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PORTLAND, Ore. – Shauneice Samms had 19 points, including 17 in the second half, and Portland State won for the sixth time in seven outings with a 68-60 victory over visiting Weber State on Thursday night at the Stott Center.

Samms set a career high and scored 13-straight points at one point in the second half as the Vikings took control of a close game. Portland State led by just four at the break and Weber State got to within a point on two occasions after intermission. But when Samms hit a shot in the paint at the 15:50 mark, she gave the Vikings a 44-38 lead and some breathing room.

The Vikings scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back, leading the entire way. Courtney VanBrocklin hit a jumper in the paint, Eryn Jones followed with a fastbreak 3-pointer and Allie Brock connected from 15-feet out to make it 7-0 just under two-and-a-half minutes in.

Portland State later went in front 21-9 on a Kelli Valentine basket, before the Wildcats fought back to make it a contest. Amanda Hughes and Mikell Woofield each scored six points as Weber State used a 10-2 run to get within four. Mariah Metoyer connected on a three make it a one-point affair, 25-24, but the Vikings eventually went into the locker rooms up 33-29.

Weber State again got within a single point early in the second period and trailed 36-35 after Caitlin Anderson made two free throws.

Samms' shot with 15:50 left gave PSU a six-point advantage, but both offenses went cold. Neither team connected on a field goal again until Samms made a jumper with 9:15 to go, giving the Vikings a 49-42 lead. Her basket with 4:51 remaining capped her 13-straight points and Portland State was up 55-48.

Moments later, Jones made a layup, before Samms scored on a layin of her own and hit two free throws, giving her 17 of the Vikings' 19 points during a run that would give them a 61-48 lead with 2:19 left.

Two other Portland State players scored in double-figures, with Jones tallying 15 points and Valentine scoring 11. Valentine also had three of the Vikings' nine steals.

Anderson and Hughes both scored 14 points for the Wildcats, who fell to 5-18, 1-10 Big Sky.

The Vikings' win keeps them in the hunt for their first Big Sky Conference regular season title. At 7-4, they are tied with Idaho State for fourth place, one-and-a-half games back of Montana State and Northern Colorado, who are 9-3. PSU (14-10) is back in action Saturday when they host Northern Arizona at 1 p.m.

NOTES: The Vikings got some help in their quest for the Big Sky title when Idaho State defeated Montana State tonight, 74-65 ... Courtney Cremer had one blocked shot in the game, giving her 83 for her career and sole possession of seventh place in the PSU record book ... Jones had six boards and five assists, both team highs. She also went 3 of 5 from three-point range and has made at least one 3-pointer in nine straight games and in 22 of 24 contests this season ... Samms shot 8 of 10 from the field ... PSU has won four straight at home against Weber State ... the Vikings are now 10-1 at the Stott this year, including 5-0 in Big Sky games ... PSU Head Coach Sherri Murrell was presented with a gift basket from St. Mary's Academy before the game. Murrell graduated from the downtown Portland school and was a starter on their 1985 state championship team ... Saturday's game against NAU is the annual WBCA Pink Zone game. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer. The Portland chapter of the American Cancer Society will be at the game accepting donations and raffling off a basketball signed by the PSU women's hoops team.