STOCKTON, Calif. (Interstat) — Daria Nestorov scored 15 points and dished four assists to lead a balanced Pacific offense, and the Tigers pulled away in the second half to defeat Washington State 65-53 in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at the A.C. Spanos Center.

The most important part of the game was a decisive third-quarter surge by the Tigers, who turned a narrow halftime lead into a comfortable double-digit advantage. Leading 26-25 at the break, Pacific outscored Washington State 19-11 in the third period, fueled by a 12-2 run that broke the game open. Nestorov, the 5-foot-4 guard from Zrenjanin, Serbia, ignited the run with a jumper and an assist on a Nyah Lowery three-pointer, pushing the lead to 38-27 and forcing a Washington State timeout. The Cougars never recovered from that stretch, as their offensive struggles persisted throughout the night.

Washington State, which fell to 4-18 overall, was plagued by inefficient shooting. The Cougars made just 18 of 60 field goal attempts, a 30 percent clip, and connected on only 4 of 20 from three-point range. Their 53 points came on 71 possessions, resulting in an offensive rating of 74.5. Eleonora Villa led the Cougars with 11 points and five assists in 38 minutes, while Charlotte Abraham added 12 points. Center Alex Covill of Missoula, Montana, provided a defensive presence with four blocked shots.

Pacific, improving to 8-11, was far more effective offensively, posting an offensive rating of 93.2 by scoring 65 points on 70 possessions. The Tigers shot 42.9 percent from the floor and were a sharp 9 of 19 from beyond the arc. Nestorov was the catalyst, but she had ample support. Sydney Ward of Houston contributed 12 points, four assists and a block, while Sophia Mindermann of Folsom, California, and Winner Bartholomew of Abuja, Nigeria, each added 11 points. Bartholomew also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Tigers also won the battle in key hustle categories, out-assisting Washington State 15-10 and committing one fewer turnover despite the Cougars recording 10 steals. Pacific’s ability to share the ball and capitalize from deep proved to be the difference against a Washington State team that relied heavily on offensive rebounding, where they held an 11-7 edge.

The game began as a defensive struggle, with Pacific holding a 12-11 lead after a first quarter featuring nine combined turnovers. The teams played to a virtual standstill in the second quarter, with Pacific taking a one-point lead into halftime. The Tigers’ third-quarter explosion, however, established a 45-36 lead entering the final frame. Pacific then sealed the victory by scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter, matching its highest output of any period, to close out the win.

Washington State’s defense, led by Covill’s rim protection, kept them within striking distance for a half, but the offensive execution needed to mount a comeback never materialized. The Cougars have now lost three of their last four games.

Pacific, which had dropped its previous two conference contests, will look to build on the victory when they travel to face San Francisco on Saturday. Washington State continues its road trip at Santa Clara next Thursday.

The announced attendance at the A.C. Spanos Center was 494.