PORTLAND – The Vikings toppled the Titans by a score of 81-73 Saturday afternoon at the Peter W. Stott Center to improve to 3-0 at home this season. Sophomore G Sidney Rielly led the Vikings with 21 points for her fourth 20-point game of the season.
 
Rielly, one of four Vikings in double-figures in the game, scored her 21 points, going 8-for-11 from the floor, with a three-pointer, and 4-for-4 at the free-throw line. She added three rebounds, two steals, and a career-high three blocks in the game.
 
Portland State (4-3 overall) shot a season-high .552 from the floor, going 32-for-58 as a team. They recorded 21 assists on their 32 field goals and recorded 20 assists in back-to-back games for the first time this season. PSU held the Cal State Fullerton (2-7) to just 26-for-78 (.333) from the floor.
 
After being out-rebounded in each of the last two games, the Vikings came out and dominated the glass against the Titans. Portland State out-rebounded Cal State Fullerton 49-to-33 (+16) in the game and turned 11 offensive rebounds into 15 points.
 
Sophomore G Ashley Bolston came close to her first career triple double with 18 points, eight rebounds, and a game-high seven assists. She went 6-for-17 from the floor and 6-for-8 at the line in the game. She is now averaging a Big Sky Conference leading 6.0 assists per game.
 
Sophomore F Pia Jurhar recorded her first double-double of the season, second of her career, with 12 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. She went 6-for-9 from the floor with two assists and three blocks. Sophomore F Courtney West added 10 points and five rebounds in the game as the Vikings had four players in double-figures third time this season, second straight.
 
Portland State went on an 8-0 run to take a 10-2 lead midway through the first quarter after layups by Rielly and Courtney West. Cal State Fullerton cut the lead to a single point at 12-11 after a 7-0 run of its own. Back-to-back three-pointers from Ashley Torres Negron gave the Vikings and a late free throw by the Titans gave the Vikings an 18-12 at the end of the first.
 
Up by one at 20-19, the Vikings went on a 10-0 run go up 30-19 for their largest lead of the half. The Titans cut into the Vikings' lead at the end of the first half, but PSU led 34-27 at the break.  
 
Boston and Rielly each had eight points in the first half to lead the Vikings. Portland State went 14-for-29 (.483) from the floor as a team in the first half.
 
Cal State Fullerton opened the second half on a 9-4 run to cut the lead to two points at 38-36. Portland State countered with a 6-0 run of its own to go up 44-40. After the Titans cut the lead down to two, 50-48, Rielly went on a 7-0 run to give the Vikings a 57-48 lead heading to the fourth.
 
Sophomore G Corey James, making her first appearance of the season due to injury, hit her first shot of the season, a three-pointer, to give the Vikings a 12-point lead at 60-48. The Titans went on a 7-0 lead to again cut the lead to single digits, at 64-59.
 
Sophomore G Michaela Kay hit her first three-pointer of the game to put the Vikings up nine, 71-62, with 4:24 remaning. After a CSF timeout, Jurhar came up with a big block, which led to a fast break layup by Rielly to put the Vikings up 73-62. The basket put Rielly over 20-points for the fourth time this season.
 
A 5-0 run by the Titans made it a 73-68 game with 1:53 left in the game. A jumper by Courtney West off and inbounds play put the Vikings up seven.
 
Torres Negron hit the deck on a loose ball to get it for the Vikings. Portland State held the ball to let time run off the clock. Cal State Fullerton went to foul to force Courtney West to the line and was called for an intentional foul. A technical foul was called on Titans' Head Coach Daron Park after he contested the intentional foul call.
 
The Vikings hit three of the four free throws to go up 78-68. The Titans scored five of the next six points to cut the lead to six but a pair of Bolston free throws secured the Vikings' 81-73 win.
 
Cal State Fullerton had three players in double-figures, led by Iman Lathan's team-high 20 pints. She went 7-for-22 from the floor with five rebounds and five assists. Dhanyel Johnson added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Portland State now embarks on an eight-game road trip that will conclude non-conference play and open Big Sky Conference action. The Vikings' next home game will be January 12 against Northern Arizona.
 
Portland State starts that road trip next Saturday, Dec. 17 against the Oregon Ducks at the Moda Center. The game is slated for a 5 p.m. tip.  
 
NOTES:
• Sophomore G Sidney Rielly posted her fourth 20-point game with 21 points.
• Sophomore F Pia Jurhar recorded her first double-double of the year with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
• Sophomore G Corey James made her Portland State debut.
• James hit her first field goal of the season, a three-pointer.
• Portland State matched its win total from last year (4) with the win over the Titans.