PORTLAND, Ore. --- Juniors Hannah Mattson and Kaylie Van Loo led a balanced scoring attack with 16 points each and Van Loo hit two clutch, go-ahead free throws with 20 seconds remaining as the Portland Pilots won a thriller 81-79 over the Pepperdine Waves on Thursday night at the Chiles Center. The Waves did get a couple of looks at the other end following the Van Loo free throws, but the Pilots defense came through to seal the win.
 
The Pilots (3-20, 1-11 West Coast Conference) led for most of the game and appeared well on their way to the win with a 12-point lead with 3:10 remaining. But that's when Pepperdine (5-18, 1-11 WCC) applied some full court pressure, caused a handful of turnovers and converted enough shots to climb back into the game. And when Erica Oqwumike knocked down a jumper with 33 seconds left, the Waves had come all the way back to tie the score 79-79.
 
There was then some confusion on Portland's ensuing possession, but the young Pilots overcame the distractions and the full court press, and Van Loo drew a foul to send her to the line with time winding down. The junior came through by swishing both free throws that left no doubt and proved to be the difference.
 
Van Loo added seven assists and four rebounds and she was one of five Pilots to score in double figures. Mattson came off the bench to shoot 6-for-7 overall and a perfect four-for-four on three-pointers, allowing her to reach a career-high in points.
 
Junior transfer Holly Blades added 13 points and seven rebounds, and freshmen Ellie Woerner and Julie Spencer chipped in with 10 points each. The 10 points are a career-high for Spencer.
 
Ogwumike led all scorers with 34 points.
 
The Pilots shot a season-best 50 percent from the floor, while combining to go 20-for-26 at the foul line. Portland also claimed a 40-26 edge on the glass, helped by seven boards each from Blades and sophomores Ashley Gray and Sara Zaragoza. The Waves shot 44.4 percent from the field, hit 11 three's and went 10 of 17 on free throws.
 
The game began well for the Pilots, who raced out to an early 9-0 lead with the help of field goals from four different players. The Waves recovered momentarily, but Mattson's first three of the game helped keep Portland's lead at nine points.
 
The Waves responded by surging ahead in the second quarter, but the Pilots answered to reclaim the lead. Freshman Darian Slaga knocked down a three-pointer to push Portland's lead back to five, and a Mattson jumper just before the halftime buzzer let the Pilots take a 42-35 lead into the locker room. The 42 points are the most scored by the Pilots in a half this season.
 
Portland claimed its first double-digit lead in the third period and the Pilots led by six entering the final frame. In the fourth, three straight buckets by Spencer, on nice feeds from Van Loo, allowed the Pilots to push the lead to 12 points with three minutes showing on the clock.
 
The Pilots next welcome the Loyola Marymount Lions to the Chiles Center on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game.