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PORTLAND – The Portland State Vikings fell to the Idaho Vandals 69-49 Thursday night at the Peter W. Stott Center. The game was tight at the break but second half foul trouble did in the Vikings late.
 
The Vikings played eight players in the game and had four starters in foul trouble much of the game. Junior G Emily Easom picked up her third foul with 50 seconds remaining in the first half. Three others, Ani Avanessian, Lariel Powell, and Mikaela Rivard each picked up a third foul in the first seven minutes of the second half.
 
Rivard fouled out of the game with 6:15 left in the game and finished with nine points, going 4-for-10 from the floor. Avanessian led the Vikings with 12 points before fouling out with 2:12 left. She went 6-for-12 from the floor.
 
Avanessian has averaged 14.0 points per game against Idaho this season after posting a career-high 16 points at Idaho earlier this year.
 
Idaho led 6-2 early in the first half before a three-pointer from Rivard pulled the Vikings within one. Easom hit a jumper coming off a screen from Avanessian to give the Vikings their first lead of the game at 7-6. The Vandals countered with a 6-0 run to go up 12-7.
 
Portland State cut the lead to three at 16-13 before a three-pointer by Idaho put the Vandals up 19-13. Four straight free throws and an Avanessian layup tied the game at 23-23 with 4:32 left in the first half.
 
Another small run by the Vandals put them up 29-25. Each team hit late free throws and Idaho led 31-26 at the Break. Easom, playing with two fouls late in the half, picked up her third foul with 50 seconds left. She had six points in the half going 1-for-1 from the floor and 4-for-6 from the line.
 
Rivard opened the second half with a reverse layup to cut the Vandals' lead to five at 33-28. Idaho extended its lead to 12 points at 40-28. Rivard picked up her third foul with 15:52 remaining. After Powell picked up her third foul with a technical, Avanessian picked up her third with 13:04, giving four starters three fouls.
 
Idaho kept up the pressure on the Vikings and increased its lead to 15 points. Rivard fouled out followed by Avanessian.
 
The Vandals increased their lead before winning by the final score of 69-49.
 
Idaho shot 39.3 percent from the floor while Portland State was held to 34 percent. Idaho's Stacy Barr, the league's leading scorer, led all players with 20 points.
 
Idaho improved to 10-12 overall and 4-7 in Big Sky play while Portland State fell to 3-20 and 1-11.
 
The Vikings will play the final game of their three-game home stand Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. when they host the Eastern Washington Eagles.