WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Sarah Curl had 16 points, including a game-clinching steal and basket, to help lead the Pacific women's basketball team to a 50-46 upset win over Whitman at the Sherwood Athletic Center on Friday night.

The Boxers improved to 10-10 overall with the victory and to 5-6 in the Northwest Conference with the stunning victory. Whitman lost for just the fourth time all season (15-4) and dropped to 8-4 in conference action.

Earlier this season in Forest Grove, Whitman handled the Boxers, 66-45.

Pacific was clinging to a two-point lead after a Karli McHone free throw with 17 seconds left (48-46), and Whitman had the ball with a chance to tie or win the game with a three-pointer. But Curl stole a pass near the Whitman free throw line and went coast-to-coast to lay in the back-breaker with just seconds left on the clock.

That provided a stunning end to a game that the Boxers led almost from start to finish. Pacific jumped out to a 7-2 early lead against the second-place Missionaries and stretched that to 14-4 at the end of the first quarter. Whitman cut that margin to 20-15 at the end of the second quarter, and after an 8-0 run in the third period, they tied the game at 29-29 and 31-31. A basket by Curl and free throws by McHone gave the Boxers a 35-31 lead heading into the final stanza.

But in the fourth, the hosts roared back, taking its first lead of the game with a little over four minutes left on a basket by Alysse Ketner (42-41). Pacific got it right back on a bucket by Jillian Ross but Whitman answered via Chelsi Brewer (44-43).

Curl's field goal with 2:05 left gave Pacific a 45-44 margin, and after a Whitman miss at the other end, Curl nailed two frees throws to give her team a 47-44 lead with 1:25 remaining. Whitman's Emily Rommel scored to make it 47-46 with 55 seconds on the clock. A Pacific miss and a Whitman turnover led to McHone's free throw (she made one of two) with 17 seconds left, setting up what everyone thought would be the final possession of regulation--before Curl's steal said otherwise.

The Boxers won despite shooting just 36 percent from the field and 4-of-12 from three-point range. The Boxers also had 24 turnovers, but on the defensive end they put the stops on their hosts, allowing Whitman also 37 percent success from the field and they were 1-of-12 from behind the arc.

Curl had six rebounds to go with her 16 points. McHone was also in double figures with 14 points, and Kyla Siri added 13. Hailey Ann Maeda led the Missionaries with 12 points and eight boards. Brewer added 11.

Pacific will take on Whitworth on Saturday night, start time is 4 p.m. in Spokane.