FULLERTON, Calif. --- Portland junior Julie Spencer poured in a career-high 24 points and the Pilots had their chances down the stretch, but the Cal State Fullerton Titans held on to win 66-61 in a non-conference women's basketball game played on Saturday afternoon at Titan Gym. The Pilots (3-2) led for most of the game before the Titans made a late run en route to the win.
 
After the Titans scored the first six points of the game, the Pilots came storming back with the help of a corner three from Maddie Muhlheim and a tough lay-up by Kate Andersen. Spencer then went to work down low scoring six points as the Pilots' run would stretch to 20-7. That allowed Portland to lead by seven at the end of the first quarter.
 
Spencer continued to knock down shots in the second quarter as the Pilots stretched their lead to 10 points. Moments later the advantage was 11 points after Muhlheim connected on another three-pointer, but the Titans would pull within 37-32 by the end of the half.
 
The Pilots maintained their lead for most of the third quarter as the Pilots continued to go down low to Spencer. A Rachelle Owens jumper late in the frame made it a 51-46 game, but the Titans scored the last seven points in the quarter to take a 53-51 advantage heading to the final frame.
 
Consecutive lay-ups from Spencer to open the fourth knotted the score at 55-55, but the Titans responded with clutch, back-to-back three-pointers from Triann Thompson and Ashlee Ane to re-claim a six-point lead.
 
Portland would remain within reach from there, and a lay-up from Spencer made it a one-possession game at 64-61 with less than five minutes left to play. That's when both offensives went ice cold, and the score was still 64-61 when the Pilots had the ball and the clock winding down. But the Titans forced a tough shot from the visitors, and a pair of free throws sealed the win.
 
Spencer, whose previous career-high was 23 points at BYU last February, was 12 of 15 from the floor against the Titans. Andersen, Muhlheim and Owens each finished with eight points.
 
Portland shot 42.6 percent and made eight more field goals, 26 to 18, than the Titans, but the game was won at the free throw line, where Cal State Fullerton was 22 of 24. The Pilots were awarded just eight from the foul line, and they made six.
 
Ane led the Titans (2-3) in scoring with 19 points, and Daeja Smith had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Portland next returns home to host crosstown rival Portland State at the Chiles Center on Tuesday night. Tip-off for the Pilots and Vikings is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live in the Portland area on NBC Sports Northwest.