Complete Game Notes (PDF)

TIPOFF
The Portland State women's basketball team may be 8-0 for the first time ever as a Division I program, but the unbeaten record has not come without its share of tests.
 
The first test came when senior forward Courtney West went down with an injury right before the Vikings hosted UC Davis – the two-time defending Big West regular-season champions who advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals last season. The Vikings aced that test with a 65-50 win over the Aggies, however, while the Aggies went on to beat Washington State out of the Pac-12, 75-62, two days later.
 
The second test came when the Vikings went on the road for the first time against UTEP on Dec. 9 and Grand Canyon on Dec. 11. The Vikings won both of those games, giving them wins in their first two road games of a season for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
 
The most recent test came Saturday, when the Vikings stared down their first fourth-quarter deficit of the season while beating UNLV – another WNIT team last season – 58-49. UNLV took a four-point lead with a three-pointer at the 8:48 mark in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings scored the next 10 points straight and never relinquished the lead from there.
 
The win over UNLV proved an important point for the Vikings in that they could win without playing their best basketball. UNLV out-rebounded the Vikings by the widest margin of any opponent this season, 43-33, including 17 offensive rebounds – a season high for a Viking opponent. UNLV also out-scored the Vikings 14-6 in second-chance points as a result, and also held the Vikings to a season-low 14 assists.
 
Still, despite being faced with all that, the Vikings closed the game on a 19-6 run while holding the Lady Rebels scoreless over the final two minutes, 45 seconds of the game.
 
Now, the Vikings face one final test during their non-conference schedule, as they host a talented UC Irvine team in their last non-conference game of the season Tuesday at 7 p.m. Win that game, and the Vikings finish the non-conference unbeaten for the first time ever as a program.
 
The Anteaters offer a difficult final hurdle for the Vikings, as they too were unbeaten over their first seven games of the season before losing 78-70 at home to San Diego State on Dec. 7. The Anteaters bounced back with an 84-69 road win over the University of Portland last Sunday, however.
 
The Pilots, who the Vikings beat 92-79 at home on Dec. 1, stand as one of three common opponents between the Vikings and Anteaters this season. Besides the Pilots, both the Vikings and Anteaters beat UNLV (UCI won 57-55 on Nov. 13; PSU won 58-49 on Dec. 15) and San Jose State (UCI won 74-66 on Dec. 2; PSU won 80-51 on Nov. 11). The Anteaters also beat another Big Sky school earlier this season in Southern Utah, with the Anteaters topping the Thunderbirds 75-58 at home on Nov. 20.
 
The Vikings beat the Anteaters 82-72 in overtime last season despite trailing by 16 points in the first quarter of the game. The Vikings still trailed by two, 64-62, with 6.7 seconds remaining, but brought the ball all the way up from their own baseline to Sidney Rielly, who hit a 15-footer to tie it as time expired. The Vikings then out-scored the Anteaters 20-13 in overtime, giving them an important road win going into Big Sky play.
 
The Anteaters went on to finish 18-14 overall and 10-6 in the Big West last season while making the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational. The Anteaters' appearance in the WBI marked their first postseason appearance since 1995, while their .563 win percentage was their best in 15 years.
 
This season, the Anteaters lead the Big West with 79.0 points per game, as they've scored 70 or more points in eight of their nine games this season. The Anteaters are also the rare team to average more steals per game than the Vikings, as they lead the Big West and rank fifth in the nation with 13.6 steals per game this season. The Anteaters rank in the top 10 nationally with a plus-10.33 turnover margin while forcing an average of 24.1 turnovers per game.
 
Individually, Jordan Sanders – the 2017-18 Big West Freshman of the Year – leads the Anteaters with 21.1 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. Lauren Saiki and Andee Ritter also average in double figures as they have each scored 11.9 points per game so far this season.
 
Tuesday's game will offer the final exam of the Vikings' non-conference schedule then, and if the Vikings ace it then they'll head into Big Sky play with something they've never had before: an undefeated record.
 
QUICK HITS:
• The Vikings are 8-0 for the first time ever as a Division I program. The Vikings haven't started a season 8-0 since 1994-95 when they were a Division II program and won their first 11 games of the season. The Vikings are one of only 17 remaining undefeated teams in the nation, and could complete an unbeaten run through their non-conference schedule with a win over UC Irvine. The Vikings have never before finished their non-conference schedule unbeaten, no matter what conference or division they've belonged to.
• espnW's Graham Hays ranked the Vikings eighth in the Dec. 12 edition of the espnW Mid-Major poll, the second straight time the Vikings have been ranked in the poll. The Vikings are also receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 for the first time this season. The Vikings received 29 points in the Dec. 11 edition of the poll, ahead of fellow Big Sky teams Northern Colorado (14) and Idaho (7).
• Senior guard Ashley Bolston and sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez rank 1-2 in the Big Sky with 3.9 and 3.4 steals per game, respectively, while the pair also rank eighth and 19th nationally in the category. The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 20th in the nation with 12.4 steals per game as a team.
• Besides her conference lead in steals per game, Bolston also ranks tied for the Big Sky lead with 5.9 assists per game. Additionally, Bolston ranks sixth in the Big Sky with 16.5 points per game, and tied for 14th with 6.0 rebounds per game. Bolston also ranks tied with Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu for the national lead in triple-doubles with two each this season. Bolston recorded the first triple-double by a Viking since 2013 with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Vikings' 65-50 win over UC Davis on Nov. 16. Bolston then came within a steal of a quadruple-double with 19 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and nine steals in the Vikings' 92-79 win over the University of Portland on Dec. 1.
• The Vikings rank second in the NCAA with a .314 field goal percentage defense as the Vikings have held seven of their first eight opponents this season to under 40 percent shooting. San Jose State shot .266 against the Vikings on Nov. 11, which was at the time the worst field goal percentage by a Division I opponent against the Vikings since Loyola Marymount shot .242 on Dec. 11, 2010. The Vikings followed by holding UC Davis to .250 shooting on Nov. 16, however, and then held Seattle to .255 from the field on Nov. 24.
• The Vikings rank fifth in the nation with 21.0 assists per game, as they have assisted on 75.3 percent of their 223 field goals so far this season. The Vikings haven't recorded an assist percentage above 75 percent since the Vikings assisted on 75.6 percent of their field goals with 676 assists on 894 shots during the 1995-96 season.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky in 11 different statistical categories between scoring defense (54.6), scoring margin (+22.1), field goal percentage defense (.314), free throw percentage (.772), rebound margin (+4.2), defensive rebounds per game (31.5), assists per game (21.0), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2), turnover margin (+4.88), steals per game (12.4) and blocks per game (5.1).
 
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (8-0)
76.8 PPG | 42.6 FG% | 31.1 3FG%
Notable: The Portland State Vikings faced a fourth-quarter deficit for the first time this season in their game against UNLV Saturday, but handled it with maturity en route to a 58-49 win. UNLV led 43-39 after a three-pointer with 8:48 left in the game, but the Vikings scored the next 10 points straight and never relinquished the lead from there. The Vikings improved to 8-0 with the win, the team's best start to a season in the Division I history of the program. The Vikings haven't started a season 8-0 across any division since they won their first 11 games during the 1994-95 season. The Vikings have never finished unbeaten over the non-conference portion of their schedule no matter what conference or division they've belonged to, but could do just that with a win over UC Irvine Tuesday. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in 11 different statistical categories as a result of their hot start, and lead by wide margins in scoring defense (54.6), scoring margin (+22.1), field goal percentage defense (.314) and assists per game (21.0). The Vikings also rank second in the nation in field goal percentage defense, and rank in the top 10 nationally for assists per game (5th) and defensive rebounds per game (ninth, 31.5). Individually, senior guard Ashley Bolston and sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez rank first and second in the conference with 3.9 and 3.4 steals per game, respectively, while the pair also rank eighth and 19th nationally in the category. Bolston ranks tied for the conference lead with 5.9 assists per game, and stands sixth in points per game (16.5) and tied for 14th in rebounds per game (6.0). Senior forward Courtney West and junior forward Jordan Stotler also rank 1-2 in the Big Sky with 2.2 and 2.1 blocks per game, respectively. West ranks second in the conference and 28th in the nation with a .579 field goal percentage as well.
 
UC IRVINE ANTEATERS (8-1)
79.0 PPG | 44.2 FG% | 30.3 3FG%
Notable: The UC Irvine Anteaters won their first seven games of the season before falling from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 78-70 home loss to San Diego State on Dec. 7. The Anteaters bounced back with an 84-69 road win over the University of Portland Sunday, however. The Pilots, who the Vikings beat 92-79 at home on Dec. 1, stand as one of three common opponents between the Vikings and Anteaters. Besides the Pilots, both the Vikings and Anteaters beat UNLV (UCI won 57-55 on Nov. 13; PSU won 58-49 on Dec. 15) and San Jose State (UCI won 74-66 on Dec. 2; PSU won 80-51 on Nov. 11). The Anteaters also beat another Big Sky school earlier this season in Southern Utah, with the Anteaters topping the Thunderbirds 75-58 at home on Nov. 20. The Anteaters returned all five starters from their 2017-18 team that went 18-14 overall and 10-6 in the Big West while making the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational. The Anteaters' appearance in the WBI marked their first postseason appearance since 1995, while their .563 win percentage was their best in 15 years. The Anteaters lead the Big West with 79.0 points per game this season, as they've scored 70 or more points in eight of their nine games this season. The Anteaters are also the rare team to average more steals per game than the Vikings, as they lead the Big West and rank fifth in the nation with 13.6 steals per game. The Anteaters also rank in the top 10 nationally with a plus-10.33 turnover margin and force an average of 24.1 turnovers per game. Individually, Jordan Sanders – the 2017-18 Big West Freshman of the Year – leads the Anteaters with 21.1 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. Lauren Saiki and Andee Ritter also average in double figures as they have each scored 11.9 points per game so far this season.
 
UC IRVINE SERIES HISTORY
The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Anteaters, 9-3. The Vikings have won the last three in the series, including two in the past two seasons under head coach Lynn Kennedy. The Vikings beat UC Irvine 79-73 at home on Dec. 3, 2016, and then beat the Anteaters 82-72 in overtime on the road on Dec. 16, 2017. The Vikings have never lost to the Anteaters at home, having won all five previous contests in Portland.
 
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available from the Vikings' game against UC Irvine at ViksLive.com. Fans can also find the link to live stats on the women's basketball schedule page at GoViks.com.
 
LIVE VIDEO
Live video will be available from the Vikings' game against UC Irvine on Channel 232 of Pluto TV and at WatchBigSky.com. Fans can find the link to live video on the women's basketball schedule page at GoViks.com. Teri Mariani will provide play-by-play for the game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings trailed in the fourth quarter for the first time all season, but still managed to rally and beat UNLV Saturday to remain unbeaten. UNLV took a four-point lead on the Vikings with a three-pointer with 8:48 to go in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings scored the next 10 points straight en route to a 58-49 win over the Lady Rebels. The win stood out from the Vikings' others this season in that it came in a game where UNLV out-rebounded the Vikings by the widest margin of any opponent this season, 43-33, including 17 offensive rebounds, a season high for a Viking opponent. UNLV out-scored the Vikings 14-6 in second-chance points as a result, and also held the Vikings to a season-low 14 assists. The Vikings withstood the storm, however, thanks in part to forcing 26 turnovers from the Lady Rebels. Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez accounted for six steals in the game, tying a career high, while senior guards Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly added four and three steals, respectively. Bolston and Rielly led the Vikings in scoring, too, with Bolston scoring a game-high 17 points, while Rielly added 13. Jimenez finished with eight points to go with her six steals and five assists. Freshman guard Desirae Hansen led the Vikings with nine rebounds while adding nine points and two assists.
 
UPCOMING
The Vikings have a week off before they begin prep for their Big Sky opener against Northern Colorado on Dec. 31. The Vikings and Bears tip off at 6 p.m. (MT) in Greeley, Colo.
 
HOT START TO THE SEASON
The Vikings improved to 8-0 for the first time in the Division I history of the program with their 58-49 win over UNLV Saturday. The Vikings' 8-0 record stands as the team's best start to a season across all divisions since they won their first 11 games during the 1994-95 season. The Vikings have never gone undefeated during the non-conference portion of their schedule, no matter what conference the Vikings have belonged to at the time. Additionally, the Vikings won their first two road games of the season for the first time since the 2005-06 season.
 
RANKINGS AROUND THE BASKETBALL WORLD
The Vikings find themselves ranked in a number of different polls around the basketball world:
• espnW's Graham Hays ranked the Vikings eighth in the latest espnW Mid-Major Poll.
• The Vikings received votes in the Dec. 11 edition of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. The Vikings received 29 points in the poll, ahead of fellow Big Sky teams Northern Colorado (14) and Idaho (7).
• The Vikings are ranked 119th in the latest NCAA RPI. Four Big Sky teams are ranked higher than the Vikings in the RPI in Northern Colorado (55th), Idaho State (67th), Montana (84th), and Montana State (85th).
 
DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY FOR THE VIKINGS
The Vikings fell from their perch as the nation's best defense all the way down to…second. The Vikings rank second in the NCAA with a .314 field goal percentage defense, having held seven of their first eight opponents to under 40 percent shooting. San Jose State shot .266 against the Vikings on Nov. 11, which at the time was the worst shooting percentage by a Division I opponent against the Vikings since Loyola Marymount shot .242 on Dec. 11, 2010. The Vikings followed by holding UC Davis to just .250 from the floor on Nov. 16, however, and then held Seattle to .255 from the field on Nov. 24. In addition to the stiff shooting defense, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 28th in the NCAA in scoring defense while giving up only 54.6 points per game. The Vikings also lead the Big Sky in steals per game (12.3) and blocks per game (5.3), while also ranking 20th and 30th nationally, respectively.
 
UNSELFISH BASKETBALL
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank fifth in the nation with 21.0 assists per game through eight games this season. The Vikings have recorded 168 assists on 223 field goals this season, giving them an assist percentage of 75.3 percent. The Vikings haven't recorded an assist percentage above 75 percent since the Vikings assisted on 75.6 percent of their field goals with 676 assists on 894 shots during the 1995-96 season. The Vikings' best assist percentage came during the 1991-92 season, when they set the single-season program record with 899 assists. The Vikings recorded their 899 assists on 1,119 field goals, giving them an assist percentage of 80.3 percent.
 
BLOWOUT WINS
The Vikings won their first six games by double digits, the first time the Vikings have ever done that in program history. The Vikings finally won by less than 10 points in their game against Grand Canyon on Dec. 11, but the Vikings still have an average margin of victory of 22.1 points per game. The Vikings rank 17th in the nation for scoring margin as a result, and lead the Big Sky in the category by a wide margin. The next-best scoring margin in the Big Sky is minus-0.2 points per game by Weber State.
 
SUFFOCATING QUARTERS
The Vikings have held their opponents to less than 10 points in a quarter eight times out of the 32 periods they've played this season. The Vikings have held six of their first eight opponents to at least one less-than-10-point quarter this season. The Vikings held Warner Pacific to eight points in the fourth quarter on Nov. 9, and then held San Jose State to under 10 points in the first (7) and second (4) quarters on Nov. 11. The Vikings held UC Davis to five points in the second quarter of their game on Nov. 16, and held Seattle to five points in the first quarter and eight points in the fourth quarter on Nov. 24. More recently, the Vikings held Grand Canyon to only four points in the second quarter of their 60-55 win on Dec. 11, and held UNLV to six points in the first quarter of their 58-49 win over Dec. 15.
 
HUSTLE PLAYS
The Vikings rank among the Big Sky and national leaders in the three hustle categories of rebounds per game, steals per game and blocks per game. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in steals per game (12.3) and blocks per game (5.3), and rank in the top 30 nationally in both categories (20th in steals per game, 30th in blocks per game). The Vikings also lead the Big Sky and rank ninth in the nation with 31.5 defensive rebounds per game, and lead the Big Sky with a plus-4.2 rebounding margin. The Vikings rank second in the Big Sky and 28th nationally with 43.9 total rebounds per game, as well.
 
CHARITY STRIPE
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 17th in the nation with a .772 free throw percentage this season. The best free throw percentage was .792 during the 2011-12 season, just 20 points above than the Vikings' current average. Senior guard Ashley Bolston leads the way for the Vikings at the line, as she ranks fourth in the Big Sky and 71st in the nation with an individual free throw percentage of .852.
 
ASHLEY BOLSTON AMONG BIG SKY, NCAA STAT LEADERS
Senior guard Ashley Bolston has two triple-doubles in eight games this season, tying her with Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu for the national lead. Bolston recorded the first triple-double by a Viking since 2013 with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Vikings' 65-50 win over UC Davis on Nov. 16. Bolston then came within a steal of a quadruple-double with 19 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and nine steals in the Vikings' 92-79 win over the University of Portland on Dec. 1. Bolston dominates the Big Sky statistical leaders as a result, as she leads the Big Sky in steals per game (3.9) and ranks tied for the conference lead in assists per game (5.9). Bolston also ranks sixth in the Big Sky in points per game (16.5) and tied for 14th in rebounds per game (6.0). Nationally, Bolston ranks eighth in the NCAA for steals per game and 27th in assists per game.
 
THE BASKETBALL LIFE OF RIELLY
Senior guard Sidney Rielly moved up to 14th all time in career scoring with 13 points against UNLV Saturday. Rielly, who became just the third Viking to reach the 1,000-point club in only two years at Portland State, now has 1,152 career points – only 85 points from moving her into the top 10 all time at Portland State. Rielly also ranks seventh all time with a career scoring average of 15.8 points per game, and ranks in the top 10 all time for 20- and 30-point games. Rielly has 22 20-point games in her career, ranking her just ahead of teammate Ashley Bolston for sixth all time at Portland State. Rielly also has three 30-point games, ranking her in a tie for sixth all time. Additionally, Rielly has been one of the most efficient guards in the nation throughout her time at Portland State. Rielly posted the best field goal percentage in the nation while shooting .530 from the field in 2016-17, and ranks ninth all time at Portland State with a .490 career field goal percentage.
 
KYLIE JIMENEZ RETURNS AFTER 2017-18 BIG SKY FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR HONOR
Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez – the 2017-18 Big Sky Freshman of the Year – has shown no signs of going through a sophomore slump through the Vikings' first eight games of the season. Jimenez has scored in double figures in six of the Vikings' first eight games of the season, including a career-high 21 points against UTEP on Dec. 9. Additionally, Jimenez leads the Big Sky and ranks 23rd in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.8. Jimenez also ranks second to teammate Ashley Bolston with 3.4 steals per game within the Big Sky, and ranks 19th in the nation in the category. Outside of those, Jimenez also ranks fourth in the Big Sky in assists per game (5.5), tied for eighth in three-point field goals made per game (2.1) and 14th in three-point field goal percentage (.347).
 
COURTNEY WEST OWNS THE PAINT
Senior forward Courtney West has returned from a recent ankle injury to resume her status as one of the best shot blockers in the nation. West owns the triple crown of blocked-shot records between the records for blocks in a game (8), season (94 in 2016-17) and career (188). West already has 70 more blocked shots than any other player in program history, and has moved into a tie for sixth all time within the Big Sky Conference. West ranks 11th among the active career leaders in blocked shots within the NCAA, while also leading the Big Sky and ranking 27th in the nation with 2.2 blocks per game this season. Outside of blocks, West also ranks second in the Big Sky and 28th in the nation with a .579 field goal percentage this season. West holds a career field goal percentage of .518, good for fourth all time at Portland State. Additionally, West ranks sixth all time at Portland State with 7.6 rebounds per game in her career, as well as 10th all time in total rebounds with 542.
 
I WANNA BE LIKE JORDAN…STOTLER, THAT IS
Junior forward Jordan Stotler has added another shot-blocking presence in the Vikings' lineup this season, as she ranks right behind teammate Courtney West at second in the Big Sky and 29th in the nation with 2.1 blocks per game. Stotler also ranks tied for 11th in the Big Sky with 2.3 offensive rebounds per game this season.
 
GIVE PIA A CHANCE
Senior forward Pia Jurhar has stepped up her game as a senior, as she ranks tied for 11th in the Big Sky with 4.6 defensive rebounds per game. Jurhar recorded a double-double against Seattle on Nov. 24, and played an important defensive role in the Vikings' 65-50 win over UC Davis on Nov. 16. Jurhar scored 13 points and added a game-high 15 rebounds for her fourth-career double-double in the Vikings' win over Seattle. Jurhar scored 11 of the Vikings' 15 points in the second quarter against Seattle, and assisted on the Vikings' only other field goal in the period. Jurhar also hit her first three shots against UC Davis on Nov. 16, and finished with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting. Jurhar was even better defensively against the Aggies, as she helped limit UC Davis' star post player Morgan Bertsch without a field goal until there was 6:31 left in the second quarter.
 
THE DES CRAZE HITS PORTLAND STATE
Freshman guard Desirae Hansen has made an instant impact at Portland State, as she ranks sixth in the Big Sky with 5.3 defensive rebounds per game, as well as eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.381) and tied for 14th in rebounds per game (6.0). Hansen scored 22 points in 22 minutes played while making her PSU debut against Warner Pacific on Nov. 9, giving her the most points by a Viking in her debut since Michael Kay had 22 points against Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 13, 2015. Hansen scored her 22 points while going 8-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, and added five steals, four rebounds and four assists against the Knights.
 
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. 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
Seniors Ashley Bolston and Sidney Rielly became the first pair of Viking teammates to be named to the Preseason All-Big Sky team since the conference began announcing a preseason all-conference team in 2015. Bolston also made the preseason all-conference team last season, making her the only Viking to make the preseason team twice in her career. It was the first preseason all-conference honor for Rielly, who had made the end-of-year All-Big Sky third team in each of the past two seasons. Bolston had also made the All-Big Sky second team as a redshirt sophomore and junior at Portland State.
 
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.
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
Nov. 9, Portland State 102, Warner Pacific 49: The Vikings scored over 100 points for the first time since they beat Cal State San Bernadino 102-39 on Dec. 2, 1995. The Vikings also recorded 20 steals against the Knights, the team's most in a game since they had 22 steals against Idaho on Dec. 20, 2006.
Nov. 11, Portland State 80, San Jose State 51: The Vikings held San Jose State to just 11 first-half points while the Spartans went 5-of-33 from the field and shot just .152 in the first half. The Spartans finished 17-of-64 from the field for a .266 field goal percentage, the lowest field goal percentage by a Division I opponent against the Vikings since Loyola Marymount shot .242 on Dec. 11, 2010.
Nov. 16, Portland State 65, UC Davis 50: Senior guard Ashley Bolston recorded the first triple-double by a Viking in five years with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in the Vikings' win over UC Davis. No Viking had recorded a triple-double since Dec. 29, 2013, when Kate Lanz had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Eastern Washington. Additionally, only three other Big Sky players had recorded a triple-double since then, the last coming from Idaho's Mikayla Ferenz, who had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against North Dakota on Jan. 27, 2018.
Nov. 24, Portland State 68, Seattle 43: The Vikings beat their second straight postseason team, handing Seattle U – an NCAA tournament team after winning the WAC tournament last season – a 68-43 loss at the Viking Pavilion. The win moved the Vikings to 4-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, and gave them their fourth straight double-digit win to open the season – the first time the Vikings had done that since 1976-77.
Dec. 1, Portland State 92, Portland 79: Senior guard Ashley Bolston recorded her second triple-double of the season while coming within a steal of the Vikings' first quadruple-double with 19 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and nine steals against the Pilots. Bolston became the first Big Sky player to record two triple-doubles in a season since Portland State's own Claire Faucher had two triple-doubles five days aprt on March 8, 2008, and March 13, 2008. Fellow senior Sidney Rielly also tied her career high with 32 points against the Pilots. Rielly scored 25 points in the first half alone, believed to be the most by a Viking in a half since Kelsey Kahle – the Vikings' all-time points leader – had 26 points in the second half against Sacramento State on Jan. 25, 2007.
Dec. 9, Portland State 89, UTEP 61: The Vikings won their first road game of the season for the first time since 2012-13. The 28-point victory over UTEP marked the largest margin of victory in a true road game in the Big Sky era of the Vikings' program. The Vikings hadn't won a road game by that wide of a margin since beating Alaska Fairbanks 107-40 on Jan. 26, 1995 – back when the Vikings were a Division II program.