STOCKTON, Calif. — In an exciting matchup on Saturday night, Portland secured an 81-73 win over Pacific, largely thanks to Chris Austin’s impressive performance, where he scored 24 points.

In addition to his scoring, Austin contributed significantly on both ends of the court by grabbing seven rebounds and making four steals, aiding the Pilots to improve their record to 11-18 overall and 6-10 in the West Coast Conference. Vukasin Masic made a notable impact as well, pouring in 16 points on a solid 6-for-10 shooting night, which included two three-pointers. Both Max Mackinnon and Austin Rapp contributed 15 points each, rounding out a well-balanced scoring effort for Portland.

Elijah Fisher emerged as the key player for the Tigers, leading the team with 23 points and six rebounds. Petar Krivokapic added 11 points to the scoreboard, while Elias Ralph had a well-rounded game with ten points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, but it wasn’t enough to secure a victory for Pacific, who fell to 9-22 on the season with a 4-13 record in the conference play.

Portland took control of the game after seizing the lead with 5:42 remaining in the first half, going into halftime at 40-29 with Austin scoring 20 of those first-half points. The Pilots surged ahead with a 7-0 run in the second half, extending their lead to as much as 19 points at 50-31 with 17:13 left on the clock.

Looking ahead, Portland will aim to continue their momentum as they prepare to face Pepperdine on Thursday at their home court. Meanwhile, Pacific will try to bounce back as they host Santa Clara on Saturday.