MORAGA, Calif. --- Portland senior Kate Andersen led a balanced scoring attack with a team-high 16 points and the Pilots pulled away in the second half to win 72-53 over the Saint Mary's Gaels in a West Coast Conference women's basketball game played on Thursday night at McKeon Pavilion. Haylee Andrews and Alex Fowler each scored 13 points for Portland.
After the Pilots (14-9, 7-5 WCC) led by 10 at halftime, the Gaels (10-13, 5-7 WCC) began the third quarter by cutting the deficit to just four points. Portland responded with six straight points on a pair of buckets from Lauren Walker and another from Fowler. The Gaels tried to remain within reach from there, but the lead would grow.
Andrews and Fowler provided consecutive lay-ups, and Andersen ended the quarter with a lay-up of her own to make it a 57-40 game going to the fourth.
Keeley Frawley connected from deep early in the final frame, and when Jayce Gorzeman buried her second three-pointer of the night, the Pilots' lead had swelled to 67-46 with 5:17 remaining. Portland would easily hang on from there to record the road win.
Andersen scored all 16 of her points during the second, third, and fourth quarters. She also corralled a team-best six rebounds, as did Fowler. Andrews, who leads the league in assists, finished with five dimes against the Gaels. Fowler and Andrews began the night 1-2 in the conference in scoring.
Sam Simons led Saint Mary's with 17 points.
The first quarter was close as the two teams exchanged the lead a few times. A Frawley lay-up gave Portland an early four-point edge, but moments later the Gaels had surged back in front. The Pilots responded, and by the second period they led 20-17.
Their advantage would grow from there, and when Gorzeman hit a three it was a 31-19 game in Portland's favor. The Pilots extended their margin to 16 points as Andersen came alive on offense, and it was 37-27 at the break.
Maddie Muhlheim drained a pair of three's to finish with nine points, and Walker, Frawley, and Gorzeman each chipped in with six points.
The win gives the Pilots their first regular season sweep of Saint Mary's since the 2008-09 season.
Next for the Pilots is a short trek to Stockton, Calif., where they will face the Pacific Tigers on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Alex G. Spanos Center.