Complete Game Notes (PDF)

TIPOFF
Fresh off the best non-conference season in Division I program history, the Portland State women's basketball team now turns its attention to what really matters: Big Sky play. The Vikings open Big Sky play Monday, as they travel to face Northern Colorado at 6 p.m. (MT) in Greeley, Colo.
 
The Vikings will need to be ready for Monday's game, as the Bears represent a difficult Big Sky opener for the Vikings after they swept through the conference last season, winning the Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles. The Bears went 26-7 overall and 15-3 in Big Sky play last season, and have won 13 straight games against conference opponents between their final 10 Big Sky games in the regular season and three games at the Big Sky tournament. The Bears earned the second-highest seed ever for a Big Sky school in the NCAA tournament as a result, as they earned a 10th seed before losing to seventh-seeded Michigan 75-61 in the first round.
 
The Bears have had to deal with several departures so far this season, however, as the team lost Big Sky Coach of the Year Kamie Ethridge, who was named the head coach at Washington State after last season's success. The Bears also lost All-Big Sky second-team guard Savannah Scott and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Kianna Williams off last year's team.
 
The Bears returned only five letterwinners off last year's team, though that includes Big Sky MVP Savannah Smith, who led the Bears with 18.4 points per game last season. Smith averages 16.0 points per game to lead the Bears so far this season despite playing only five minutes of the Bears' game against Air Force and missing the team's game against SMU. 
 
Besides Smith, sophomore guard Alexis Chapman also averages in double figures with 12.8 points per game, while fellow starters Krystal Leger-Walker and Bridget Hintz average 9.6 and 8.0 points per game, respectively. 
 
Hintz and fellow starter Ali Meyer have been a solid 1-2 punch in the post for the Bears, who lead the Big Sky with a plus-3.7 rebounding margin this season. Meyer ranks second in the Big Sky with 11.4 rebounds per game this season, while Hintz ranks sixth with 7.3 rebounds per game. Meyer also leads the Big Sky with 8.0 defensive rebounds per game, and ranks tied for second with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game.
 
The Bears have historically been a tough opponent for the Vikings, as the Bears have won six straight against the Vikings, and 10 of their last 11. The Vikings last beat the Bears 57-51 at home back on March 1, 2014. The Bears have won their last eight home games against the Vikings, with the Vikings last beating the Bears in Greeley, Colo., on Feb. 19, 2009, nearly 10 years ago.
 
The Vikings have bettered historical performances older than that during the non-conference schedule, however. The Vikings' 8-1 record during the non-conference stands as their best-ever as a Division I program, as well as their third-best overall across all NCAA divisions. Additionally, the Vikings won their first eight games for the first time ever as a Division I program, and for the first time since they won 11 straight games at the start of the 1994-95 season.
 
The Vikings have been off since losing their last game of the non-conference schedule, as they fell 73-68 to UC Irvine at home on Dec. 18. Despite the loss, sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez had her best game ever as a Viking, recording career highs for points (28) and field goals made (10) while tying another career high with six steals. Jimenez was named the Big Sky Player of the Week as a result, the first weekly honor of her career.
 
The Bears, meanwhile, have been off since losing 70-50 to BYU on Dec. 21. The Bears will return to action two days before facing the Vikings, as they host Sacramento State at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29. 
 
QUICK HITS:
•The Vikings finished their non-conference schedule 8-1, the best non-conference record ever in the Division I history of the program, and the third-best ever overall. The Vikings won their first eight games of the season, the first time the Vikings have done that as a Division I program, and the first time overall since 1994-95 when they won their first 11 games as a Division II program.
• Senior guard Ashley Bolston and sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez rank tied for the Big Sky lead with 3.7 steals per game, and also rank tied for ninth nationally in the category. The next-best steals per game average within the Big Sky is a full 1.0 steals per game lower than Bolston and Jimenez. Jimenez has recorded six steals in two straight games for the Vikings, tying a career high each time. As a team, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 16th in the nation with 12.3 steals per game.
• Jimenez comes into Monday's game as the reigning Big Sky Player of the Week, after earning the honor for the first in her career with a career-best performance against UC Irvine on Dec. 18. Jimenez set career highs for points (28) and field goals (10) against the Anteaters, and tied a career high with six steals. 
• Besides her conference lead in steals per game, Bolston also leads the Big Sky with 5.9 assists per game. Additionally, Bolston ranks eighth in the Big Sky with 15.2 points per game, and tied for 13th with 6.0 rebounds per game.
• Bolston stands as one of only three players nationally to record multiple triple-doubles 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.
• Senior forward Courtney West leads the Big Sky and ranks 22nd nationally while shooting 59.4 percent from the field so far this season. West also leads the Big Sky and ranks 23rd nationally with 2.3 blocks per game.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 12th in the NCAA with a .333 field goal percentage defense. The Vikings held their first four opponents to under 30 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 lead the Big Sky and rank seventh in the nation with 20.4 assists per game. At their current rate, the Vikings are on pace to finish with 612 assists – a total that would set a new Division I program record. The current Division I record came during the 1989-90 season, when the Vikings recorded 602 assists. The Vikings haven't cracked 600 assists since the 1995-96 season, when the Vikings recorded 676 assists as a Division II program.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky in 10 different statistical categories between scoring defense (56.7), scoring margin (+19.1), field goal percentage defense (.333), free throw percentage (.767), defensive rebounds per game (29.9), assists per game (20.4), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2), turnover margin (+4.67), steals per game (12.3) and blocks per game (5.0).
 
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (8-1, 0-0)
75.8 PPG | 42.4 FG% | 31.7 3FG%
Notable: The Portland State Vikings lost their first game of the season in their latest game, losing 73-68 to UC Irvine on Dec. 18. The Vikings still finished the non-conference season 8-1, the best non-conference record in the Division I history of the program, and the third-best ever across all NCAA divisions. The Vikings also won their first eight games of the season for the first time ever as a Division I program, and the first time overall since they won their first 11 games during the 1994-95 season. Despite the loss to UC Irvine, sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez had her best game ever as a Viking, finishing with career highs for points (28) and field goals (10), and tying a career high with six steals. Jimenez, who was named the Big Sky Player of the Week for the first time in her career Wednesday, has recorded six steals in the Vikings' last two games, and ranks tied with teammate Ashley Bolston for the Big Sky lead with 3.7 steals per game. Bolston also leads the Big Sky with 5.9 assists per game, while Jimenez ranks fourth with 5.2 assists per game. As a team, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank seventh nationally with 20.4 assists per game this season, a rate that would break the Division I program record for assists in a season if the Vikings maintain it over the rest of the season. Senior forward Courtney West leads the Big Sky and ranks 22nd nationally while shooting 59.4 percent from the field, and leads the Big Sky and ranks 23rd nationally with 2.3 blocks per game. West moved up to sixth all time in the Big Sky with three blocks against UC Irvine, and will tie Northern Colorado's Stephanie Lee for fifth all time with eight more blocks. Junior forward Jordan Stotler ranks second in the conference behind West with 2.0 blocks per game.
 
NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS (5-4, 0-0)
61.6 PPG | 38.8 FG% | 30.2 3FG%
Notable: The Northern Colorado Bears come into the Big Sky season as the defending conference champions after going 26-7 overall and 15-3 in the Big Sky last season. The Bears won their last 10 Big Sky games of the regular season, and then swept through the Big Sky tournament, giving them 13 straight wins against conference opponents. The Bears earned a 10th seed in the NCAA tournament as a result, the second highest seed ever for a Big Sky school. The Bears lost head coach Kamie Ethridge to Washington State after the season, but replaced her with former UCLA assistant Jenny Huth. The Bears returned only five letterwinners from last year, and lost All-Big Sky second-team guard Savannah Scott and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Kianna Williams. The Bears returned Big Sky MVP Savannah Smith, however. Smith leads the Bears with 16.0 points per game this season, and ranks third in the Big Sky with 2.8 three-point field goals made per game. Besides Smith, sophomore guard Alexis Chapman also averages in double figures with 12.8 points per game, while fellow starters Krystal Leger-Walker and Bridget Hintz average 9.6 and 8.0 points per game, respectively. As a team, the Bears have been one of the better defensive teams in the Big Sky, as they rank second to the Vikings while giving up only 64.0 points per game this season. The Bears also rank second to the Vikings with a .374 field goal percentage defense, and jumped the Vikings to lead the conference with a plus-3.7 rebounding margin. Individually, senior post Ali Meyer ranks second in the Big Sky with 11.4 rebounds per game this season, while Hintz ranks sixth with 7.3 rebounds per game. Meyer also leads the Big Sky with 8.0 defensive rebounds per game, and ranks tied for second with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game.
 
NORTHERN COLORADO SERIES HISTORY
The Bears lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 15-9. The Vikings have lost six straight to the Bears, though the Vikings lost last year's game by only three points, losing 63-60 in Greeley, Colo., on Feb. 28, 2018. The Vikings are only 2-10 all time against the Bears in Greeley, and haven't won there in nearly 10 years as their last road win came on Feb. 19, 2009.
 
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available from the Vikings' game against Northern Colorado. 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 Northern Colorado on Pluto TV and at WatchBigSky.com. Fans can find the link to live video on the women's basketball schedule page at GoViks.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings lost their first game of the season last Tuesday, falling 73-68 to a quality UC Irvine team. The Vikings could not stop the Anteaters' Jordan Sanders in the game, as Sanders finished with 34 points on 15-of-25 shooting – one point off the single-game record for an opposing player in a Viking home game. Twenty of Sanders' 34 points came in the second half, when the Anteaters erased a 13-point Viking lead in the third quarter to take control. The Anteaters scored 20 straight points at one point in the third quarter, turning a 48-35 Viking lead with 7:38 remaining in the period into a 55-48 lead with 2:39 remaining. The Vikings made a late run to try and get back in the game, as they got back within a single possession at 71-68 with 10.8 seconds remaining, after trailing by 10 points just over a minute earlier. The Anteaters made two free throws to ice the game late, however, and the Vikings weren't able to get a shot up on their last possession. The Vikings' poor third quarter wasted a strong game from sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez, who set career highs for points (28) and field goals (10), while tying a career high with six steals. Jimenez scored 21 of her 28 points in the first half, when she went 7-of-8 from the field and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Courtney West was also a rebound away from a double-double, as she finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and three blocks against the Anteaters. 
 
UPCOMING
The Vikings return to Portland for a homestand against the Montana schools next weekend. The Vikings host Montana State Thursday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m., and then host Montana Saturday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at the Viking Pavilion on the PSU campus.
 
HOT START TO THE SEASON
The Vikings finished their non-conference schedule 8-1, the best non-conference record in the Division I history of the program. The Vikings have only twice finished with a better record at the end of their non-conference schedule across all NCAA divisions. The Vikings finished their non-conference schedule 16-1 in the 1993-94 season and 17-2 in the 1991-92 season when they were a Division II program, both of which are slightly better win percentages than the Vikings' record this season. The Vikings won their first eight games this season, giving them the program's best start to a season since the Vikings won their first 11 games during the 1994-95 season. Additionally, the Vikings won their first two road games of the season for the first time since the 2005-06 season. If the Vikings beat the Bears Monday, then they'll have won their first three road games for the first time since the 1994-95 season.
 
RANKINGS AROUND THE BASKETBALL WORLD
• The Vikings received votes in the Dec. 26 edition of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. The Vikings received 28 points in the poll, ahead of Monday's opponent, Northern Colorado (4). Two of the Vikings' former opponents are also ranked or receiving votes in the poll, as UC Irvine – who the Vikings lost to 73-68 on Dec. 18 – ranks 22nd in the poll, while UC Davis – who the Vikings beat 65-50 on Nov. 16 – received five points in the poll.
• The Vikings are ranked 155th in the latest NCAA RPI. Six Big Sky teams are ranked higher than the Vikings in the RPI in Idaho State (59th), Montana (77th), Northern Colorado (80th), Montana State (133rd), Idaho (139th) and Northern Arizona (147th).
 
DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY FOR THE VIKINGS
The Vikings have led the nation at times this season in field goal percentage defense, but head into Big Sky play ranked 12th in the nation with a .333 defensive mark. 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 16th in the NCAA with 12.3 steals per game. The Vikings also lead the Big Sky and rank in the top 50 of the nation for blocks per game (5.0, 32nd nationally), turnover margin (+4.67, 40th nationally) and scoring defense (56.7, 49th nationally).
 
UNSELFISH BASKETBALL
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank seventh in the nation with 20.4 assists per game this season. At their current rate, the Vikings are on pace to finish with 612 assists – a total that would set a new Division I program record. The current Division I record came when the Vikings recorded 602 assists during the 1989-90 season. The Vikings haven't cracked 600 assists since the 1995-96 season, when the Vikings recorded 676 assists as a Division II program. The all-time record for assists in a season came during the 1991-92 season, when they recorded 899 assists while making the final four of the NCAA Division II tournament.
 
Additionally, the Vikings have recorded their 184 assists on 247 made field goals this season, giving them an assist percentage of 74.4 percent. The Vikings haven't recorded an assist percentage above 75 percent since the 1995-96 season, when they assisted on 75.6 percent of their field goals. The Vikings' best assist percentage came during the record-setting 1991-92 season, when they cracked 80 percent for the only time as a program with an 80.3 assist percentage.
 
TWO-HEADED STEALING MONSTER
Senior guard Ashley Bolston and sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez have been a nightmare 1-2 punch for opposing offenses all season. The pair rank tied with each other for the Big Sky lead with 3.7 steals per game, and also rank tied for ninth nationally in the category. The next-best steals per game average within the Big Sky is a full 1.0 steals per game lower than Bolston and Jimenez. Bolston has recorded four or more steals in five of the Vikings' nine games, including a career-high nine steals when she had a near-quadruple-double against the University of Portland on Dec. 1. Jimenez, meanwhile, has six games with at least four steals this season, including two straight games with six steals. 
 
BLOWOUT WINS
The Vikings won their first six games by double digits, the first time the Vikings have ever done that in program history. For the season, the Vikings average a plus-19.1 scoring margin, putting them atop the conference in the category by nearly 20 points per game. The Vikings also rank 29th nationally for scoring margin this season.
 
CHARITY STRIPE
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 20th in the nation with a .767 free throw percentage this season. The single-season program record for free throw percentage was .792 during the 2011-12 season, just 25 points above the Vikings' current average. Senior guard Ashley Bolston leads the way for the Vikings at the line, as she ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 93rd in the nation with an individual free throw percentage of .826.
 
ASHLEY BOLSTON AMONG BIG SKY, NCAA STAT LEADERS
Senior guard Ashley Bolston stands as one of only three players in NCAA Division I to record multiple triple-doubles 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. Bolston dominates the Big Sky statistical leaders as a result, as she leads the Big Sky in assists per game (5.9), and ranks tied with teammate Kylie Jimenez for the Big Sky lead in steals per game (3.7). Bolston also ranks eighth in the Big Sky with 15.2 points per game, and ranks tied for 13th with 6.0 rebounds per game. Nationally, Bolston ranks ninth in the NCAA for steals per game and 22nd for 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 on Dec. 15. Rielly, who became just the third Viking to reach the 1,000-point club in only two years at Portland State, now has 1,163 career points – only 74 points from moving into the top 10 all time at Portland State. Rielly also ranks seventh all time with a career scoring average of 15.7 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 tied for ninth all time at Portland State with a .489 career field goal percentage.
 
KYLIE JIMENEZ IMPROVING ON 2017-18 BIG SKY FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR HONOR
Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez – the 2017-18 Big Sky Freshman of the Year – has only improved in her second year at the college level. Jimenez averages 13.6 points per game this season, a dramatic improvement over her average of 8.9 points per game as a freshman. Jimenez also ranks fourth in the Big Sky with an average of 5.2 assists per game, an improvement over her average of 4.5 assists per game as a freshman. The biggest improvement has come in steals, however, as Jimenez ranked tied for the Big Sky lead and ninth nationally with 3.7 steals per game, nearly double her average of 1.97 steals per game as a freshman. Jimenez has also maintained her good ball security, as she leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio for the second straight season with 2.8 assists to every turnover she commits.
 
COURTNEY WEST CAN'T MISS
Senior forward Courtney West leads the Big Sky and ranks 22nd nationally while shooting 59.4 percent from the field so far this season. West's average would rank as the fourth-best single-season shooting percentage at Portland State if the season ended today, while West's career average of 52.0 percent also ranks her fourth all time. Additionally, West – the PSU record holder for blocks in a game (8), season (94) and career (191) – moved up the Big Sky career rankings for blocked shots with three more against UC Irvine on Dec. 18. West currently ranks sixth all time in the Big Sky Conference with 191, just eight blocks from tying Stephanie Lee, who had 199 career blocks for Northern Colorado from 2011-15. West leads the Big Sky and ranks 23rd in the nation with 2.3 blocks per game this season, just ahead of teammate Jordan Stotler, who averages 2.0 blocks per game. Outside of blocks, West also moved into the top 10 all time for rebounds earlier this season, and now ranks ninth all time with 551 career rebounds. West ranks sixth all time with an average of 7.7 rebounds per game, as well.
 
IRON WOMAN
Senior forward Pia Jurhar played in her 100th career game in the Vikings' loss to UC Irvine on Dec. 18. Jurhar, who has missed only four games in her career, needs to play in 15 more games this season to enter the top 10 all time at Portland State for games played. With at least 21 more games guaranteed this season, Jurhar could move up to sixth all time at Portland State if she plays in all 21. Jurhar has stepped up her game as a senior, as she ranks tied for 18th in the Big Sky with 5.6 rebounds per game. Jurhar recorded her fourth-career double-double against Seattle on Nov. 24, finishing with 13 points to go with a game-high 15 rebounds. 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.
 
THE DES CRAZE HITS PORTLAND STATE
Freshman guard Desirae Hansen has made an instant impact at Portland State, as she has moved into the Big Sky lead for three-point field goal percentage while making 40.9 percent of her shots from beyond the car. Hansen also ranks tied for 10th all time with 4.7 defensive rebounds per game. 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.