Techniques for use in CDMA-based products and services, including replacing cache memory allocation so as to maximize residency of a plurality of set ways following a tag-miss allocation. Herein, steps forming a first-in, first-out (FIFO) replacement listing of victim ways for the cache memory, wherein the depth of the FIFO replacement listing approximately equals the number of ways in the cache set. The method and system place a victim way on the FIFO replacement listing only in the event that a tag-miss results in a tag-miss allocation, the victim way is placed at the tail of the FIFO replacement listing after any previously selected victim way. Use of a victim way on the FIFO replacement listing is prevented in the event of an incomplete prior allocation of the victim way by, for example, stalling a reuse request until such initial allocation of the victim way completes or replaying a reuse request until such initial allocation of the victim way completes.