FOREST GROVE, Ore. – A 7-0 run to start the game and key baskets from Hallie Buse throughout led Whitman College to a 67-64 Northwest Conference victory over host Pacific (Ore.) University Saturday afternoon in women's basketball action at the Stoller Center.

Buse led all scorers with a career-best 20 points for Whitman (9-6, 4-2 NWC) which was playing without a pair of starters. Hailey Ann Maeda added 16 points and eight rebounds while Heather Lovelace chipped in with 10 points and six boards. Pacific (6-8, 3-3) pushed four players, led by Sarah Curls' 16 points, into double figures in scoring during the loss.

Maeda's jumper to open the scoring kicked off the unanswered run to start the game during which the Missionaries never trailed. Whitman's defense forced a turnover on Pacific's first possession and turned it around into the first of Buse's four 3-pointers. Another Boxer turnover led to a Chelsi Brewer jumper to cap the seven-point start.

The Whitman advantage increased to 11 on a pair of occasions late in the half before Pacific could trim it to just seven, 32-25, entering the halftime break.

The Boxers' momentum carried into the opening minutes of the second half as they whittled the deficit to a point, 42-41, at the 13:10 mark. A Lovelace layup pushed the lead back to three but Pacific answered on the other end of the court to pull back within one, but once again Lovelace broke free for a layup to build on the Missionaries' lead.

The second Lovelace layup ignited a 6-0 spurt, capped by a Sierra McGarity layup, that made the score 50-43 midway through the final 20 minutes.

At one point the Whitman advantage grew to eight, on a Casey Poe trey, but the Boxers battled down the stretch to decrease their deficit. They pulled within five, at 61-56, but another Buse long-range bomb from the left wing upped the advantage back to eight. Pacific responded with consecutive buckets, a jumper and a 3-pointer, but Buse cut through the lane for a clutch layup to add to a cushion that had been trimmed to only three points.

The Boxers turned the ball over on their next possession sending Alysse Ketner to the line where she sank the first of a pair of free throws for the Whitties. Her miss was rebounded by Maeda but a missed jumper was pulled down by Pacific which raced down court and drained a 3-pointer to pull within three, 67-64, with 45 seconds remaining. The Boxer regained possession on a missed Whitman jumper and called a quick timeout after crossing half court to set up a potential game-tying shot.

Curl's missed trey from high on the left wing beyond the arc never had a chance as it was blocked by Poe as the horn began to sound, preserving the win for the M's.

Whitman forced 18 turnovers and came away with a 41-33 advantage on the glass, but a 39-percent night from the floor helped allow the Boxers, who shot 43 percent on the day, to keep in touch on the scoreboard.

The conference slate continues Friday and Saturday for Whitman with a pair of home contests. Pacific Lutheran University visits the Sherwood Athletics Center Friday at 6 p.m. with No. 23 University of Puget Sound visiting Saturday for a 4 p.m. tip off.