PROVO, Utah --- Ashley Gray and Darian Slaga both scored a career-best 16 points and the Pilots were within reach for much of the day, but in the end the BYU Cougars held on for a 78-66 win over Portland on Saturday afternoon at the Marriott Center. Freshman Ellie Woerner added 12 points to extend her streak of scoring in double digits to eight straight games.
 
The first quarter was close as neither team was able to create much separation. The Pilots (2-16, 0-7 WCC) hit seven of their first 14 shots and Holly Blades knocked down a pair of three-pointers to help give Portland a 12-10 lead. BYU (14-4, 6-1 WCC) recovered and re-claimed the lead, but Kaylie Van Loo converted a tough lay-up just before the buzzer to pull the Pilots within four.
 
The second quarter was all BYU as the Cougars opened a 20-point lead and went into the locker room at half ahead 48-30.
 
The deficit remained near 20 for much of the third quarter before the Pilots mounted a mini-run to end the frame. Gray hit a mid-range jumper, and Slaga ended the period with a clutch three-pointer to pull the Pilots within 61-48 headed to the fourth.
 
Portland's surge continued into the final period, and soon the Pilots were within 11 after a jumper from Woerner with 4:41 remaining. Moments later Woerner drilled a three-pointer to make it a 10-point game, but time would run out as the Cougars prevailed.
 
Gray scored 16 points for the second time in the last three games. The sophomore forward missed just twice from the field, going 7-for-9, and she hit both of her free throws.
 
Slaga, a freshman, connected on three three-pointers to reach a career-high in points off the bench, while Woerner added two from behind the three-point arc and led the team in rebounding with six boards. Junior point guard Kaylie Van Loo was generous, handing out a career-best nine assists. She becomes the first Pilot to reach nine assists since Jasmine Wooton accomplished the feat in December of 2014.
 
Senior guard Lexi Rydalch, who ranks seventh in the nation in scoring, led BYU with 23 points. Kalani Purcell contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Both teams shot pretty evenly and the Pilots made nine three's compared to BYU's six. The game was won at the free throw line as BYU hit 16 from the stripe, out of 31 attempts, and Portland was just five of six. The Cougars also turned 24 Portland miscues into a 31-17 edge in points off of turnovers.
 
The Pilots next return home to host a pair of WCC games at the Chiles Center. First comes a visit from Pacific on Thursday night for a 7 p.m. game. Saturday brings a 1 p.m. game with Saint Mary's.