Vikings Go for Three Straight Thursday Against T-Birds

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OPENING TIP
The Vikings head out on their final road trip with just four games left in the regular season. Portland State opens the week against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Feb. 23 in Cedar City, Utah. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. PT.
Portland State and Southern Utah will be meeting for the second time this season with the Vikings picking up an 81-74 win at the Peter W. Stott Center on January 14. Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly each scored a game-high 28 points for the Vikings. Rielly went 11-for-16 from the floor, while Bolston went 9-for-17 with eight assists and five of the team's 13 steals.
After dropping six-straight conference games, the Vikings swept the Montana schools for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Montana State came into the Stott Center tied for first place in the Big Sky before the Vikings pulled off the upset with a four-point win. Portland State then earned its first season sweep of Montana since that same 2010-11 season with a 23-point victory two days later.
The Vikings' played tremendous defense against the Montana schools, holding them to a combined 31.7 percent from the floor and 28.8 percent from three-point range. Portland State posted a +9.0 rebounding margin, while averaging 9.5 steals and 4.0 blocks per game over the sweep.
Sophomore G Ashley Bolston led the Vikings with 21.5 points per game over the weekend. She scored a career-high 29 points, for the third time this season, leading the Vikings to the upset win over Montana State. She went 7-for-20 from the floor with a trio of three-pointers. Bolston made a living at the line, going 12-for-14. She added four rebounds, four steals, and four assists against the Bobcats.
Sophomore G Sidney Rielly scored a game-high 17 points in the Vikings' 23-point blowout of Montana. She went 7-for-14 from the floor with a pair of three-pointers.
Bolston and sophomore F Courtney West each added 14 points against the Lady Griz. West pulled down seven rebounds and posted two of the team's five blocks.

COMING UP: Portland State heads to Flagstaff, Ariz. Saturday for its final true road test of the season. The Vikings will then return home for their final two home games next week against two of the top teams in the league, North Dakota and Northern Colorado.

TEAM NOTES: Here are some quick-hitters about 2016-17 Portland State Vikings:
• Portland State has exceeded its win total from each of the last three seasons.
• Portland State has surpassed its league win total (6) from each of the last two seasons, combined.
• Portland State has surpassed its home win total (7) from each of the last two seasons, combined.
• Portland State has double-digit wins for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
• Portland State won four-straight league games for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
• Portland State leads the league in field goal percentage (.453) and is second in assists per game (16.6) and blocks per game (4.9).
• Portland State swept Montana and Montana State for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
• Portland State swept Montana in the season series for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

BY THE NUMBERS
• Portland State is 12-14 overall and 6-8 in Big Sky play.
• Portland State is 7-3 at home, 3-9 on the road, and 2-2 at a neutral site.
• Portland State is 2-3 in its last five games and 4-6 in its last 10 games.
• Portland State is averaging 69.1 ppg, while allowing 72.8 ppg.
• Portland State is shooting a league-best .453 from the floor, .310 from distance, and .709 at the line.
• Portland State has 127 blocks as a team, the most since 2009-10 (139).

BIG SKY BATTLES
• PSU is 142-193 all-time in Big Sky Conference games.
• PSU is 89-78 in home games and 53-115 in road games.
• PSU is 6-7 all-time at the Big Sky Tournament.

STOTT STUFF
• Portland State has gone 149-126 in 275 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 154-126 at home over 22 seasons.
• Portland State is 10-15 at home in two seasons under Lynn Kennedy.
• Portland State is 89-79 in home games during Big Sky Conference play.

WHERE THEY STAND: With back-to-back wins last weekend, the Vikings have improved to 12-14 overall and 6-8 in Big Sky Conference play. Portland State is currently tied with Weber State for seventh in the standings. The Wildcats hold the tiebreaker having won the only meeting this season. If the season ended today, Portland State would face Sacramento State in the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game of the Big Sky Basketball Tournament. However, if the Vikings can pick up a game in the standings on Weber State, they would finish seventh and would face the No. 10 team in the league, currently Northern Arizona. WSU and PSU each have four games left and are 1-3 and 2-2 this season against their remaining opponents respectively.

SWEEP: The Vikings swept the Montana schools over a single weekend for the first time since the 2010-11 season after their wins last weekend. The win over Montana also marked the first time since the 2010-11 season that Portland State swept Montana in a season series.

SCORING DUO: Both Sidney Rielly (440 points) and Ashley Bolston (414 points) have surpassed the 400-point mark this season. They become the first Portland State duo to achieve that feat since Eryn Jones and Courtney VanBrocklin in 2010-11. In fact, Rielly's 440 points are the most since Jones scored 444 during that season.

TOP OF THE LEAGUE: Sophomore G Sidney Rielly has solidified herself as one of the elite scorers in the Big Sky Conference. She is fourth in the league this season with 16.9 points per game and second in league play with 18.2 points per game. She is 34th in the nation, third in the Big Sky, with a .544 field goal percentage. She is averaging 6.7 field goals per game and is one of just two players with 100-plus field goals during league play.

FIRST TO 30: It was bound to happen this season, the question was, who will be the first to do it? Sophomore G Sidney Rielly became the first Viking since Kelly Merchant in 2010 to surpass the 30-point plateau with a 32-point game at Weber State (2/11). Rielly went 8-for-11 from the floor, 4-for-6 from three-point range and 12-for-13 at the line against the Wildcats. In fact, Rielly's 32 points are tied for second most since PSU Hall of Famer Kelsey Kahle scored 41 points in 2007. Kahle herself scored 32 points following her 41-point game.

BIG 3: There is no doubt that the Vikings have one of the best "Big 3's" in the Big Sky Conference. The trio of redshirt sophomores Ashley Bolston, Sidney Rielly, and Courtney West have led the Vikings in scoring all season long and are among the league leaders in several statistical categories. Rielly (16.9 ppg and Bolston (15.9 ppg) combine to be the league's best scoring duo (32.8 ppg), ahead EWU's Delaney Hodgins/Tisha Phillips' combined 32.2 ppg. Bolston leads the league with 4.9 assists per game while West leads the league with 2.5 blocks per game.

BLOCK PARTY: Portland State tallied a season-high 12 blocks against Sacramento State (1/28). Leading the way was sophomore F Courtney West who set the Portland State single-game record with 8 blocks against the Hornets. She matched the previous record of 7 in the first half before surpassing the 26-year-old record in the second half. West jumped all the way from sixth to second all-time at Portland State for a single-season with her performance. She now has 66 blocks on the year.

D-FENCE: The Vikings put together its best defensive game in years in a 64-44 rout of the Montana Lady Griz (1/19). Portland State held Montana to just 44 points, the lowest total by an opponent since holding George Fox to 35 points in 2012. The Vikings also held the Lady Griz to just .274 from the floor, the first time holding a team under .300 since holding Navy to .279 in 2014.

WINNING STREAK: Portland State won four-straight games for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The Vikings won the first three games by a combined 10 points before blowing out Montana by 20.

B2B POTW HONORS: For the first time since the 2010-11 season, Portland State players have garnered back-to-back Big Sky Player of the Week honors. Ashley Bolston picked up her first career honor on January 10, one week before Sidney Rielly picked up her first carer honor on January 17. The last duo to achieve the feat was Lexi Bishop and Eryn Jones in 2011.

#POTW: Sophomore G Ashley Bolston earned her first Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honor after leading the Vikings to an 88-86 win at Sacramento State (1/7). Bolston scored a career-high 29 points, going 12-for-18 (.667) from the floor, with six rebounds, six assists, and four steals against the Hornets. Her 12 field goals were also a career high and tied for the most by a Viking this season. It was the first honor by a Viking since Kate Lanz in 2013-14.

#POTW PART DEUX: Sophomore G Sidney Rielly picked up her first career Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honor after leading the Vikings to wins over Southern Utah (1/14) and Northern Arizona (1/16). She averaged 24.0 points per game, while shooting .731 from the floor over the two games. She opened the week with a career-high 28 points (11-16 FG, 1-3 3FG, 5-7 FT) with four rebounds in just 24 minutes. She followed that up with a game-high 20 points, going 8-for-10 from the floor and 2-for-4 from distance.

COMING UP CLUTCH: Sophomore G Ashley Bolston has proved to be at her best late in games this season. In the final minute of games, she is 4-for-7 from the floor, with a three-pointer, and is 20-for-24 (.833) at the free-throw line. She showed her clutch shooting, going 4-for-4 at the line over the final minute against Southern Utah (1/14).

DEFENDING HOME COURT: Portland State is 7-3 at home this season, surpassing its home win total of the last two seasons combined. The Vikings started the season 5-0, their best start at home since going 5-0 to start the 2011-12 season. Portland State is averaging 72.3 ppg, while allowing 66.3 ppg (+6.0) at home for the year. The Vikings are shooting .475 from the floor and .304 from distance at home.

COMEBACK WINS: Portland State's win against Sacramento State (1/7) marked the second time that the Vikings have come back from a double-digit deficit to win this season, both coming on the road. The Vikings trailed by 12 points late in the first half at Seattle (11/23) before they came back to win 79-71. Against the Hornets, the Vikings trailed by 11 points early in the third quarter but were able to tie the game heading in to the fourth quarter before winning 88-86. In both comeback wins, both Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly recorded 20-point games.

20-POINT GAMES: Portland State has had players scored 20-or-more points 21 times this season, compared to just eight times a year ago. Sophomore guard Sidney Rielly leads the team with 10, including the first 30-point game for a Viking since 2010. Ashley Bolston has added nine 20-point games, including three 29-point games. Rielly became the first Viking since Kate Lanz in 2011-12 to record three-straight 20-point games, she has done it twice this year. 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, against UC Irvine (12/3). Portland State has had two players score 20 points in a game four times this season. Rielly and Bolston have done it three times, while Bolston and Kay have done it once.

WINS vs. LOSSES: The Vikings are 12-14 overall this season and 6-8 in Big Sky Conference play. There is a stark contrast on the box score between wins and losses. In wins, Portland State is averaging 75.5 points per game is shooting .483 from the floor and .730 from the free-throw line. In losses, those numbers drop to 63.6 ppg, .425 from the floor, and .690 at the line. The Vikings are holding their opponents to 13.7 fewer points per game in wins. Three-point field goal percentage, rebounds per game, and assists per game are also all up in Portland State wins this season.

SHOOTING DIFFERENCE: Portland State has seen a considerable improvement in shooting compared to last year. The Vikings 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 .453 (+.095) from the floor and .310 (+.010) from distance. One of the more noticeable differences has been from inside the arc. In two-point shooting, the Vikings are shooting .504 this season compared to .382 last year (+.122).

LEADING THE LEAGUE: The Vikings lead the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage, shooting .453 as a team. The Vikings are second in the league in assists per game (16.5), blocks per game (4.9), and defensive rebounds per game (28.7). Individually, Ashley Bolston leads the league in assists per game (4.9) and Courtney West leads the league in blocks (66) and blocks per game (2.5).

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.

BIG SKY OPENERS: After losing at North Dakota to open league play, the Vikings are 4-6 in their last 10 Big Sky openers, and 0-2 under Head Coach Lynn Kennedy. The Vikings are also 2-5 in Big Sky road openers during that stretch.

#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.

SOUTHERN UTAH QUICK HITS
• Head Coach Chris Boettcher is 22-60 overall in three seasons at Southern Utah.
• Southern Utah is 5-20 overall and 0-14 in Big Sky play. SUU is 4-10 on the road this season.
• Southern Utah started the season 3-0 but is just 2-20 since. The Thunderbirds won their final two games prior to league play but have dropped each of the last 12 games, two in overtime.
• Southern Utah opened league play with an overtime loss to Northern Arizona. The T-Birds dropped a double-overtime game to Idaho State. Both overtime losses have been at home.
• Southern Utah averages 64.6 points per game, while allowing 72.1 ppg. The T-Birds are shooting .383 from the floor and .341 from three-point range.
• Darri Frandsen leads the team with 12.9 points per game. She is shooting .450 from the floor. She pulls down 7.9 rebounds per game and has a team-high 28 blocks.

PORTLAND STATE vs. SOUTHERN UTAH
• ALL-TIME: Portland State leads the all-time series 12-7, dating back to the 1988-89 season. Portland State is just 2-6 during Big Sky play and 4-5 on the road in the series. The Vikings have won two of the last three meetings.
• THIS SEASON: Portland State took the first meeting this season, 81-74, on Jan. 14 at the Peter W. Stott Center. Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly each went for a game-high 28 points. The Vikings trailed by three at the break but outscored the Thunderbirds in the second half en route to the seven-point victory.

#0 | ASHLEY BOLSTON // RS-Sophomore // Guard // 6-2 // Medford, OR
• She is second on the team with 15.9 points per game. She has scored in double-figures 20 times with nine 20-point performances.
• She leads the Big Sky Conference with 4.9 assists per game.
• She matched her career high with 29 points (7-for-20 FG, 3-9 3FG, 12-14 FT) with four rebounds, four assists, and four steals in a win over Montana State (2/16).
• She scored a team-high 18 points (6-15 FG, 1-4 3FG, 5-6 FT) with five rebounds, four assists and four steals in a career-high 40 minutes against Eastern Washington (2/4).
• She scored a game-high 23 points in a loss to Idaho (2/2).
• She matched her career high with 29 points, going 12-for-22 from the floor, at Montana State (1/21).
• She scored 28 points (9-17 FG, 1-3 3FG, 9-11 FT) with eight assists and five steals against Southern Utah (1/14).
• She was named College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week (1/16).
• She was named Big Sky Player of the Week following her performance at Sacramento State (1/7).
• She improved her career high to 29 points (12-18 FG, 1-3 3FG, 4-7 FT) with six rebounds, six assists, and four steals at Sacramento State (1/7). She made a career-high 12 field goals, matching the team individual season high.
• She matched her previous career high with 26 points, going 5-for-13 from the floor and 16-for-18 at the line in a win over Kennesaw State (12/20). Both free throw marks are the second most all time. She added eight assists, six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in the win.
• She led the Vikings with 20 points (5-12 FG, 10-10 FT) in a win over UC Irvine (12/3).
• She scored a then-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 fourth in the Big Sky Conference with 16.9 points per game. She has scored double-digit points 20 times, including 10 20-plus point games, and one 30-point game.
• She has scored 20 points in three straight games twice 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 was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week (1/17).
• She scored a game-high 17 points (7-15 FG, 1-4 3FG, 2-2 FT) with four rebounds in a win over Montana (2/18).
• She became the first Vikings since 2010 to post a 30-point game with a career-high 32 points (8-11 FG, 4-6 3FG, 12-13 FT) at Weber State (2/11).
• She Scored 17 points, going 7-for-16 from the floor, with two rebounds and two assists against Eastern Washington (2/4).
• She scored 19 points (9-16 FG) with three steals against Idaho (2/2).
• She scored a game-high 20 points, going 8-for-10 from the floor, in a win over Northern Arizona (1/16).
• She improved her career high to 28 points (11-16 FG, 1-3 3FG, 5-7 FT) with four rebounds against Southern Utah (1/14).
• She scored 25 points (10-15 FG, 2-3 3FG, 3-3 FT) with a career-high seven rebounds in a win at Sacramento State (1/7).
• She scored a then-career high to 27 points on 12-of-21 shooting, both career highs, at UND (12/29).
• She scored a team-high 23 points (10-16 FG, 2-4 3FG, 1-1 FT) with three rebounds in a win over Northern Kentucky (12/19).
• She posted her fourth 20-point game with 21 points (8-11 FG, 4-4 FT) with three blocks in a win over Cal State Fullerton (12/10).
• 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

#10 | COURTNEY WEST // RS-Sophomore // Forward // 6-4 // Sydney, Australia
• She is averaging 10.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season. She has scored in double-digits 15 times this season with one 20-point game.
• She leads the Big Sky Conference with 66 blocks and 2.5 blocks per game.
• She has 66 blocks on the season, second most at PSU for a single-season.
• She scored 19 points (9-14 FG, 1-2 FT) with 13 rebounds for her fourth double-double playing a career-high 40 minutes at Weber State (2/11).
• She scored 13 points with 10 rebounds for her third double-double.
• She scored a career-high 20 points, with a career-high 10 field goals, against Sacramento State (1/28).
• She set the Portland State single-game record with 8 blocks against the Hornets. She matched the previous record with 7 blocks in the first half.
• She scored 18 points, 9-for-14 from the floor, with nine rebounds at Montana State (1/21).
• She scored a then-career-high 18 points with a career-high 13 rebounds for second career double-double at Montana (1/19).
• She scored 10 points with six rebounds and four blocks in a win over Northern Arizona (1/16).
• She recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, along with three blocks, in a win at Sacramento State (1/7).
• She scored 14 points with seven rebounds and four blocks at North Dakota (12/29).
• She scored 11 points with eight rebounds, four blocks, and four steals in a win over Kennesaw State (12/20).
• 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.

#45 | MICHAELA KAY // Sophomore // Guard // 5-6 // Spokane, WA
• She is averaging 6.0 points and 2.4 assists this season.
• She came off the bench for 11 points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3FG, 2-3 FT) with two assists and a steal in a win over Montana State (2/16).
• She scored 10 points (4-8 FG, 2-6 3FG) with three rebounds and two steals against Idaho (2/2).
• She scored 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-7 3FG) in a win over Montana (1/19).
• She posted 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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