March 1, 2003
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Eugene Jeter scored 24 points Saturday night to lead Portland to a 75-63 victory over Santa Clara in the West Coast Conference regular-season finale for both teams.
Jeter scored 13 first-half points as Portland rallied from a nine-point deficit to a 29-29 halftime tie.
Santa Clara led 26-17 with 8:39 to go but then went 8:19 without scoring, and Portland (11-16, 4-10) moved to a 29-26 lead.
Ethan Rodhe's three-point shot for Santa Clara with 20 seconds left accounted for the tie.
Portland led most of the second half, but it was close until the Pilots scored eight straight points - five by Jeter - to lead 55-47 with 9:33 left.
The closest Santa Clara got after that was within five points at 55-50. Donald Wilson scored 10 second-half points for a total of 13, and he also had a game-high nine rebounds.
Adam Quick scored all 12 of his points for Portland in the second half, and Casey Fransden added nine of his 12 in the second half.
Rodhe scored 13 points to lead Santa Clara (13-14, 4-10), and he was the only Bronco to score in double figures.
Brad Anderson led Santa Clara with eight rebounds. The team ended the season with seven losses in its last nine games.
Portland had lost six of its last seven games before Saturday's win.
Both teams will begin play in the West Coast Conference tournament beginning March 7 in San Diego.