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PORTLAND – Sophomore forward Cici West pulled down a Peter W. Stott Center record 18 rebounds but the Vikings could not escape a poor shooting performance as they fell to cross-town rival the University of Portland, 69-53, Tuesday night.
 
West put together a career day in her first start of the season. She scored a career-high 16 points going 5-for-9 from the floor. Where she really excelled was on the glass. She pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds, the most ever by a Viking at the Peter W. Stott Center. Her 18 rebounds are also tied for fifth all-time in a game by a Viking, tying Sheri VanLoo who pulled down 18 against Idaho on Dec. 17, 1980.
 
Junior F Danah Haley pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds of her own, marking the first time that two Vikings recorded double-digit rebounds in the same game since Allie Brock (10) and Angela Misa (13) achieved the feat at Montana State on Jan. 9, 2014. Haley added seven points in the going 3-for-5 from the floor with a free-throw.
 
Freshman G Michaela Kay came into the game as the Vikings' leading scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game. She scored nine points, going 4-for-15 from the floor and hit the Vikings' lone three-pointer of the game.
 
The Vikings had plenty of good looks at the basket but could not get them to fall. They shot a season-low 24.2 percent from the floor, going 16-for-66, which included going 1-for-17 from three-point range. The Vikings also struggled at the free-throw line, going 20-for-35 on the night.
 
Portland State's shooting struggles started from the opening tip as they started the game 1-for-14 from the floor. They went on a 7:42 field goal drought before freshman F Pia Jurhar hit a jumper with 1:36 remaining in the first quarter.  
 
Portland went up by as much as 17 point late in the first quarter and led 25-12 after one. The Vikings stormed back in the second and cut the lead to three points, 32-29, on a jumper by West with 3:44 left in the half. The Pilots went up by six before the Vikings cut it to a 35-32 margin at the break.
 
Unfortunately for the Vikings, they began the second half the way they started the first. Portland rebuilt and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the third and most of the fourth quarters before the Vikings again cut the lead to single digits.
 
Kay hit the only three-pointer of the game for the Vikings with 5:44 left in the game to cut the lead to just four points at 53-49.
 
Despite the poor shooting night, the Vikings were in reach but could not string shots together. Some ill-advised turnovers and fouls let the Pilots build back their double-digit lead before winning by the final 16-point margin.
 
The Pilots increased their all-time lead over the Vikings to 27-23. They improved to 2-3 overall on the season while the Vikings fell to 0-4.
 
The Vikings will have a couple of days before they hit the court again Friday, Nov. 27 against UC Davis. The Aggies are 2-2 on the season and are coming off a 66-40 win over Air Force Monday night. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. PT.
 
NOTES: Cici West posted her first career double-double with career highs in points (16) and rebounds (18) … Danah Haley pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds … Portland State had two players with 10-plus rebounds for the first time since the 2013-14 season … West's 18 rebounds are the most ever by a Viking at the Stott Center and are tied for fifth all-time in a single-game.