Complete Game Notes (PDF)

TIPOFF
At 18-4, it's a no-brainer to say this Portland State women's basketball has many strengths. However, one that doesn't get as many headlines but got tested nonetheless Thursday is the team's mental fortitude.
 
Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez hit a three-pointer on the Vikings' opening possession of the second half against Northern Arizona Thursday, giving the Vikings an 18-point lead at 38-20. The Vikings would not hit another shot from deep, however, while NAU – 0-of-4 from beyond the arc in the first half – suddenly got hot. The result was a 17-3 run for the Lumberjacks that cut the Vikings' lead to four at 41-37 with 5:38 remaining in the third quarter.
 
Considering the Vikings were playing on the road for the first time in three weeks, the team could have folded and let NAU's run continue. Instead, the Vikings stepped up, halting the Lumberjacks run right there and turned the outcome into a familiar 74-59 win for the Vikings. The pressure-packed moment was so short lived that the Vikings led by 10 again going into the fourth quarter, and never led NAU get closer than eight points the rest of the way.
 
It was a strong start to what will be a four-game road trip for the Vikings that will be crucial for the team's pursuit of a Big Sky regular-season title. The Vikings moved within a half game of the Big Sky lead with the win, and passed Northern Colorado for third in the Big Sky standings after the Bears lost to Eastern Washington in other action Thursday. The Bears host first-place Idaho Saturday, and a UNC win in that game coupled with a Viking win over Southern Utah would move the Vikings up further in the standings to either second or first depending on Idaho State's result against Montana.
 
Beyond the standings, Saturday's game against Southern Utah could also be a moment for the Vikings to stop and reflect on their growth this season. With a win, the Vikings will match their win total from last season at 19, but the Vikings will have done it in nine fewer games than they did while going 19-13 last season. Additionally, a win would put them on the cusp of a 20-win season, something no Viking team has done since 2010-11.
 
That all happens IF the Vikings can pull out the win, though, something that hasn't been easy for opponents to do against Southern Utah despite the Thunderbirds' 3-11 Big Sky record. The Thunderbirds gave the Vikings a game when they played in Portland back on Jan. 17 earlier this season. It was only a five-point game with 2:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings scored the final nine points to close out a 63-49 win.
 
Ashley Larsen led the Thunderbirds with 14 points in their first game against the Vikings, while adding nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Breanu Reid also scored in double figures for the Thunderbirds with 10 points, while Rebecca Cardenas had an all-around game with seven points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. The Vikings held Southern Utah's leading scorer Harley Hansen to only three points, however, which is tied for her lowest scoring output in a game this season.
 
Hansen averages a team-best 12.3 points per game to go with 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game for the Thunderbirds this season. Cardenas, meanwhile, ranks second on the team with 10.8 points per game, and leads the Thunderbirds with 7.0 rebounds per game despite being only a 5-5 guard. Reid and Larsen give the Thunderbirds two more scorers over 9.0 points per game, as they average 9.9 and 9.0 points per game, respectively.
 
The Thunderbirds lost a heartbreaker to Sacramento State Thursday, as they gave up an 11-point fourth-quarter lead before losing in overtime, 75-69. That was the fourth straight loss for the Thunderbirds, who haven't won since beating Eastern Washington 73-63 on Jan. 31.
 
The Vikings and Thunderbirds tip off at 2 p.m. (MT) Saturday at the America First Event Center in Cedar City, Utah.
 
QUICK HITS
• The Vikings can match their win total from last season with a win over Southern Utah Saturday. The Vikings went 19-13 last season, but would reach 19 wins in nine fewer games if they beat the Thunderbirds. The Vikings would also be on the verge of their first 20-win season since 2010-11 in that case. The program record for wins a season during the Big Sky era is 23, set during the 2008-09 season.
• The Vikings handed Northern Colorado its worst Big Sky loss since Jan. 19, 2013, with an 85-66 win over the defending-champion Bears last Saturday. The Vikings held last season's Big Sky MVP Savannah Smith to only five points in the game, her lowest scoring total in a Big Sky game since she was a redshirt freshman and scored only three points against Montana State on Jan. 16, 2016.
• The Vikings ran away from Sacramento State with a strong third quarter last Thursday, after they went into halftime tied at 30-30. The Vikings played three straight dominant third quarters between their games against Weber State (Jan. 31), Idaho State (Feb. 2) and Sacramento State (Feb. 7) in recent weeks.
• Senior guard Sidney Rielly was named the Big Sky Player of the Week Tuesday, after leading the Vikings in scoring during both of their wins last weekend. Rielly has scored in double figures in 11 straight games for the Vikings, and is within 22 points of matching Portland State hall-of-famer Claire Faucher (2006-10) for sixth on the all-time scoring list. Rielly has 1,377 points in her career, and also ranks in the top 10 for career scoring average (6th, 15.8), field goal percentage (10th, .487), three-point field goals made (6th, 132), 10-point games (9th, 67), 20-point games (T-5th, 24) and 30-point games (T-6th, 3).
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank seventh nationally with a field goal percentage defense of .342. The Vikings have held 11 of their 22 opponents this season to under 35 percent shooting from the floor, while 17 of the Vikings' 22 opponents have failed to shoot over 40 percent. The Vikings held Weber State to just .194 from the floor on Jan. 31 – the first time the Vikings have held an opponent to under 20 percent shooting since game-by-game records go back through the 2006-07 season.
• The Vikings beat Weber State by 27 points, 65-38, on Jan. 31 – the Vikings' largest margin of victory over a Big Sky opponent since they beat Northern Arizona 87-58 on Jan. 4, 2009. For the season, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 26th in the nation with a plus-14.1 scoring margin.
• Senior forward Courtney West broke her own single-game school record with nine blocks in the Vikings' 63-49 win over Southern Utah on Jan. 17. West set the previous record with eight blocks in two different games as a sophomore, and now has the top three games for blocked shots in program history. West leads the Big Sky and ranks ninth nationally with 2.9 blocks per game, while the Vikings as a team lead the Big Sky and rank ninth nationally with 5.7 blocks per game. Besides West, junior forward Jordan Stotler ranks third in the Big Sky and 57th in the nation with 1.8 blocks per game.
• Three different Vikings rank in the top 10 of the Big Sky for field goal percentage in conference games. Senior forward Courtney West ranks seventh in the conference with a .505 field goal percentage in conference games, while junior forward Jordan Stotler follows right behind at eighth with a mark of .500. Senior guard Sidney Rielly, meanwhile, ranks 10th while shooting .478 from the field in Big Sky play.
• Senior guard Sidney Rielly ranks second in the Big Sky with a .471 (32-of-68) three-point field goal percentage in conference games. Freshman guard Desirae Hansen ranks fourth in the conference with a .457 (16-of-35) mark from deep in Big Sky play.
• The Vikings had their best passing game since Nov. 16 with 24 assists on 28 field goals against Sacramento State on Feb. 7. For the season, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank ninth in the nation with 18.4 assists per game. Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez tied her career high with nine assists in the Vikings' game against Northern Colorado last Saturday, and ranks third in the Big Sky with 4.9 assists per game. Senior guard Ashley Bolston also ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 4.8 assists per game.
• Sophomore Kylie Jimenez and senior Ashley Bolston rank 1-2 in the Big Sky with averages of 2.7 and 2.5 steals per game, respectively. The Vikings as a team rank second in the Big Sky and 52nd in the nation with 9.9 steals per game.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky in eight different statistical categories, and rank second in the league in seven more. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in scoring defense (58.5), scoring margin (+14.1), field goal percentage defense (.342), defensive rebounds per game (29.0), assists per game (18.4), assist to turnover ratio (1.3), turnover margin (+2.09) and blocks per game (5.7).
 
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (18-4, 10-3)
72.7 PPG | 43.3 FG% | 35.8 3FG%
Notable: The Portland State Vikings kicked off their four-game road trip with a test of their mental strength Thursday, as they nearly gave up a 15-point halftime lead to Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks went on a 17-3 run near the start of the third quarter, and seemed to have all the momentum on their home floor. The Vikings never relinquished the lead, however, and pushed their advantage back out to 10 points entering the fourth quarter before closing out a 74-59 win over the Lumberjacks. Nine of the Vikings' 10 Big Sky wins have now come by 10 points or more, while the Vikings have also won three of their five Big Sky road games. The Vikings also now have 18 wins on the season, and will match their win total from last season with a win over Southern Utah Saturday. The Vikings went 19-13 last season, but will reach 19 wins in nine fewer games if they can beat the Thunderbirds. Seniors Courtney West and Sidney Rielly led the Vikings with 16 points each against the Lumberjacks. West hadn't scored that many points since she had 16 in the Vikings' first game against Southern Utah on Jan. 17. West also broke her own single-game record for blocked shots in the Vikings' first game against the Thunderbirds. West blocked nine shots in the game, bettering her previous record of eight, which she set twice in her first year as a Vikings back during the 2016-17 season. Additionally, Rielly's 16 points against NAU Thursday marked the 11th straight game that she's scored in double figures for the Vikings.
 
SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS (6-17, 3-11)
62.5 PPG | 36.5 FG% | 30.2 3FG%
Notable: The Southern Utah Thunderbirds lost a heartbreaker to Sacramento State Thursday, as they gave up an 11-point fourth-quarter lead before losing in overtime, 75-69. It was the fourth straight loss for the Thunderbirds, who have been a tough out for a lot of Big Sky teams despite their 3-11 record in conference games. The Thunderbirds gave the Vikings a game in their previous matchup on Jan. 17, as it was a five-point game in the fourth quarter before the Vikings scored the last nine points to win, 63-49. Ashley Larsen led the Thunderbirds with 14 points in their first game against the Vikings, while adding nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Breanu Reid also scored in double figures for the Thunderbirds with 10 points, while Rebecca Cardenas had an all-around game with seven points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. The Vikings held Southern Utah's leading scorer Harley Hansen to only three points, however, which is tied for her lowest scoring output in a game this season. Hansen averages a team-best 12.3 points per game to go with 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. Cardenas ranks second on the team with 10.8 points per game, and leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game despite being only a 5-5 guard. Reid and Larsen give the Thunderbirds two more scorers over 9.0 points per game, as they average 9.9 and 9.0 points per game, respectively. Hansen's 2.3 steals per game rank her third in the Big Sky behind the Vikings' Kylie Jimenez and Ashley Bolston. Larsen also ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 1.3 blocks per game.
 
SOUTHERN UTAH SERIES HISTORY
The Vikings extended their lead in the overall series between them and the Thunderbirds with their 63-49 win at the Viking Pavilion on Jan. 17. That win gave the Vikings a 14-8 lead in the all-time series between them and the Vikings, though the Thunderbirds still lead the Big Sky series, 7-4. The Vikings have won two straight games against the Thunderbirds, as well as three of the last four.
 
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available from the Vikings' game against Southern Utah. 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 Southern Utah on channel 236 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.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings took a 35-20 lead at halftime against Northern Arizona Thursday, but then had to withstand a 17-3 run from the Lumberjacks near the start of the third quarter. The Lumberjacks had cut the Vikings' lead to four at 41-37 with 5:38 remaining in the third quarter by the end of the run. Three-point shooting helped the Lumberjacks come back as they hit three shots from beyond the arc during the run after going 0-of-4 from deep in the first half. The Vikings, meanwhile, had gone 5-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first half, but did not make another three-pointer after sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez hit a shot from deep on the Vikings' first possession of the second half. The Vikings were still able to stop NAU's momentum, however, as senior guard Ashley Bolston stepped up on a string of plays to push the Vikings' lead back up to 10 at 53-43 entering the fourth quarter. Post players Savannah Dhaliwal and Courtney West then scored nine of the Vikings' first 11 points of the fourth quarter, while senior guard Sidney Rielly added six straight points late to put the game out of reach. West scored seven of her 16 points in the fourth quarter, and also scored seven of the Vikings' first 10 points in the first quarter. West's 16 points were her most in a game since she had 16 against Southern Utah on Jan. 17. Rielly also finished with 16 points, putting her in double figures for the 11th straight game. Freshman guard Desirae Hansen and junior forward Jordan Stotler joined West and Rielly in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Hansen had nine of her 11 points in the first half when she went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Stotler, meanwhile, scored her 10 points while going 5-of-6 from the field, and added seven rebounds, three blocks, a steal and an assist. Jimenez also had four steals for the Vikings, tying her best total in a Big Sky game this season.
 
UPCOMING
The Vikings continue on the road next week with rematches against Idaho State and Sacramento State next Thursday and Saturday, respectively. The Vikings face Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho, at 7 p.m. (MT) Thursday, and then head to Sacramento, Calif., for their game against the Hornets at 2 p.m. (PT).
 
RIELLY NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior guard Sidney Rielly was named the Big Sky Player of the Week Tuesday after leading the Vikings in scoring during both wins last week. Rielly had a team-high 22 points in the Vikings' 85-66 win over defending-champion Northern Colorado last Saturday, after scoring a game-high 19 points in the Vikings' 74-58 win over Sacramento State on Feb. 7. Rielly is the third different Viking to be named Big Sky Player of the Week this season, joining Ashley Bolston and Kylie Jimenez. Tuesday's honor also marked Rielly's second-career Big Sky Player of the Week award, as she was also honored during her first year as a Viking back on Jan. 17, 2017.
 
WIN-RECORD CHASING
The Vikings won their 18th game of the season against Northern Arizona Thursday, putting them just a win away from matching their win total from last season. The Vikings went 19-13 last season, but could match that win total in nine fewer games if they beat Southern Utah Saturday. The Vikings haven't won 20 games in a season since 2010-11, while the program record for wins in a season during the Big Sky era is 23, set during the 2008-08 season.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
The Vikings may have played the majority of their games at home so far this season, but they haven't been any slouches on the road, either. The Vikings are 5-2 in road games, including their first road win against Eastern Washington since 2013. The Vikings recorded their most road wins in nine seasons last year, when they went 7-10 on the road. The program record for road wins during the Big Sky era is 10, which the Vikings set while going 10-8 on the road during the 2008-09 season. That was also one of only two times the Vikings have ever had a winning record on the road during their Big Sky era, while the team's .556 road win percentage that season stands as a program record for the Big Sky era. The Vikings can guarantee themselves at least a .500 road win percentage with a win over Southern Utah Saturday.
 
THIRD QUARTER, EXPLOSION QUARTER
Head coach Lynn Kennedy called the third quarter the Vikings' explosion quarter after the Vikings ran away from Sacramento State in the second half on Feb. 7. The Vikings and Hornets were tied at 30-30 going into halftime, but the Vikings scored nine straight points and 17 of 20 early in the third quarter and never led by fewer than seven points the rest of the way. The Vikings finally got a good start in their win over Northern Colorado last Saturday, but used similar third-quarter runs in their earlier games against Weber State and Idaho State. The Vikings only led by one point at halftime against Weber State on Jan. 31, but then outscored the Wildcats 24-9 in the third quarter en route to a 65-38 win. The Vikings were down five points at halftime against Idaho State last Saturday, but outscored the Bengals 22-12 in the third quarter before eventually falling, 58-57.
 
CLOSE GAMES
The Vikings lost to Idaho State by one point, 58-57, on Feb. 2, the third time out of four losses this season that the Vikings have fallen by five points or less. The Vikings are 2-3 this season in games decided by five points or less, and 3-3 in games decided by 10 points or less. Those records might be a little unfair to the Vikings, however, as 15 of the team's 18 wins this season have come by 10 points or more.
 
MONEY FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE
The Vikings rank second in the Big Sky and 10th in the nation while making 76.8 percent of their shots from the free-throw line. The 76-percent mark from the charity stripe would go down as the Vikings' third-best mark in a season if the season ended today. The Vikings set the second-best mark with a .786 free throw percentage last season, while they set the single-season record at .792 during the 2011-12 season. Senior guard Ashley Bolston ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 86th nationally with an .818 individual free throw percentage.
 
BLOCK PARTY
Senior forward Courtney West broke her own single-game record with nine blocks in the Vikings' 63-49 win over Southern Utah on Jan. 17, and the Vikings nearly broke the team record for blocked shots in the game. The Vikings had 13 blocks as a team against Southern Utah, one off the school record of 14, which the Vikings set against Saint Martin's on Nov. 20, 1992. For the season, West leads the Big Sky and ranks ninth in the nation with 2.9 blocks per game. The Vikings also lead the Big Sky and rank ninth in the nation with 5.7 blocks per game as a team, while junior forward Jordan Stotler ranks third in the conference and 57th nationally with 1.8 blocks per game.
 
HOT SHOOTING IN BIG SKY PLAY
The Vikings have shot over 44 percent as a team in eight of their 13 Big Sky games so far, a mark they bettered in only three of their nine non-conference games. Three different Vikings rank in the top 10 of the Big Sky for field goal percentage in conference games as a result. Senior forward Courtney West ranks seventh in the conference with a .505 field goal percentage in conference games, while junior forward Jordan Stotler follows right behind at eighth with a mark of .500. Senior guard Sidney Rielly, meanwhile, ranks 10th while shooting .478 from the field in Big Sky play. Rielly also ranks second in the Big Sky with a .471 (32-of-68) three-point field goal percentage in conference games, and ranks fifth with 2.5 three-pointers made per game. Freshman guard Desirae Hansen ranks right behind Rielly at fourth in the Big Sky while shooting .457 (16-of-35) from deep in conference play.
 
UNSELFISH BASKETBALL
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank ninth in the nation with 18.4 assists per game this season. At their current rate, the Vikings could break the Division I single-season record depending on how long they play in the postseason. The current Division I record came when the Vikings recorded 602 assists during the 1989-90 season, and the Vikings would finish with 552 assists if they played in only one postseason game. 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. The Vikings have the luxury of two players leading the way in terms of assists, as sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez and senior guard Ashley Bolston rank third and fourth in the Big Sky, respectively, with 4.9 and 4.8 assists per game.
 
STRONG 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.
 
DEFENSE LEADING THE WAY FOR THE VIKINGS
The Vikings held Weber State to just .194 shooting from the field on Jan. 31 – the first time the Vikings have held an opponent to under 20 percent shooting since game-by-game records go back through the 2006-07 season. The Vikings hadn't held a Division I opponent to under 25 percent from the floor in over eight years, let alone below 20 percent. Loyola Marymount was the last Division I team to shoot less than 25 percent from the floor against the Vikings when they shot .242 on Dec. 11, 2010. For the season, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank seventh in the nation with a .342 field goal percentage defense. The Vikings have held 11 of their 22 opponents so far this season to under 35 percent shooting from the floor, while 17 of their 22 opponents have failed to shoot over 40 percent.
 
TWO-HEADED STEALING MONSTER
Sophomore point guard Kylie Jimenez and senior guard Ashley Bolston are a nightmare matchup for opposing teams on the perimeter as they rank 1-2 in the Big Sky while averaging 2.7 and 2.5 steals per game, respectively. Jimenez has recorded at least three steals in 10 games this season, including two straight games with six steals in the Vikings' games against UNLV (Dec. 15) and UC Irvine (Dec. 18). Bolston had the high-water mark for steals in a game this season when she had nine while nearly posting a quadruple-double in the Vikings' win over the University of Portland on Dec. 1.
 
ASHLEY BOLSTON AMONG BIG SKY, NCAA STAT LEADERS
Senior guard Ashley Bolston stands as one of only five 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 ranks second to teammate Kylie Jimenez with 2.5 steals per game, as well as fourth in the conference with 4.8 assists per game. Bolston also ranks 13th in the conference with 12.8 points per game, as well as fifth in free throw percentage (.818) and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5).
 
THE BASKETBALL LIFE OF RIELLY
Senior guard Sidney Rielly passed Eryn Jones (2008-12) for seventh all time in career scoring during the Vikings' game against Northern Colorado last Saturday. Rielly, who became just the third Viking to reach the 1,000-point club in only two years at Portland State, now has 1,377 points in her career, and ranks in the top 10 all time for 10-, 20- and 30-point games. Rielly has 67 10-point games in her career (9th all time) to go with 24 20-point games (T-5th all time) and three 30-point games (T-6th all time). Additionally, Rielly has moved up to sixth all time with her 132 career three-pointers, and ranks sixth all time with a career scoring average of 15.8 points per game. Rielly has also 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 10th all time at Portland State with a .487 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 12.1 points per game this season, more than three points per game higher than her average of 8.9 points per game as a freshman. Jimenez also ranks third in the Big Sky with an average of 4.9 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 leads the Big Sky and ranks 28th nationally with 2.7 steals per game. That's close to one steal per game better than her average of 1.97 steals per game as a freshman. Jimenez has also maintained her good ball security, as she ranks second in the Big Sky and 48th nationally with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.2, after leading the conference in the category as a freshman.
 
COURTNEY WEST, QUEEN OF THE BLOCK
Senior forward Courtney West broke her own single-game school record with nine blocks in the Vikings' 63-49 win over Southern Utah on Jan. 17. West set the previous record with eight blocks in two different games as a sophomore, and now has the top three games for blocked shots in program history. For the season, West leads the Big Sky and ranks ninth nationally with 2.9 blocks per game. West holds the triple crown of blocked shot records at Portland State between the records for blocks in a game (9), season (94) and career (232). West needs just five more blocks to tie Montana's Lisa McLeod (1985-89) for fourth all time within the Big Sky Conference with 237 career blocks. Outside of blocks, West ranks fourth all time with a .518 career field goal percentage, and has moved up to seventh all time with 637 career rebounds. West also ranks tied for sixth all time with an average of 7.5 rebounds per game.
 
I WANNE BE LIKE JORDAN…STOTLER THAT IS
Junior forward Jordan Stotler recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the Vikings' game against Idaho on Jan. 26, and has narrowly missed double-doubles in each of the past five games for the Vikings. Stotler may have had her most complete game as a Viking against Sacramento State on Feb. 7 despite having an off shooting night where she went 1-of-12 from the field. Stotler finished with a career-high 15 rebounds against the Hornets – five coming on the offensive end – and added eight points, four assists, three steals and a block. In the past six games, Stotler has averaged 9.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.
 
IRON WOMAN
Senior forward Pia Jurhar played in her 113th career game in the Vikings' game against Northern Arizona Thursday. Jurhar, who has missed only four games in her career, needs to play in two more games this season to enter the top 10 all time at Portland State for games played. With at least eight more games guaranteed this season, Jurhar could move up to sixth all time at Portland State if she plays in all nine. Jurhar also moved into a tie for fourth place all time on her own with her 101st career block against Northern Arizona Thursday, and will enter the top 10 all time for career rebounds with 11 more.
 
SAVIOR SAV
Sophomore forward Savannah Dhaliwal posted back-to-back season highs with 10 and 16 points in the Vikings' games against Sacramento State and Northern Colorado last Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Dhaliwal's 26 points last weekend were more than she had scored through her first 15 appearances of the season combined (25 points). Dhaliwal also went 11-of-16 between the Vikings' two games last weekend, but was just 8-of-26 on the season beforehand. Additionally, Dhaliwal had 12 rebounds between the two games last weekend, after she came into the weekend with 19 rebounds on the season.
 
THE DES CRAZE HITS PORTLAND STATE
Freshman guard Desirae Hansen has made an instant impact at Portland State, as she leads the Big Sky with a .439 (25-of-57) three-point field goal percentage this season. Hansen also leads all freshmen in the Big Sky with 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season. Hansen made a splash in her Viking debut, as she had 22 points in 22 minutes against Warner Pacific on Nov. 9. Hansen's 22 points in her debut gave her the most points by a Viking in her first game 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.
Jan. 3, Portland State 55, Montana State 53: The Vikings overcame an 18-point deficit to beat the Bobcats, after trailing 16-0 and 20-2 in the first quarter. The 18-point comeback was the biggest in four seasons under head coach Lynn Kennedy, as well as the Vikings' biggest overall since coming back from a 19-point deficit against Eastern Washington on Jan. 27, 2011.
Jan. 5, Portland State 78, Montana 60: The Vikings made their first six shots from the field and went 12-of-15 in the first quarter while outscoring the Lady Griz 29-9 in the opening period. The Vikings finished the first half 21-of-28 for a .750 team field goal percentage, and ended the game with a seasonal-best .571 mark from the field. The Vikings also tied a seasonal best with 27 assists on 32 field goals.
Jan. 12, Portland State 77, Weber State 59: The Vikings recorded their largest Big Sky road victory since the Vikings beat Montana 64-44 on Jan. 19, 2017. Sidney Rielly led the way with 26 points while tying her career highs for three-pointers (6), rebounds (8) and steals (3). The Vikings made a season-high 10 three-pointers in the game.
Jan. 17, Portland State 63, Southern Utah 49: Senior forward Courtney West broke her own school record for blocks in a game with nine, while the Vikings came within one of the team record for blocks in a game with 13 against the Thunderbirds. Senior guard Sidney Rielly also moved into the all-time top 10 for career scoring at Portland State with a game-high 17 points in the game.
Jan. 24, Portland State 76, Eastern Washington 64: The Vikings won their first game in Cheney since 2013, while head coach Lynn Kennedy won his first road game against the Eagles in his tenure at Portland State. Five different Vikings scored in double figures for the Vikings for the first time this season.
Jan. 31, Portland State 65, Weber State 38: The Vikings held Weber State to .194 from the floor – the first time they have held an opponent to under 20 percent shooting since game-by-game records go back through the 2006-07 season. The 27-point victory over the Wildcats also marked the Vikings' largest margin of victory against a Big Sky opponent since they beat Northern Arizona on Jan. 4, 2009.
Feb. 9, Portland State 85, Northern Colorado 66: The Vikings handed the defending-champion Northern Colorado Bears their worst Big Sky loss since Jan. 19, 2013, with a 19-point win. The Vikings also held last season's Big Sky MVP in the Bears' Savannah Smith to only five points in the game, and shut her out entirely in the second half. Smith hadn't scored as few as five points in a Big Sky game since she was a redshirt freshman and scored three points against Montana State on Jan. 16, 2016.