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PORTLAND – In a tale of two halves, the Portland State women's basketball team fell to the Weber State Wildcats, 75-58, Saturday afternoon at the Peter W. Stott Center.
 
Sophomore G Cici West had another stellar day for the Vikings at the Stott Center. West scored a game-high 19 points, going 8-for-16 from the floor and 3-for-4 at the line. She also pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds for her team-best 10th double-double of the season.
 
West has posted double-doubles in six of the last seven games and has scored in double-digits in 10 of the last 11 games, including seven straight. She has excelled at home this season averaging 11.8 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. She has tallied eight of her double-doubles at the Stott Center.
 
The game got off to a relatively slow start in the first quarter with each team compiling more fouls than field goals. The Vikings got into early foul trouble with three starters picking up two fouls each in the first period.
 
Freshman G Kian McNair picked up two fouls in the first minute of the game and was forced to sit the rest of the half. The early foul trouble for the Vikings meant that they had to go to their bench early and often.
 
After the slow first quarter, which ended tied at 14-14, the Vikings came out with a purpose in the second quarter.  
 
Weber State hit a three-pointer to open the second quarter but a jumper by sophomore G Yaremi Mejia cut the deficit to one at 17-15. Mejia came off the bench and provided the Vikings with a spark both offensively and defensively. She went 2-for-4 from the floor with a pair of assists and a steal in 15 minutes in the first half.
 
With the score tied at 20-20 midway through the second quarter, West took over. She scored eight-straight points for the Vikings, propelling them to a 28-20 lead. Freshman G Corey James pushed the run to 10-0 before a three-pointer by Weber State ended its scoreless streak.
 
James also provided a spark for the Vikings off the bench with 12 first-half points. She finished the game with 16 points and five rebounds, going 4-for-10 from the floor and a perfect 8-for-8 at the line.  
 
The Vikings pushed their run to 16-3 to go up by 13 points, 38-25, with 2:23 left in the half. Weber State cut into the lead a bit but the Vikings led 40-29 at the break.
 
Portland State put together one of its most complete halves of basketball in the first. The Vikings shot 50.0 percent from the floor, going 15-for-30, while holding the Wildcats to just 33.3 percent (9-for-27).
 
The tides changed in the second half. The Vikings started the half cold from the floor, which allowed Weber State to go on a 10-0 run to retake the lead at 46-44.
 
After shooting 50.0 percent in the first half, the Vikings shot 23.3 percent from the floor, going 7-for-30, as they were outscored 46-to-18 in the second. The Wildcats hit a late three-pointer to put them up by 17 points at 75-58, which would be the final margin.
 
Deeshyra Thomas led the Wildcats with 19 points, going 7-for-12 from the floor and 5-for-7 from the line.
 
Weber State improved to 16-7 overall and 8-4 in Big Sky Conference play with the win, while Portland State fell to 3-20 and 1-11 with the loss.
 
The Vikings hit the road next weekend for a pair of tough road games at Idaho and at Eastern Washington. The Vikings visit Moscow, Idaho on Thursday, Feb. 18 to take on the Vandals before taking on the Eagles in Cheney, Wash. on Saturday, Feb. 20.
 
NOTES: Cici West posted her 10th double-double of the season with 19 points and 16 rebounds … West recorded her 350th career rebound … Portland State is now 3-1 when leading at the half.