making a handful of stops on defense, Cassandra Brown drilled a three-pointer, and just like that the Pilots were within 63-61 with 1:05 remaining. Brown then came through with a steal at the other end, giving the Pilots the ball back in the closing minute.
 
The Pilots again went to Brown, and the senior delivered with a game-tying lay-up with 14 seconds showing on the clock.
 
And just when it appeared the game was heading for overtime, the Pilots were whistled for a foul, sending BYU's Cassie Broadhead to the line for two free throws with 1.3 seconds left. She hit both from the line pushing the Cougars back up two.
 
It again looked bleak for the Pilots as the clock expired on the ensuing in-bounds pass, which had gotten away from Cassandra Thompson. But an officials' review established that Thompson had not touched the ball, and Portland was given possession near mid-court with 0.8 put back on the clock.
 
The Pilots then ran the in-bounds play to perfection, setting up Wooton's potential game-winner from the angle.
 
Wooton finished with 12 points, which mostly came in the closing minutes. Brown was a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range to lead the Pilots with 19 points, while Kari Luttinen added 16. Thompson chipped in with 11 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five assists.
 
Statistically the teams were nearly identical with the Pilots combining to shoot 43.6 percent (24-for-55). They went seven of 16 from beyond the three-point arc and shot just nine free throws, making eight.
 
BYU shot 46.3 percent (25-for-54) as a team and also made seven three's and eight free throws. The one extra field goal proved to be the difference. Morgan Bailey registered a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards, but the Pilots out-rebounded the Cougars 33-30.
 
The Cougars struggled to score top open the game, allowing the Pilots to jump out to an early lead. After it was tied 7-7, Brown connected on consecutive three's and Luttinen followed with a jumper to give the Pilots eight straight points and a 15-7 lead. Portland's advantage was nine points moments later after Luttinen hit another mid-range shot, but the Cougars answered with a run of their own to pull within one.
 
But the Pilots remained composed and held onto a lead for most of the first half, courtesy 14 points from Brown and 11 by Luttinen. The Cougars did end the first stanza on a 9-2 run to take a 32-29 edge into the locker room at half.
 
The Pilots next conclude the regular season in San Diego, Calif., on Saturday. Tip-off at the Jenny Craig Pavilion for the Pilots and San Diego Toreros is set for 2 p.m.