PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland's Kaylie Van Loo scored a career-best 19 points and Julie Spencer matched a career-high with 14 points as the Pilots pulled away from the Pepperdine Waves to claim a convincing 75-55 win in a West Coast Conference women's basketball game played on Thursday night at the Chiles Center. Van Loo added five rebounds, five assists and four steals during the 20-point victory.
 
Van Loo shot seven of nine from the floor and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line. Her previous career-high was 17 points, which came against Portland State in December of 2015.
 
Spencer scores 14 points for the fourth time this season, and she finished with six rebounds. Darian Slaga was solid in the fourth quarter when she scored nine of her 13 points. The sophomore guard also led the Pilots on the glass with seven boards as the home team out-rebounded their visitors from Malibu 38-35.
 
The Pilots (4-16, 2-7 WCC) came out in the first quarter energized and scored a season-best 23 points to lead by nine after one. The Waves tried to hang around in the second quarter, but Hannah Mattson pushed the Portland lead to double digits when she buried a corner three just before the half. The Pilots, who entered the night 3-0 when leading at the break, led Pepperdine (5-15, 3-6) 40-29 after the first 20 minutes. The 40 first-half points are also a season-high.
 
Portland stepped up the defensive pressure in the third quarter, holding the Waves without a field goal for nearly eight minutes. Meanwhile the Pilots continued to knock down shots, pushing their advantage to 17 points. The lead would climb to 19 before Pepperdine went on a run, cutting the deficit to just nine points.
 
But that's when Slaga provided a spark, hitting a three-pointer, a lay-up, a jumper and a pair of free throws to help the Pilots seal the win.
 
Portland shot 63 percent in the first period and settled for 43 percent on the game. The Pilots combined for seven three-pointers and went a solid 16-for-19 at the foul line. Mattson provided nine points, while Ashley Gray had eight points and six rebounds.
 
The Pilots had 13 turnovers and converted 19 Pepperdine miscues into a 25-10 edge in points off of turnovers.
 
Foul trouble was an issue for both teams as Pepperdine used 27 free throws to try to stay within reach. Portland held the Waves to 28 percent shooting, and Pepperdine hit just two three's. Yasmine Robinson-Bacote registered a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
 
There was a scary moment at the end of the first half as Pepperdine's Barbara Sitanggan suffered an injury, causing a lengthy delay. As the sophomore remained on the floor and received medical attention, the referees decided to send the game to halftime with 14 seconds still left to play. The Pilots and Waves then resumed the game after a 15-minute half, playing the final 14 seconds of the second quarter before continuing into the third frame after a quick break.
 
Next up for the Pilots is a trip to San Diego to face the Toreros at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.