LAS VEGAS — Freshman point guard Marianna Klavina stepped up Thursday when the Dons needed her most, and fellow rookie Lucija Kostic hit a clutch jumper with 45 seconds left, as the No. 9 seeded San Francisco women's basketball team beat No. 8 seed Portland, 76-69, in the first round of the 2019 University Credit Union West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament at the Orleans Arena.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Kostic's 18-foot jump shot with only 45 seconds left turned a two-point game into a four-point advantage for the Dons (7-23, 2-16 WCC) at 71-67 that they would never relinquish. She pump-faked her defender with the shot clock winding down and shot from just beyond the elbow, netting it as the buzzer sounded.
   
• Following Kostic's big shot, Portland (13-17, 5-13 WCC) could not answer, going 0 for 4 from the field, including missing three 3-pointers that would have made it a one-possession game. In the final two minutes of the game, Portland went 1 for 7 from the floor with three turnovers. Meanwhile, San Francisco shot 64.3 percent in the fourth and 51.6 percent in the second half overall. Abby Rathbun made five of her six free throws in the last 30 seconds to seal the victory.
   
• Klavina had a career game Thursday to lead the Dons. She entered the game just three minutes in and promptly set a new season and career high with 13 points in the first half alone. She would finish tied for the game high with 22. She hit two 3-pointers in the first quarter that kept the Dons within reach before the Pilots could run away to a double-digit lead. She scored USF's last four points of the second quarter to keep them within two at the break, 34-32. She also had two steals before halftime to spark the defense.
   
• It was Klavina's fast break layup a minute into the fourth quarter that gave the Dons their first lead since midway through the second quarter – a lead they would not give up. San Francisco started the fourth trailing by two, but went on a 6-0 run that carried it the rest of the way. Rathbun was huge for the Dons in the second half. She nearly had a double-double after halftime alone, scoring 17 of her season and career-high 18 points and pulling down nine of her game-high 12 rebounds in the last two quarters.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 17 and 12: Rathbun set a season and career high in both points (17) and rebounds (12) with her first career double-double Thursday. She scored all 17 of her points after halftime and had just three rebounds in the first half.
• 25.9: San Francisco held Portland to 25.9 percent shooting (7 for 27) from 3-point range. Portland entered the game shooting 32.9 percent on the year, having attempted a conference-high 739 treys in 2018-19.
• 40: San Francisco posted its third 40-rebound game in its last five, outrebounding the Pilots, 40-34. The Dons held a 9-8 advantage on the offensive end and a 31-26 advantage on the defensive boards.

COMING UP

• The No. 9 seed Dons advance to face No. 5 seed Loyola Marymount at noon on Friday in the second round of the 2019 University Credit Union WCC Championship Tournament. Fans can find all live coverage links on USFDons.com