MORAGA, Calif. --- Portland senior Darian Slaga matched a season-high with 25 points, but the Saint Mary's Gaels shot 63 percent from the field to claim a 113-85 win over the Pilots in a West Coast Conference women's basketball game played on Thursday night at McKeon Pavilion. Sophomore Maddie Muhlheim added 11 points for Portland, and senior Julie Spencer finished with 10.
 
Both teams were on fire in the first quarter as the Pilots (10-11, 2-8 WCC) jumped out to an early lead. It was 6-2 in Portland's favor after Jayce Gorzeman converted a lay-up, and the Pilots led 18-11 after Muhlheim buried a three-pointer with 5:17 left in the frame. The Gaels (14-7, 7-3 WCC) seemingly had an answer for ever Pilot bucket, but Portland possessed a 30-27 edge heading to the second with the help of 13 points from Slaga.
 
The Gaels continued their torrid shooting in the second period as they out-scored the Pilots 29-10 to surge in front. Saint Mary's connected on 67 percent of their shots during the first half and led by 16 at the break.
 
Saint Mary's tried to pull away in the third quarter going ahead by 20, but the Pilots cut it to 15 a couple of times, including when Spencer finished with a lay-up. Slaga would also hit a lay-in moments later, which she followed with a deep three-pointer as the margin remained 15 points. But the Gaels had 88 points by the end of the period, and they would cruise to the win in the fourth.
 
It's the second straight game to score 25 points for Slaga, who connected for a career-high nine free throws. Muhlheim knocked down three from beyond the arc, and Spencer collected a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Megan McKay led five Gaels to score in double digits with 26 points, and she registered a double-double with 11 boards.
 
Saturday the Pilots will be in Stockton, Calif., to face the Pacific Tigers with tip-off set for 4 p.m. at the Spanos Center.