STOCKTON, Calif. – The Portland Pilots led nearly start-to-finish, but Miles Reynolds scored the game-winner with three seconds left as the Pacific Tigers pulled off the comeback in a 60-58 win Saturday night at the Spanos Center.
Reynolds finished with a game-high 25 points and made big plays late. He drilled three free throws to tie the game with 38 seconds left and after a Pilot turnover, he drove the lane and pulled up for the go-ahead basket. Malcolm Porter's halfcourt heave missed as the Tigers (13-14, 8-6 WCC) escaped with the win.
Portland senior D'Marques Tyson continued his torrid shooting and finished with a team-high 14 points, including three crucial three-pointers in the closing minutes. Senior center Philipp Hartwich added 12 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore Josh McSwiggan added 11 points for the Pilots (10-17, 4-10).
Pacific erased a 12-point first half deficit with an early 7-0 run in the second half. With the game tied at 43 midway through the second period. Roberto Gallinat gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with a three-pointer and then Reynolds made it a 48-44 lead with a free throw.
Hartwich finished at the rim on the next possession and then Tyson hit three consecutive contested three-pointers to ignite the Pilot bench. Pacific answered each time before Franklin Porter buried a corner three-pointer for a 58-55 lead with less than a minute left.
Reynolds was then fouled on a three-pointer and drilled all three attempts to tie the game at 58 with 34 seconds left. Out of a timeout, the Pilots were unable to execute and stepped out of bounds with 11 seconds left to set up the game-winner by Reynolds.
Portland's defense stifled the Tigers throughout the early going. Pacific missed its first nine three-point attempts as the Pilots packed the paint in a zone defense. Reynolds hit the team's first triple just before halftime to cut the deficit to 31-22 at the break.
The Tigers were held to 38 percent shooting overall and 5-of-22 from three-point range, while Portland finished at 47 percent from the field and 9-of-21 from three-point range. Pacific out-rebounded the Pilots by a 38-28 margin.
Portland now returns for a three-game homestand beginning with Santa Clara on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Chiles Center. The Pilots will then host No. 11 Saint Mary's on Saturday at 7 p.m., before hosting BYU for Senior Night on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m.