Boxscore

Ogden, UT - Weber State won its sixth straight game and handed Portland State its fourth straight loss with an 80-58 Big Sky Conference decision at Dee Events Center.

The Vikings continued their struggles of recent weeks, dropping their eighth game in 10 outings and falling to 11-14 on the season. PSU is 4-9 in the Big Sky Conference.

It was a close game for 14 minutes. Melvin Jones sparked a Viking run with seven straight points in the first half. He had a breakaway dunk, a three-pointer, then another fast break layin.

When Charles Odum hit a running layin with 6:58 left in the half, the score was tied 25-25. But, the Vikings went cold from there, making just one more field goal before halftime and getting outscored 18-3.

Weber State led 43-25 at intermission behind 17 points from Kyle Bullinger. PSU made just 10-28 shots in the first half (.357) while WSU was 16-28 (.571). The Wildcats also had a 21-12 advantage on the glass.

Portland State never got closer than 16 in the second half and trailed by as many as 25 points.

Jones led the Vikings with 13 points, hitting 5-9 shots from the field. Dane Johnson came off the bench to score 11 points with three assists and three steals.

The Vikings finished at just 18-56 from the field (.321). Weber State was 31-58 (.534). The Wildcats also won the rebounding battle, 42-28.

Bullinger had a game-high 22 points, making 8-11 from the field, 3-4 from three-point range and 3-5 at the line. Scott Bamforth added 19 points on 7-10 shots, 3-5 from distance and 2-2 at the line.

The Wildcats won their sixth straight game and are now 10-1 at home.WSU is 15-9 on the season, 9-4 in the Big Sky.

GAME NOTES: Portland State is just 1-16 in Big Sky Conference games at Weber State… PSU is 1-10 on the road this year… the Vikings defeated the Wildcats on Jan. 20 in Portland, 71-69... JR F Chehales Tapscott returned after sitting out six games with a knee injury. In 17 minutes of action, he scored five points with a team-high six rebounds… Tapscott had surgery on his right knee on Jan. 26 to repair cartilage damage. The Vikings were 1-5 in his absence… Portland State steps out of conference place to host Loyola Marymount on Saturday at the Stott Center. Game time is 4:05 p.m. as it is the second game of a doubleheader with the PSU women (vs. Northern Arizona, 1 p.m.). The game airs on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am. It can be seen via live video stream at www.b2tv.com.