McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Pacific Lutheran couldn't hold off a second half Linfield comeback on Saturday night as the Wildcats grabbed a 66-61 Northwest Conference women's basketball win over the Lutes.

The Lutes are now 1-1 in the conference and 3-2 overall, while Linfield improves to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the NWC.

Pacific Lutheran opened the game with six consecutive points and built a lead as big as 12 points in the opening half. The Lutes got baskets from Mackenzie Bieker, Katelyn Smith and Samantha Potter on their first three possessions to take a 6-0 lead. Potter had six points and Bieker contributed five as the Lutes surged ahead 16-4 just 4 1/2 minutes into the game.

After Linfield rallied to within a point at 20-19 halfway through the period, the visitors again built a double-digit advantage at 35-24 when Chrissy Swope hit a pair of charity toesses with 1:52 on the clock. PLU eventually took a 37-30 lead into the intermission.

The Wildcats opened the second half with a 10-2 run, and when Brynna Fuller hit two free throws with 17:11 left in the game, they had a 40-39 advantage.

The game remained close the rest of the way with the teams trading the lead several times. PLU took its final lead at 60-58 on a Smith jumper with 3:02 left in the game. Linfield closed the game with an 8-1 run, scoring on each of its final four possessions while the Lutes turned the ball over once and missed four shots.

Potter had a big game for PLU with 24 points and seven rebounds, and Shelly Kilcup contributed nine points, five rebounds and three assists. Both Sara Backstrom and Bieker had five assists as the Lutes finished with 16 total assists on 22 field goals. PLU shot 36 percent from the field (22-for-61).

Gretchen Owens paced Linfield and all players with 28 points, including a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe. Katelyn Henson had 12 points and Kaely Maltman grabbed 11 rebounds, leading a 38-35 Linfield advantage in that category. The 'Cats shot 41 percent from the field (23-for-56) for the game.

Pacific Lutheran returns to non-conference play at 7 p.m. Thursday when it hosts the Saint Martin's Saints in Olson Auditorium.

- PLU -