Portland State University Athletics

PORTLAND – The Vikings had four players in double figure points and four in double figure rebounds as they picked up their first win of the season, defeating Corban University, 90-76, Saturday afternoon at the Peter W. Stott Center.
 
Sophomore G Cici West led all scorers with a career-high 23 points, while pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds to lead the Vikings. She went 8-for-15 from the floor and 7-for-10 from the free-throw line. She set career-highs in both field goals and free throws made, en route to her second career double-double.
 
West's 23 points led the Vikings' scoring attack as they had four players score in double figures. Freshman G Corey James added 18 points in the game, going 5-for-11 from the floor with a pair of three pointers. She also went a perfect 6-for-6 at the line and pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds for her first career double-double.
 
It was the first time since the 2012-13 season that two Vikings finished the game with double-doubles.
 
Freshman G Michaela Kay added 15 points in the game, going 6-for-13 from the floor with a pair of three-pointers. Kay's 15 points gave the Vikings three players with 15-plus points in the game. She also was one of two players with five assists, James also had five assists. Freshman G Bree Shepard came off the bench for 14 points and made big contributions on the defensive end.
 
Freshman F Pia Jurhar and junior F Danah Haley each pulled down 10 rebounds and scored five points, giving Portland State four players with double-digit rebounds for the game.
 
The Vikings opened the game on fire, going on a 27-3 run to start. Portland State shot 60.9 percent from the floor, going 14-for-23, in the first 10 minutes of the game and led 32-9 at the end of the first quarter. The Warriors' nine points in the first quarter were the lowest point total in any quarter by an opponent this season.
 
"It was a great start," Head Coach Lynn Kennedy said. "That's something we've talked about all week. That first quarter is how we can play. We just need to find that consistency, as a young team, to carry that through the entire game."
 
The game evened out a bit in the second quarter as each team scored 17 points, giving the Vikings a 49-26 lead at the break. Portland State's shooting cooled off in the second as the Vikings went just 3-for-12 (.250) from the floor. Where they did their damage was at the free-throw line. They went 11-for-16 from the line in the quarter with six Vikings getting to the line. Corban did not attempt a free throw in the quarter. Portland State finished the game going 21-for-28 from the line (.750).
 
After the Vikings went up by as much as 30 points midway through the third quarter, their biggest lead of the year, Corban made a push on the Vikings in the fourth, getting hot from three-point range. The Warriors hit eight three-pointers on 15 attempts over the final 10 minutes led by four from Sadie Pilgeram. Pilgeram led the Warriors with 21 points.
 
The closest they would get would be 13 points with 1:31 left in the game. Haley pulled down an offensive rebound and put it back up for the Vikings' final basket, which gave them a season-high 90 points for the game. Their previous season high was 71 points at Long Beach State in the second game of the season.
 
For as good as the Vikings were offensively in the game, they were equally as good on the defensive end, especially in the first half. They held Corban to just nine field goals in the first half. A lot of credit goes to freshman guards Kian McNair and Shepard at the top of the defensive zone. They were tasked with shutting down Corban's leading scorer Jade Lowery, and did just that for most of the game. The Vikings matched their season high with 11 steals in the game, which contributed to 19 points off turnovers and 21 fast break points. Portland State committed a season-low 15 turnovers.
 
The Vikings hit the glass hard in the game with four players with double-digit rebounds. They pulled down a season-high 61 rebounds as a team, 23 coming on the offensive glass, which led to 18 second chance points. They out-rebounded the Warriors 61-to-44 in the game, for a season-high +17 rebounding margin.
 
Portland State has a couple of days off before they hit the hardwood again. Next up is Seattle University on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at the Stott Center. Tipoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. PT.
 
NOTES: Pia Jurhar, Kian McNair, Cici West, Corey James, and Michaela Kay started for the Vikings for the fourth time this season … Portland State started the game with a 27-3 run … Portland State led by 30, it's largest lead of the season … Portland State had three players in double-figure scoring in the first half … Portland State had four players in double-figure scoring, first time this season … Portland State had four players in double figure rebounds, first time this season … Portland State had three players with 15+ Points … Portland State scored a season-high 90 points … Portland State shot a season-high .405 from the floor … Portland State outscored Corban 21-to-2 in fast break points … Portland State had six players with a steal and eight players with an assist … Portland State posted a season-high 61 rebounds … Portland State turned the ball over a season-low 15 times … Corey James posted her first career double-double with 18 points and a career-high 13 …  Cici West posted her second career double-double with a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds … Head Coach Lynn Kennedy picked up his first win as a head coach at Portland State.