MALIBU, Calif. --- After the Pilots had climbed within two points midway through the fourth quarter, the Pepperdine Waves used a game-clinching run to pull away and claim an 82-68 win over Portland in the West Coast Conference opener played on Saturday afternoon at Firestone Fieldhouse. Kate Andersen was solid for the Pilots, scoring a team-high 18 points.
 
The Waves (7-4, 1-0 WCC) were knocking down their shots in the first quarter to open up a lead, but an elbow jumper by Andersen and a turn-around from Julie Spencer kept the Pilots (8-4, 0-1 WCC) close. Minutes later Darian Slaga buried a three-pointer to make it a two-point game, but the Waves responded and pushed their lead to 28-18 by the end of the quarter.
 
Andersen opened the second period with a traditional three-point play, and she'd follow that with a three from beyond the arc as the game remained close. From there the Waves surged ahead by 17 points before the Pilots ended the half with a quick outburst. Andersen fed Spencer for a lay-up with a nice feed, and Andersen then converted a lay-in of her own with 10 seconds left in the half. The junior guard had 12 points at the break, while the Waves led 43-31.
 
Buckets from Slaga and Liana Kaitu'u early in the third cut the deficit to single digits. Portland's run continued as both Maddie Muhlheim and Josie Matz registered three-point plays, and soon the Pilots had nearly come all the way back, pulling within 58-55. Matz scored eight points during the frame.
 
The Waves took a 62-57 edge into the fourth quarter, but Muhlheim drilled a deep three-pointer to make the score 62-60. The deficit was still only two moments later when Matz found Lisa Kaempf for a fast break lay-up, but that's as close as the Pilots would get as the Waves answered with 15 unanswered points to seal the win.
 
Andersen was six of eight overall from the field, she was a perfect 3-for-3 on three-pointers, and she hit all three of her free throws to collect a season-high in points.
 
Slaga (12 points), Matz (11 points), and Spencer (11 points) also scored in double figures for the Pilots, and the 12 points by Slaga leave the senior guard just 12 shy of 1,000 points for her career.
 
Portland was a perfect 17-for-17 from the foul line, but the Pilots were hurt by 20 turnovers, which led to 21 Pepperdine points. Both teams had 41 rebounds, and both teams shot 39 percent from the floor.
 
Yasmine Robinson-Bacote led the Waves with a game-high 22 points.
 
Portland next heads to Los Angeles for a WCC contest against the Loyola Marymount Lions on Monday afternoon. Tip-off at Gersten Pavilion is set for 2 p.m.