PORTLAND – The Vikings closed out their 2017-18 home slate in style with a 68-59 win over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Saturday afternoon at Pamplin Sports Center on the campus of Lewis and Clark College.
 
Portland State (16-11 overall, 10-6 Big Sky Conference) went 10-3 overall at home on the year and 7-2 at home in Big Sky play. Saturday's win also gives the Vikings their 10th Big Sky victory of the season. It is the first time since the 2010-11 season that the Vikings have posted double-digit wins at home. That season was also the last time they tallied double-digit league wins.
 
The Vikings took care of business with their win over the Lumberjacks. However, due to the chaos that is the Big Sky Conference, the Vikings now sit in a four-way tie for third place with Eastern Washington, Weber State, and Idaho State. Due to tiebreakers, the Vikings would be the six-seed in next month's 2018 Big Sky Women's Basketball Tournament.
 
One of the key tiebreakers at this point in the season is a team's record against the top teams in the conference, specifically first place Northern Colorado. The Vikings have yet to face the Bears this year but will get their chance next Wednesday, March 28 in Greeley, Colo.
 
Northern Arizona (7-20, 4-12) got out to a hot start in the first quarter. The 'Jacks shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the first and led 23-16 heading to the second.
 
Portland State, led by Ashley Bolston's 13 first-half points, outscored Northern Arizona 13-11 in the second quarter but trailed by five points at the break. The Vikings defense kicked into high gear in the second, holding the 'Jacks to 4-of-14 shooting in the period.
 
The Vikings made their move in the third quarter. They held Northern Arizona to 15.8 percent shooting in the period and outscored the Lumberjacks 16-7. A steal led to a fast-break layup by Kylie Jimenez, which gave the Vikings their first lead of the second half at 40-39.
 
Kiana Brown hit a three-pointer followed by a jumper by Bolston to cap a 12-0 run by the Vikings in the third. NAU hit a late jumper to make it a four-point game heading to the fourth.
 
A free throw by NAU cut the lead to three points to begin the fourth. The Vikings went on a 6-0 run, which started with a forced turnover, to go up nine at 51-42. The Vikings, who struggled from the floor all afternoon, lived at the line in the fourth quarter. They went 11-for-14 at the line in the fourth to extend their lead.
 
Brown hit another three-pointer with 1:35 left to put the Vikings up by 12. The Vikings went 6-for-7 at the line down the stretch to secure the 68-59 win.
 
Bolston posted her second 26-point game of the week to lead all scorers. She went 8-for-19 from the floor and 10-for-12 at the free-throw line. She tallied four assists, a block, and a season-high five steals in 38 minutes. Over the past two games, she is averaging 26.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals, and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor.
 
Brown posted her 19th double-digit scoring game, 12th in 16 league games, with 13 points in 26 minutes. She matched her career high with six rebounds. She went 4-for-9 from the floor, 3-for-4 from distance, and 2-for-2 at the line. She is 7-for-11 from three-point range over the past two games. Courtney West added 12 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and three steals in the win.
 
Northern Arizona, fresh off a season-high 71 rebounds at Sacramento State Thursday night, out-rebounded Portland State 48-to-36. Pia Jurhar had an extremely efficient game on the glass, pulling down a team-high seven boards in just 11 minutes.
 
Both teams shot 33.3 percent from the floor but the difference came at the free-throw line. Northern Arizona went 10-for-16 (62.5 percent), while Portland State went 22-for-28 (82.1 percent). The Vikings also forced 19 turnovers, which led to 21 points.
 
Portland State will have a quick turnaround before they start their longest road trip of the conference season. They begin the week at first-place Northern Colorado on Wednesday, February 28 before closing out the regular season on Friday, March 2 at North Dakota.