LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- In a game that Gonzaga led by 20 in the first quarter, the Pilots and No. 11 Bulldogs battled until the end, and it was sophomore Haylee Andrews who hit the game-winning shot with three seconds left to give Portland a dramatic 70-69 win and secure a spot in tomorrow's West Coast Conference Championship game at the Orleans Arena. Portland will be making its first appearance in the WCC title game since 1997 after their semifinal win on Monday.
 
The Bulldogs opened up the game on fire from the field, and they built a 20-point lead in the first quarter. But a late Portland run in the second period allowed the Pilots to climb within reach, and they were only down four at the break.


The Pilots continued their outburst into the second half, and when Kate Andersen connected on a jumper from the elbow, it's was a two-point game. The Bulldogs recovered from there to maintain their edge, but with 3:02 left in the third, Alex Fowler hit a jumper in the paint, and just like that the Pilots were ahead for the first time.
 
Portland was on top 53-51 heading to the fourth quarter, and that lead would grow after Andrews made a lay-up before finding Fowler for a lay-in to make it a six-point game. The lead was still six moments later when Andrews again converted down low, but the Zags used an 8-0 run from there to surge back in front.
 
The Pilots refused to go away as Andrews tied the score with a lay-up with just under two minutes left, and the two teams would exchange the lead four more times during the game's closing minutes.
 
With the Bulldogs down one and the clock winding down, Jenn Wirth came through for the Bulldogs when she made a shot from point-blank range to give the WCC regular season champs a 69-68 advantage with only eight seconds left.
 
The Pilots then called timeout, and on the ensuing play they turned to Andrews, who was celebrating her 20th birthday. The point guard drove left, stepped back right, and found the bottom of the net with a floater, leaving only three seconds remaining.
 
Gonzaga's last-second desperation attempt was off the mark, and the Pilots had their first win over their northwest rivals since 2009.
 
Fowler finished with 22 points to lead the Pilots, and Andrews added 16 points. Andersen had a huge third quarter, and she collected 18 points for the game. Fowler just missed recording a double-double with nine rebounds.
 
Portland shot 49 percent against the nation's second best defense, and the 70 points are tied for the most points Gonzaga (28-3) has allowed during regulation this season.
 
The Pilots improve to 20-11 on the year for their first 20-win season since 1996-97. It's also the first win for Portland over a ranked opponent since 2014.
 
It didn't look good early for the Pilots as the Zags hit five of their first six shots and jumped out to a quick 12-2 lead. Gonzaga continued to make shots, and they soon led by 20. The Pilots recovered, and big three-pointers from Maddie Muhlheim and Jayce Gorzeman helped keep the Bulldogs within sight.
 
In the second quarter, Fowler and Andersen provided back-to-back lay-ups, and the Bulldogs soon went ice cold from the field. That's when the Pilots took advantage with their lengthy run, which was capped by another clutch three from Gorzeman. The Bulldogs' lead was down to just 39-35 at the break.
 
Tomorrow brings a match-up with the San Diego Toreros in the league's title game, which will start at 1 p.m. and be broadcast live on ESPNU. Portland is going after its first conference tournament title since 1994, which would send them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 years (1997).
 
The University of Portland will be holding a watch party at the on-campus Pilot House.