Valerie Higgins played Thursday like she’s aiming for her third consecutive West Coast Conference Player of the Week award.
The University of the Pacific junior guard scored 27 points in a contentious victory against Loyola Marymount.
In the Tigers’ first game at Alex G. Spanos Center since Nov. 30, they held off an aggressive Lions squad that could not be shut down.
Higgins punched the air after making a layup to give Pacific a 66-63 lead with 1:55 to play. She made 12 points in the fourth quarter when the Tigers (9-5, 2-1 WCC) finally pulled away.