Complete Game Notes (PDF)

TIPOFF
It counts now.
 
Two blowout exhibition victories down, the Portland State women's basketball team officially opens its season and the new Viking Pavilion this Friday against Warner Pacific. The Vikings host the Knights at 7 p.m. Friday, and then turn right around to host San Jose State Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
The Vikings' two blowout exhibition wins over Simpson and Lewis & Clark added to the promise that awaits the Vikings during the 2018-19 season. The Vikings returned all of their scoring from last season, including All-Big Sky guards Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly, as well as 2017-18 Big Sky Freshman of the Year Kylie Jimenez. Big Sky coaches and media picked the Vikings to finish second in the conference this season, the team's highest predicted finish since they were picked to win the conference ahead of the 2011-12 season.
 
Depth will be a major strength for the Vikings throughout the season, as it was in the team's two exhibition wins. Four Vikings scored in double figures in the team's 90-52 win over Simpson, while another five went over 10 points in the Vikings' 97-46 win over Lewis & Clark. It wasn't just the Vikings' returners scoring for the Vikings, either, as the team's four newcomers all contributed to both wins.
 
Freshman Desirae Hansen led the Vikings with 17 points against Lewis & Clark, and tied Bolston with a game-high 18 points against Simpson. Junior forward Jordan Stotler also started both exhibition games for the Vikings, and recorded five blocks against Simpson while totaling 11 points and eight rebounds against Lewis & Clark. Freshman guard Ana Tainta joined Stotler in the starting lineup against Lewis & Clark, and was a lock-down defender for the Vikings on the perimeter while finishing with nine points, four steals and two assists against the Pioneers.
 
The exhibition setup helped set the stage for the Vikings' newcomers, as the team rested its starters for much of the fourth quarter as both games got out of hand. Despite the shortened minutes, the Vikings' returners still had strong games, including a pair of double-doubles for senior forwards Courtney West and Pia Jurhar. West had 14 points and 14 rebounds against Simpson, with six of her 14 boards coming on the offensive end. Jurhar, meanwhile, recorded 15 points and 10 rebounds (six offensive) to go with three blocks against Lewis & Clark.
 
Bolston and Jimenez, meanwhile, went into double figures in both games. Bolston tied Hansen with a game-high 18 points against Simpson despite sitting the entire fourth quarter, and added 15 points while playing only 21 minutes against Lewis & Clark. Jimenez had 12 points against Lewis & Clark, but really flashed her quality while stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, seven assists and four steals in only 23 minutes against Simpson.
 
Warner Pacific, the Vikings' opponent Friday, beat Simpson 84-60 to open their season on Oct. 27, the day after the Vikings beat the Red Hawks in their exhibition. The Knights improved by eight wins last season, and returned their top eight scorers from that team.
 
The Vikings can exact some revenge over the Knights with a win Friday, as the Vikings lost to the Knights in head coach Lynn Kennedy's first season. The Knights beat the Vikings, 76-64, at the old Stott Center back on Nov. 21, 2015, though only Jurhar will return from that game for the Vikings.
 
More Vikings will return from their last game against San Jose State, as the Vikings beat the Spartans 90-78 in San Jose last season. Sidney Rielly led the Vikings with 28 points in that game, while Jimenez (15 points), Kiana Brown (13 points) and Corey James (12 points) also scored in double figures. West posted the most all-around game against the Spartans last season, as she was a point and rebound away from a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds, while adding seven assists, four blocks and three steals.
 
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-0)
72.5 PPG | 43.6 FG% | 35.9 3FG% | 78.6 FT%
Notable: The Portland State Vikings crushed their two exhibition opponents, beating Simpson University 90-52 on Oct. 26, and Lewis & Clark 97-46 last Friday. Every player that dressed for the Vikings scored in both exhibition games, as the Vikings showed their depth in both games. Five different Vikings scored in double figures against Lewis & Clark while seven players scored seven of more points in the game. Freshman Desirae Hansen led the Vikings with 17 points against Lewis & Clark, and tied redshirt senior guard Ashley Bolston with a game-high 18 points against Simpson. Senior forward Pia Jurhar also recorded a double-double against the Pioneers, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Redshirt senior forward Courtney West recorded her own double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds against Simpson, with six of her 14 rebounds coming on the offensive end. Junior forward Jordan Stotler started both of the Vikings' exhibitions, totaling five blocks against Simpson while recording 11 points and eight rebounds against Lewis & Clark. Sophomore guard Kylie Jimenez also scored in double figures in both games, and filled the stat sheet against Simpson with 15 points, seven assists and four steals in only 23 minutes. Jimenez was also one of four Vikings who scored in double figures against San Jose State last season, when the Vikings beat the Spartans 90-78 on the road. Jimenez had 15 points to go with six rebounds and two steals, while Sidney Rielly led the Vikings with 28 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field. West had the most all-around game against the Spartans, as she was a point and rebound away from a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds, while adding seven assists, four blocks and three steals.
 
WARNER PACIFIC KNIGHTS (1-0)
84.0 PPG | 43.6 FG% | 27.6 3FG% | 57.1 FT%
Notable: The Warner Pacific Knights opened their season with an 84-60 win over Simpson University on Oct. 27, the day after the Vikings beat Simpson 90-52 in an exhibition. Due to NAIA rules, the Knights' game against the Vikings Friday will serve as an exhibition for the Knights, but the first counting game of the season for the Vikings. The Knights also played an exhibition game against Washington State on Oct. 29, with the Cougars beating the Knights, 106-41. The Knights went 12-19 overall – an eight-win improvement over the team's record in 2016-17 – and 8-12 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference last season. The Knights return their top eight scorers from last season, and have 10 upperclassmen among their 14 players between seven seniors and three juniors. Junior guard Darbi Pink led the Knights with 10.5 points per game as an All-CCC honorable mention last season. Senior guard Bailey Allen also earned All-CCC honorable mention last season, after averaging 8.8 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game and 1.8 steals per game. Allen scored 12 points in 19 minutes against Simpson earlier this season, while adding three steals and three assists. Sophomore newcomer Gabriella Bruno, who transferred to Warner Pacific from the College of Southern Idaho, led the Knights with 14 points against Simpson. Senior forward Maryah Tipping also scored in double digits with 11 points against Simpson, while senior guard Deepika Kapil led the Knights with nine rebounds to go with eight points.
 
WARNER PACIFIC SERIES HISTORY
The Vikings lost their only previous game against the Knights, 76-64, at home in their first season under head coach Lynn Kennedy on Nov. 21, 2015.
 
SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (0-1)
66.0 PPG | 37.1 FG% | 26.3 3FG% | 64.0 FT%
Notable: The San Jose State Spartans opened their season with a 73-66 home loss to San Francisco State Tuesday, and will play the University of San Francisco Friday before facing the Vikings on Sunday. The Spartans return eight letterwinners from last season's team that went 7-23 overall and 4-14 in the Mountain West Conference last season. The Spartans finished 11th in the Mountain West last season, and lost 84-54 in the first round of the conference tournament. The Vikings beat the Spartans 90-78 in San Jose last season, despite being without leading scorer Ashley Bolston. Sidney Rielly led the Vikings with 28 points against the Spartans, while Kylie Jimenez (15 points), Kiana Brown (13 points) and Corey James (12 points) all went into double figures. The Spartans lost their two leading scorers from last season in Myzhanique Ladd (graduated) and Taylor Turney (transferred), who averaged 13.5 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. The Spartans' next leading scorer, junior guard Analyss Benally, returns after averaging 6.9 points per game last season. Sophomore forward Cydni Lewis also returns after ranking second to Ladd with 4.3 rebounds per game, and ranked fourth on the team with 6.4 points per game last season. Lewis led the Knights with 14 points against San Francisco State on Tuesday, while sophomore point guard Danae Marquez added 11 points and seven rebounds (six offensive) before fouling out of the game.
 
SAN JOSE STATE SERIES HISTORY
The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Spartans, 4-1. The Vikings beat the Spartans 90-78 last season on the road, which was the teams' first game against each other since the 2005-06 season. The Spartans last beat the Vikings, 69-60, at home during the 2004-05 season.
 
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available from both games this weekend. Fans can find the links to live stats at ViksLive.com, or on the women's basketball schedule page at GoViks.com.
 
LIVE VIDEO
A live video stream will be available from both games this weekend at WatchBigSky.com. Fans can find the links to live stats on the women's basketball schedule page at GoViks.com. Teri Mariani will provide play-by-play for both games this weekend.
 
UPCOMING
The Vikings remain home for a match against UC Davis, which beat the Vikings 79-67 in Davis, Calif., last season. The Vikings host the Aggies at the Viking Pavilion next Friday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m.
 
VIKINGS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN BIG SKY
After making the semifinals of the Big Sky tournament the past two seasons, the Vikings were picked to finish second in the conference in the Big Sky Coaches and Media Polls released on Oct. 18. Idaho, which beat the Vikings 102-99 in the semifinals of last season's Big Sky tournament, topped both polls as the conference favorite. Idaho received nine of the 11 first-place votes in the coaches poll, while the Vikings received the other two votes. The Vandals also picked up 13 of 19 first-place votes in the media poll, while the Vikings received two and Northern Colorado, last season's Big Sky champion, received four.
 
It's a far cry from where the Vikings have been picked in the past few seasons under head coach Lynn Kennedy. The Vikings were selected to finish 12th in both polls before Kennedy's first season as head coach in 2015-16, and then only moved up two spots to 10th in Kennedy's second season in 2016-17. The Vikings moved up a bit more last season, but were still only picked to finish sixth and eighth in the Big Sky Coaches and Media Polls, respectively.
 
The Vikings haven't been picked this high in the Big Sky preseason polls since they were picked to win the conference in both polls ahead of the 2011-12 season.
 
BOLSTON, RIELLY NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG SKY TEAM
The upcoming 2018-19 Portland State women's basketball season could be a special year for seniors Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly, and those covering the Big Sky Conference appear to agree as both Bolston and Rielly were selected to the Preseason All-Big Sky team.
 
It's the first time since the Big Sky started announcing a preseason all-conference team in 2015 that two Vikings have made the team in the same season. Bolston also made the preseason all-conference team last season, making her the only Viking to make the preseason team twice in her career.
 
Bolston earned her spot on the preseason all-conference team after earning All-Big Sky second-team honors for the second straight season. Bolston made the all-conference second team after leading the Vikings and ranking 10th in the Big Sky with 16.6 points per game last season. Bolston also ranked in the top 15 of the Big Sky in assists per game (11th, 3.3), free throw percentage (seventh, .851) and steals per game (4th, 2.5).
 
Bolston made the Big Sky all-tournament team for the second straight year, as well, after leading the Vikings to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
 
Rielly, meanwhile, earned her first preseason all-conference selection after becoming just the third Viking to score 1,000 points in her first two years as a Viking. Rielly hit the 1,000-point benchmark while leading the Vikings with 24 points in the team's first-round win over Northern Arizona at the Big Sky tournament last season.
 
Rielly ranked 12th in the Big Sky with 16.2 points per game last season, and also ranked 12th in the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.460) and free throw percentage (.794).
 
KYLIE JIMENEZ RETURNS AFTER 2017-18 BIG SKY FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR HONOR
Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez won't take people by surprise anymore after she was named the 2017-18 Big Sky Freshman of the Year. Jimenez became the Vikings' first Big Sky Freshman of the year since the 2007-08 season, when Kelli Valentine earned the honor.
 
Jimenez led the Big Sky with a 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, and was the linchpin of a Viking offense that led the Big Sky with 15.3 assists per game. Jimenez ranked fourth in the Big Sky with 4.5 assists per game individually, and also ranked second in the conference with 2.0 steals per game.
 
COURTNEY WEST OWNS THE PAINT
The sun may set in the west, but that's only if redshirt senior forward Courtney West doesn't block it out. She's blocked everything else in her time at Portland State, as she owns the triple crown of blocked-shot records between the records for a game (8), season (94 in 2016-17) and career (175). West already has 57 more blocked shots than other player in program history with a full season of eligibility still remaining.
 
BIG SKY TOURNAMENT HEADS TO BOISE
The Vikings have played their best basketball at the Big Sky tournament while making the semifinals in each of the past two seasons, but will need to adjust to a new venue for the 2019 edition of the tournament. The 2019 Big Sky tournament, presented by My Place Hotels, will take place, March 11-15, at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho. The move comes after the tournament spent the past three seasons in Reno, Nev.
 
The 2019 tournament will also follow a new schedule, as the first three rounds of the tournament will take place on three consecutive days from March 11-13. The teams will then have a rest day before the Big Sky Championship game, scheduled for March 15. The 2019 tournament will also feature only 11 teams, after North Dakota left the Big Sky over the offseason. As a result, the top five teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will earn a first-round bye at the tournament.
 
NEWCOMERS
The Vikings returned all of their scoring from last season, but didn't sleepwalk on the recruiting trail either as they brought in four newcomers that should all contribute right away.
 
Jordan Stotler, a 6-4 forward, comes in as a junior after playing her first two seasons at Umpqua CC. Stotler was named the Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year of the Northwest Athletic Conference following the 2016-17 season.
 
Desirae Hansen, a 6-0 guard, enters as a freshman after being named a two-time League MVP at Rainier HS. Hansen finished second in program history with 1,748 points at Rainier.
 
The Vikings also added a pair of international players in freshmen Ana Tainta and Andrea Martinez, who both come to the Vikings from Spain. Tainta, a 5-8 guard, adds depth to the team's perimeter players, while Martinez, a 6-2 forward, spent part of the summer training with the U-18 Spain National Team.