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Portland State University Athletics

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
Pia Jurhar
Scott Larson

Women's Basketball Written By Ryan McCall

Vikings Clash with Titans Saturday at the Stott Center

Complete Release in PDF Format

OPENING TIP
: The Vikings look to make it 3-0 at home this season against Cal State Fullerton this Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Peter W. Stott Center. The game is sponsored by Rose City Fresh and is slated to tip-off at 2 p.m. PT. 
     Portland State is 3-3 overall this season after winning three of the last four games, including two at home. The Vikings can match their win total from last season with a win against the Titans. Cal State Fullerton is 2-6 overall on the year after losing at Eastern Washington, 84-67, Thursday afternoon.
     The Vikings held off a charging UC Irvine squad last week for a 79-73 win at the Stott Center. Portland State led by 13 heading into the fourth quarter and secured the win with clutch shooting over the final 10 minutes. The Vikings went 14-for-16 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. 
     For the second time this season, Portland State had two players score 20 points in a game. Sophomore guards Ashley Bolston and Michaela Kay each scored 20 points to lead the Vikings. Bolston went 5-for-12 from the floor and a perfect 10-for-10 at the line, including 8-for-8 in the fourth. She also increased her Big Sky Conference leading assists mark with seven in the game. 
     Kay did the majority of her damage from beyond the arc in the first half. She went 6-for-11 from the floor for the game and 5-for-9 from three-point range. The five three-pointers matched her career high. 

SCORING DUO: The Vikings boast the best scoring duo in the Big Sky Conference this season. Sophomore guards Sidney Rielly and Ashley Bolston are both in the top four in the league in scoring with 16.8 and 16.3 points per game respectively. They have both recorded three-straight 20-point games this season, Bolston will go for her fourth straight against Cal State Fullerton. 

20-POINT GAMES: Portland State players have posted seven 20-point games through the first six games. Last year, the Vikings tallied eight 20-point games through 30 games. Sophomore guards Sidney Rielly and Ashley Bolston have each tallied three this season. Rielly became the first Viking since Kate Lanz in 2011-12 to record three-straight 20-point games. Bolston followed suite with her own three-game stretch of 20-point performances. Sophomore G Michaela Kay added her first 20-point game of the season, third of her career, last time out against UC Irvine (12/3). Portland State has had two players score 20 points in a game twice this season. Rielly and Bolston did it at Seattle (11/23). Bolston and Kay did it against UC Irvine.  

EARLY DIFFERENCE: Through six games, the Vikings have seen a considerable improvement in shooting compared to last year. Portland State shot .358 from the floor and .300 from three-point range in Head Coach Lynn Kennedy's first season. This year, the Vikings have improved those numbers to .437 (+.077) from the floor and .326 (+.027) from distance. One of the more noticeable differences has been from inside the arc. In two-point shooting, the Vikings are shooting .473 this season compared to .382 last year (+.091).

WINS vs. LOSSES: The Vikings are 3-3 through six games this season. After dropping their first two games, they have won three of the last four games. In its three wins, Portland State is averaging 83.7 points per game and is shooting .475 from the floor. In its three losses, those numbers drop to 72.0 ppg and .394 from the floor. The Vikings are holding their opponents to 22.4 fewer points per game in wins. Free-throw percentage, rebounds per game, and assists per game are also all up in Portland State wins this season. 

BALL MOVEMENT: The Vikings lead the Big Sky Conference this season with 18.7 assists per game after averaging 13.6 per game a year ago (+5.1). The Vikings recorded assists on 56.7 percent of field goals in 2015-16. Portland State is recording assists on 68.7 percent this season. Portland State recorded assists on 22-of-27 (81.5 percent) of field goals against UC Irvine (12/3). Sophomores Ashley Bolston and Michaela Kay are first and second in the Big Sky with 5.8 and 5.0 assists per game respectively. Kay led the Vikings with 82 assists (2.9 assists per game) a year ago. 

BIG NUMBERS: The Vikings tallied some big numbers in their 93-61 win over Pacific Union on Nov. 20. The Vikings' 93 points were the most scored since they posted 97 in a win over Sacramento State in 2011. Portland State recorded 43 field goals in the game, the most since recording a program record 61 against Pacific (Ore.) in Nov. 1993. Individually, sophomore G Sidney Rielly's 11 field goals were the most by a Viking since 2014. Portland State pulled down 65 rebounds, six shy of a program record 71 also set against Pacific (Ore.) in Nov. 1993.

#RoadToReno: For the second year in a row the Big Sky Conference tournament will consist of all 12 conference teams and will be held at a neutral site. The tournament will take place at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nev. The women's tournament will begin on Monday, March 6 with the men's tournament beginning the next day, Tuesday, March 7. For more information visit RoadtoReno.com.
TEAM NOTES: Here are some quick-hitters about 2016-17 Portland State Vikings:
• Portland State picked up its first win of the year with a 93-61 win over Pacific Union (Calif.) on Nov. 20. The 93 points were the most scored by the Vikings since scoring 97 in a win over Sacramento State in 2011. 
• Portland State made 43 baskets against Pacific Union. It was the most since the Vikings tallied a school record 61 field goals in a win over Pacific (Ore.) in Nov. 1993. 
• Portland State pulled down 65 rebounds against Pacific Union, six shy of the school record of 71 set against Pacific (Ore.) in Nov. 1993.
• Portland State picked up its first road win, 79-71, at Seattle U. (11/23). The Vikings trailed by 12 points in the second quarter before coming back to win. 
• Portland State's back-to-back wins over Pacific Union (CA) and Seattle U were the program's  first back-to-back wins since the 2013-14 season.

BY THE NUMBERS 
• PSU is 3-3 overall and 0-0 in Big Sky play.
• PSU is 2-0 at home, 1-3 on the road, and 0-0 at a neutral site. 
• PSU is 3-2 in its last five games and 4-6 in its last 10 games, dating back to last season. 
• PSU is averaging 77.8 points per, while allowing 79.5 ppg. 
• PSU is shooting .437 from the floor, .326 from distance, and .703 at the line. 

BIG SKY BATTLES
• PSU is 136-186 all-time in Big Sky Conference games.
• PSU is 85-76 in home games and 51-110 in road games.
• PSU is 6-7 all-time at the Big Sky Tournament.

STOTT STUFF
• PSU has gone 144-123 in 267 games at the Stott Center since the 1996-96 season. Including home games at Memorial Coliseum (1-0), the Rose Garden (2-0), and Concordia (1-0), the Vikings are 148-123 at home over 22 seasons. 
• Portland State is 5-12 at home in two seasons under Lynn Kennedy.
• Portland State is 85-76 in home games during Big Sky Conference play. 

STREAKS
• Portland State has won two straight games at home this season.
• Portland State has turned the ball over 15 times in each of the past two games, both season lows. 

WHO'S HOT
• Sophomore G Ashley Bolston is coming off her third-straight 20-point game. She is averaging 22.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game over the stretch. Bolston leads the Big Sky Conference with 5.8 assists per game this season. 
• Sophomore G Michaela Kay is coming off her first 20-point game of the season. She scored 20 points and matched her career high with five three-pointers in a win over UC Irvine. Kay is second in the Big Sky with 5.0 assists per game. 
• Sophomore G Cici West has scored has scored double-digit points in each of the last two games. She is averaging 12.0 points and 8.0 rebounds, while shooting .667 (8-12 FG) over the last two. 
CAL STATE FULLERTON QUICK HITS
• Head Coach Daron Park is 30-70 in four seasons leading the Titans. 
• Cal State Fullerton is 2-6 overall and 0-4 on the road this season after losing 84-67 at Eastern Washington Thursday afternoon.  
• Cal State Fullerton is averaging 64.8 points per game, while shooting .406 from the floor. The Titans have struggled at the line, shooting .588 (104-for-177). 
• Cal State Fullerton is allowing 74.4 points per game on the year. Opponents are shooting .423 from the floor and .393 from distance. 
• Junior G Iman Latham is averaging 18.1 ppg this year and is shooting .491 from the floor. She has scored 20-plus points six times this season, including each of the last four games. She is averaging 23.0 ppg, while shooting .567 over that stretch. 
• Sophomore C Daeja Smith is second on the team with 9.9 ppg. She leads the team with 8.0 rebounds per game and six blocks.  

ALL-TIME vs. CAL STATE FULLERTON: The series is tied 2-2 all-time, dating back to the 1999-00 season. Portland State took the only meeting in Portland, 62-40, that year. Cal State Fullerton has won the last two games, including last year's game. 

LAST TIME vs. CAL STATE FULLERTON: Portland State opened the 2015-16 season with an 84-69 loss in Fullerton, Calif. Michaela Kay scored a team-high 22 points in her Portland State debut. She hit five three-pointers and pulled down eight rebounds. Portland State could not overcome a 38 point performance by CSF's Michelle Berry. 
#0 | ASHLEY BOLSTON  //  RS-Sophomore  //  Guard  //  6-2  //  Medford, OR 
• She is second on the team with 16.3 ppg. She has posted double-digit points in five of six games this season. She is coming off three-straight 20-point games. 
• She leads the Big Sky Conference with 5.8 assists per game.
• She led the Vikings with 20 points (5-12 FG, 10-10 FT) in a win over UC Irvine (12/3).
• She scored a career-high 26 points, going 9-for-17 from the floor with a pair of three-pointers at Portland (11/30). She went 6-for-7 at the line and added six rebounds and five assists.
• She posted her first 20-point game with 20 points (5-8 FG, 1-2 3FT, 9-11 FT) four rebounds, six assists, and four steals at Seattle U. (11/23). 
• She scored four points with five rebounds and a team-high nine assists in the Vikings' win over Pacific Union (CA) (11/20). 
• She scored 18 points (5-10 FG, 2-5 3FG, 6-7 FT) with two rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes at Boise State (11/16). 
• She scored 10 points (3-6 FG, 4-6 FT) with three rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 19 minutes of action in her Portland State debut at CSUN (11/11). 
• She sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules.

#2 | SIDNEY RIELLY  //  RS-Sophomore  //  Guard  //  6-0  //  Everett, WA 
• She is second in the Big Sky Conference with 16.8 points per game this season. 
• She became the first Viking to post back-to-back 20-pt games since Emily Easom in 2014. 
• She became the first Viking to post three-straight 20-pt games since Kate Lanz in 2011-12.
• She scored 23 points (9-18 FG, 1-4 3FG, 4-5 FT) in a win at Seattle U. (11/23).
• She scored 24 points (11-18 FG, 2-3 FT) with three rebounds and four assists in the Vikings' win against Pacific Union (CA) (11/20). Her 11 field goals against Pacific Union were the most by a Viking since Emily Easom in 2014. 
• She scored a career-high 25 points (9-16 FG, 5-7 3FG, 2-2 FT) at Boise State (11/16). She added two rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes. 
• She scored a team-high 12 points (3-12 FG, 1-3 3-pt FG, 5-6 FT) in her Portland State debut at CSUN (11/11). She pulled down a team-high five rebounds an recorded a pair of assists in 24 minutes.
• She sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules

#4 | PIA JURHAR  //  Sophomore  //  Forward  //  6-3  //  Vienna, Austria 
• She scored 12 points (6-8 FG) with nine rebounds in a win over Pacific Union (CA) (11/20). 
• She scored two points, pulled down three rebounds, and recorded a block in 10 minutes of action in the Vikings' season opener at CSUN (11/11). 
• She played in 30 games, making 25 starts, as a true freshman in 2015-16. She averaged 5.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. 

#5 | KIAN MCNAIR  //  Sophomore  //  Guard  //  5-6  //  Vallejo, CA 
• She has missed the past five games due to injury. 
• She came off the bench for four points with two rebounds in 21 minutes of action in the Vikings' season opener at CSUN (11/11). 
• She led the Vikings with 11.3 points per game as a true freshman in 2015-16. She shot .329 from the floor, .309 from three-point range, and .697 at the line. 

#10 | COURTNEY WEST  //  RS-Sophomore  //  Forward  //  6-4  //  Sydney, Australia 
• She is averaging 10.3 ppg and 6.2 rpg this season. She has three double-digit scoring games.
• She leads the Big Sky Conference with 12 blocks and 2.0 blocks per game.
• She scored 12 points (6-12 FG) with six rebounds and a career-high four assists in a win over UC Irvine (12/3).
• She scored five points with seven rebounds and a career-high six blocks in a win over Seattle U (11/23). Her six blocks were tied for the second most all-time at Portland State. 
• She scored 16 points (8-15 FG) with eight rebounds in 14 minutes in the Vikings' win over  Pacific Union (11/20).
• She scored eight points (4-8 FG) with five rebounds and three blocks at Boise State (11/16).
• She scored a team-high 12 points with a team-high five rebounds in Portland State debut at CSUN (11/11). Shot .600 (6-for-10) from the floor. 
• She sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules.

#11 | CICI WEST  //  Sophomore  //  Guard  //  5-10  //  Seattle, WA 
• She is averaging 7.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg off the bench this season. 
• She came off the bench for the Vikings' first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds at Portland (11/30).
• She came off the bench for nine points (3-6 FG, 3-5 FT) and a team-high 10 rebounds in a win at Seattle U. (11/23).
• She came off the bench for four points and two rebounds in 10 minutes in the Vikings' season opener at CSUN (11/11).
• She averaged 10.0 points and a Big Sky leading 9.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2015-16. 
• She set the Portland State single-season rebounding record with 286 in 2015-16. 

#45 | MICHAELA KAY  //  Sophomore  //  Guard  //  5-6  //  Spokane, WA 
• She is averaging 8.7 ppg and 5.0 apg this season. She is second in the Big Sky Conference in assists per game.
• She scored her third career 20-point game with 20 points (6-11 FG, 5-9 3FG, 3-4 FT) in a win over UC Irvine (12/3). She matched her career high with five three-pointers.
• She scored eight points (1-5 3FT, 5-6 FT) with five rebounds and five assists in a win at Seattle U. (11/23).
• She came off the bench for 14 points (4-6 3FG, 2-2 FT) with five assists at Boise State (11/16).
• She averaged 8.4 ppg and led the team with 82 assists (2.9 apg) in 2015-16.
 
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Players Mentioned

Ashley Bolston

#0 Ashley Bolston

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
RS
Michaela Kay

#45 Michaela Kay

G
5' 6"
Sophomore
1V
Sidney Rielly

#2 Sidney Rielly

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
RS
Cici West

#11 Cici West

G
5' 10"
Junior
2V

Players Mentioned

Ashley Bolston

#0 Ashley Bolston

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
RS
G
Michaela Kay

#45 Michaela Kay

5' 6"
Sophomore
1V
G
Sidney Rielly

#2 Sidney Rielly

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
RS
G
Cici West

#11 Cici West

5' 10"
Junior
2V
G
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