SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Portland Pilots opened a 20-point lead in the first half and still led No. 17 Gonzaga late at the McCarthey Center, but the Bulldogs escaped with a 62-57 win to begin play in the West Coast Conference on Sunday afternoon. Kate Andersen scored a team-high 20 points for the Pilots.

It was all Pilots (7-5, 0-1 WCC) in the first quarter as they hit 10 of their first 15 shots to open a double-digit advantage. Haylee Andrews sparked a 12-2 Portland run midway through the quarter with a lay-up, and Andersen capped the outburst with a three-pointer, a steal, and a nice feed to Lauren Walker for a lay-in that made it 21-9.

Andersen then opened the second period with back-to-back three-pointers to help push Portland's edge to 32-12. Moments later Alex Fowler converted down low to keep Portland's lead at 20 points, but the Bulldogs scored six straight to cut into the deficit. The half would end with the Pilots on top 37-24, and Andersen led all scorers with 16 points at the break.

The Bulldogs then began the third quarter with an 8-2 run, but the Pilots responded with consecutive lay-ups from Andrews to give the visitors a 43-32 edge. From there Gonzaga again pulled within five points, but again the Pilots had an answer. This time it was Andersen who provided a lay-in, and Maddie Muhlheim followed with a big-time three-pointer to make it a 48-38 game with less than five minutes left in the frame.

Moments later Muhlheim registered a traditional three-point play, and the Pilots took a 53-47 lead to the final quarter.

Both teams got off to a slow start to begin the fourth, and the Pilots still led by six when Andersen collected another lay-up. The Bulldogs then surged ahead with 10 straight points, and when Jill Townsend and Katie Campbell knocked down consecutive three-pointers, the Bulldogs had their first lead since early in the first quarter.

Andrews ended the Gonzaga run with lay-in to pull the Pilots within 59-57 with 2:19 remaining, but the Bulldogs played solid defense down the stretch to force a handful of misses by the Pilots. Portland did have a few possessions in the closing minute with a chance to either tie or take the lead, but they were unable to connect, and GU's Jessie Loera converted a pair of game-clinching free throws with eight seconds left to play.

Andersen scores at least 20 points for the second time this season, and Andrews finished with 18 points. Andrews also collected six rebounds. Fowler, who was limited due to foul trouble, added eight points and six boards, and Muhlheim scored nine.

The Pilots hit just two of 12 from the field in the fourth quarter and shot 38 percent overall. Gonzaga wasn't much better at 42 percent shooting, and they were led by Townsend's 18 points. The Bulldogs entered the game averaging more than 73 points per game, but the Pilots held them to 11 points below that average.

The Pilots remain on the road this week for conference games at San Diego and BYU. First the Pilots visit the Toreros on Thursday night for a 6 p.m. tip-off in San Diego, and Saturday brings a 1 p.m. (Pacific) game with the Cougars in Provo, Utah.