BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Vikings shot 68.2 percent in the second half to secure their first Big Sky Conference road win, 69-60, over the Montana State Bobcats Thursday night in Bozeman, Mont. The win ended MSU's 31-game home winning streak. 
 
Neither team shot well from the floor in the first half but Portland State (9-6 overall, 3-1 Big Sky) led 26-18 at the break after JR G Ashley Bolston hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the Vikings into half with the eight-point lead.
 
After Bolston's buzzer-beater, the Vikings opened the second half hitting 12 of their first 14 shots, which included a string of seven consecutive shots. PSU went 10-for-12 from the floor in the third quarter and needed every shot as Montana State (8-8, 2-3) opened the second half hot as well.
 
The Bobcats hit their first four shots of the second half to cut the lead to just three points at 30-27. The Vikings countered with a 10-2 run to take an 11-point lead at 40-29. They went up by as much as 14 points before MSU's Delany Junkermier hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to make it a 49-39 game heading to the fourth.
 
After Portland State hit the first to baskets of the fourth quarter to go up by 15 points, Montana State once again started to ship away at the lead. The Bobcats cut it down to just three points after a three-pointer with 1:01 left in the game. It would be the last field goal MSU would make in the game.

Montana State fouled FR G Kylie Jimenez with 53 seconds left. She knocked down both shots. After MSU hit 1-of-2 at the line on the other end, Jimenez was sent to the line again after being fouled with 32 seconds left.  


This time Jimenez missed both free throws but Bolston came up with the offensive rebound off the second miss. She was fouled and then hit a pair of free throws to make it a six-point game.
 
The Vikings hit three of their final four free throws to ice the game and win 69-60 to improve to 3-1 in Big Sky play for the first time since 2011-12.
 
Bolston finished the game with 15 points, going 3-for-8 from the floor with a three-pointer. She did most of her damage at the free-throw line, going 8-for-10. Bolston added three rebounds and a pair of assists over 31 minutes.
 
JR G Sidney Rielly led the Vikings with a team-high 18 points, going 8-for-15 from the floor with a pair of three-pointers. After scoring eight points in the first half, she scored 10 points, going 5-for-7, in the second. Rielly surpassed the 800-career point mark in the game and now has 817 points through 48 career games.
 
JR G Kiana Brown gave the Vikings 21 great minutes off the bench, scoring 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. She went a perfect 3-for-3 from the line but did not attempt a three-pointer, ending her consecutive games with a three-pointer streak at 14.
 
JR F Courtney West had nine points and a season-high 12 rebounds to lead all players. She added a pair of assists and three blocks in the game.
 
Portland State's 2-3 zone gave Montana State troubles all night long, holding the Bobcats to a 36.1 field goal percentage on the night. The Vikings forced 17 turnovers, which led to 16 points.
 
The Vikings held a 21-to-2 advantage in bench scoring thanks to 13 points from Brown and eight points from SO F Tatiana Streun. She went 3-for-5 from the floor with a pair of free throws.
 
Junkermier finished with a game-high 19 points, going 7-for-10 from the floor and 4-for-6 from three-point range. She hit her first six shots before the Vikings' forced a miss. Madeline Smith added 15 points, eight rebounds, and a pair of blocks for the Bobcats.
 
Portland State will travel across the Treasure State to take on the Montana Lady Griz Saturday afternoon in Missoula. Montana defeated Sacramento State, 68-59, Thursday night to improve to 8-8 overall, 4-1 in Big Sky play, and 7-3 at home.  
 
NOTES:

• JR F Courtney West pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds.  
• JR G Sidney Rielly surpassed the 800-point mark with her 18 points. She now has 817 career points through 48 games.
• JR G Kiana Brown had her consecutive games with a three-pointer streak end at 14 after not attempting a shot from distance.