Complete Game Notes (PDF)

TIPOFF
It's March 2019 all over again. Just as they did in the semifinals and championship of the 2019 Big Sky tournament, the Vikings move on from a big win over Idaho to face Eastern Washington two days later.
 
It won't be for the Big Sky tournament title this time, but Saturday's game against the Eagles will still carry great interest for the Vikings, who will look to continue the momentum they built Thursday against Idaho.
 
The Vikings beat Idaho 74-53 Thursday night at Viking Pavilion, breaking open what was a tied game at the start of the fourth quarter with a 25-4 run to end the game. The late-game run was a complete reversal of the Vikings' game three days earlier, when Southern Utah beat the Vikings thanks to a late 13-0 run.
 
The growth from game-to-game was evident for a young Viking team, then, which held Idaho to 28.4 percent shooting and out-rebounded the Vandals 49-33. The plus-16 rebounding margin tied a season high for the Vikings, while the Vikings' 49 rebounds stand as their second most in a game this season.
 
Desirae Hansen and Jordan Stotler bookended the game with strong first and fourth quarters, respectively. Hansen scored 10 of the Vikings' 12 points in the first quarter while going 5-of-5 from the field. Stotler, meanwhile, scored eight of her 10 points in the game on 4-of-4 shooting in the fourth quarter.
 
Hansen finished with 21 points against the Vandals, giving her back-to-back 20-point games after she set a new career high with 23 points against Southern Utah Monday. Hansen has been on fire from the field in both games, as she's gone 18-of-27 from the floor between Monday's and Thursday's games.
 
Stotler, meanwhile, recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds while adding four assists and five blocks. Stotler now has 22 blocks over the Vikings' past four games, a stretch that included a program record-tying nine blocks against 23rd-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 21.
 
Stotler will have an important matchup against the Eagles Saturday, as she'll face the Eagles' Bella Cravens, who leads the Big Sky with 8.6 rebounds per game. Cravens also averages 8.8 points per game, and ranks third in the conference with 1.6 blocks per game.
 
Overall, the Eagles have struggled at times offensively, as they rank 10th in the Big Sky in both points per game (53.7) and field goal percentage (.333). No Eagles player averages more than nine points a game, though six different players average more than six points a game. Jessica McDowell-White leads the Eagles with 8.9 points per game, while Cravens and Grace Kirscher rank close behind at 8.8 and 8.7 points per game, respectively.
 
The Eagles are still one of the top three-point shooting teams in the Big Sky despite their offensive struggles. The Eagles rank third in the conference with 7.3 three-pointers made per game, while three different Eagles rank in the top 12 of the conference individually. McDowell-White ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 2.1 makes per game, while Kennedy Dickie and Jenna Dick rank 11th and 12th with 1.8 and 1.6 makes per game, respectively.
 
That will be a continuation of what the Vikings faced Thursday against Idaho. The Vandals struggled percentage wise but still hit 10 three-pointers against the Vikings. There were periods of Thursday's game where the Vandals really hurt the Vikings from deep, while there were other periods where the Viking defense stepped up its play. The Vandals started Thursday's game 1-of-13 from deep, then went 9-of-16 from beyond the three-point line from the midway point of the second quarter to the start of the fourth quarter. The Viking defense stepped up from there, however, as the Vandals missed their last eight three-pointers.
 
The Vikings, meanwhile, may have found their own stroke from deep Thursday night, as they went 10-of-20 from beyond the arc against the Vandals. Kylie Jimenez and Cassidy Gardner each hit three shots from deep for the Vikings, while Belle Frazier and Tatiana Streun added two three-pointers each.
 
It was an encouraging sign for the Vikings, who have five games with 10 or more shots from beyond the arc this season but only two of those have come in their past seven games. Additionally, Jimenez and Frazier went a combined 5-of-9 from three-point range Thursday, three days after they went 0-of-9 from beyond the arc against Southern Utah.
 
Overall, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 11th in the nation with a team three-point field goal percentage of .391. The Vikings also rank fourth in the Big Sky with 7.2 three-pointers made per game, while three different players rank in the top 15 of the Big Sky individually. Jimenez ranks fifth in the conference with 1.9 three-pointers a game, while Hansen and Frazier rank tied for 13th with 1.6 makes a game.
 
Three-point shooting and rebounding will be keys in Saturday's game against the Eagles, then, just as they were against the Vandals Thursday. Whichever team wins those categories should come out on top Saturday, when the teams tip off at 2 p.m. (PT).
 
It will be a satisfying win for either team, even if it's not for the Big Sky championship this time around.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (7-6, 1-2) vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES (2-9, 1-1)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Saturday, Jan. 4, 2 p.m. (PT), Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eastern Washington Eagles were idle Thursday night, but split their opening weekend of Big Sky play while beating Weber State, 63-53, and losing to Idaho State, 67-47. The Eagles went 1-8 in non-conference play, with their one win coming over Northwest Christian out of the NAIA. The Eagles played two close games with teams that beat the Vikings, however. The Eagles lost by only two points, 63-61, to Boise State, a team that beat the Vikings by 25. The Eagles also lost by 11 at Kansas City, 66-55, a team that beat the Vikings by 18. Overall, the Eagles have struggled offensively, as they rank 10th in the Big Sky in both points per game (53.7) and field goal percentage (.333). No Eagles player averages more than nine points a game, though six different players average more than six points a game. Jessica McDowell-White, Bella Cravens and Grace Kirscher lead the Eagles with 8.9, 8.8 and 8.7 points per game, respectively. Cravens also leads the Big Sky with 8.6 rebounds per game, and ranks third in the conference with 1.6 blocks per game. The Eagles are one of the top three-point shooting teams in the conference despite their offensive struggles. The Eagles rank third in the conference with 7.3 three-pointers made per game, while three different Eagles rank in the top 12 of the conference individually. McDowell-White ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 2.1 makes per game, while Kennedy Dickie and Jenna Dick rank 11th and 12th with 1.8 and 1.6 makes per game, respectively.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Eagles lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 37-32. The Vikings have won their last four games against the Eagles, however, a stretch that included the Big Sky championship game last season. The Vikings have won two straight home games against the Eagles, as Eastern Washington last beat the Eagles in Portland on Feb. 4, 2017.
 
STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS
• The Vikings closed their 74-53 win over Idaho Thursday night with a 25-4 run that broke open what was a tied game at 49-49. The Vikings held the Vandals to 28.4 percent shooting in the game, and out-rebounded them 49-33.
• All five starters scored in double figures for the Vikings against Idaho. Desirae Hansen scored over 20 points for the second straight game with 21 to lead the Vikings. Jordan Stotler recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds to go with four assists and five blocks.
• Hansen moved up to second in the Big Sky for scoring after Thursday's win over Idaho, as she now averages 14.2 points per game. Tatiana Streun ranks ninth in the Big Sky with 12.8 points per game, while Kylie Jimenez ranks 14th with 12.2. Stotler and Belle Frazier also average just below 10 points a game at 9.8 and 9.5, respectively.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 81st in the nation with 71.4 points per game.
• The Vikings hit 10-of-20 shots from three-point range against Idaho, the fifth time this season the Vikings have hit 10 or more shots from deep. The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 11th in the nation with a three-point field goal percentage of .391. The Vikings rank fourth in the Big Sky and 84th in the nation with 7.2 three-pointers made per game.
• Jimenez, Hansen and Frazier all rank in the top 15 of the Big Sky for three-pointers made per game. Jimenez ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 1.9 three-pointers made per game, while Hansen and Frazier rank tied for 13th with 1.6 makes a game.
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank sixth in the nation with a team free throw percentage of .787. That percentage comes even as the Vikings average 13.9 free throws made per game. Streun ranks third in the Big Sky and 79th in the nation with an individual free throw percentage of .817.
• The Vikings out-rebounded Idaho 49-33 Thursday, tying their seasonal best for rebounding margin (+16). Streun ranks second in the Big Sky with 7.8 rebounds per game, while Stotler ranks fifth at 7.5. Stotler also leads the Big Sky with 6.0 defensive rebounds per game.
• The Vikings are 6-0 when they out-rebound their opponent, 1-1 when they tie in rebounds, and 0-5 when they lose the rebounding battle.
• Stotler has 22 blocks in the Vikings' past four games, including a program record-tying nine in the Vikings' game against then-No. 23 Tennessee on Dec. 21. Stotler leads the Big Sky and ranks ninth in the nation with 3.1 blocks per game.
• Hansen and Jimenez rank third and fourth, respectively, in the Big Sky with 4.6 and 4.5 assists per game. 
• The Vikings are in their fifth year under head coach Lynn Kennedy. The Vikings went from winning only four games in Kennedy's first season at the helm in 2015-16 to Big Sky champs last season.
 
PICK YOUR POISON
Three of the Vikings' five starters rank in the top 15 of the Big Sky with over 12 points per game, while the other two average just below 10 points a game. Desirae Hansen has moved up to second in the Big Sky with 14.2 points per game after scoring 20 or more points in back-to-back games. Tatiana Streun ranks second to Hansen with 12.8 points per game, ranking her ninth in the Big Sky. Kylie Jimenez also ranks in the conference's top 15 at 14th with 12.2 points per game. Jordan Stotler and Belle Frazier average just below 10 points a game at 9.8 and 9.5, respectively. The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 81st in the nation with 71.4 points per game as a team.
 
DEPTH FROM DEEP
The Vikings went 10-of-20 from three-point range against Idaho Thursday, the fifth time this season the Vikings have hit 10 or more shots from deep in a game. Four different players hit two or more shots from beyond the arc against the Vandals, with Kylie Jimenez and Cassidy Gardner leading the way with three each. For the season, the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 11th in the nation with a team three-point field goal percentage of .391. The Vikings also rank fourth in the Big Sky and 84th in the nation with 7.2 three-pointers made per game, while three players rank in the top 15 of the Big Sky individually. Jimenez ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 1.9 three-pointers made per game, while Desirae Hansen and Belle Frazier rank tied for 13th with 1.6 makes per game. Gardner, who has six three-pointers in her past two appearances for the Vikings, averages 1.3 three-pointers made per game.
 
MONEY FROM THE LINE
The Vikings hit 18-of-18 shots from the free-throw line in their win over UC Davis on Nov. 30, the second most makes without a miss in a game in program history. That performance has been typical of the Vikings this season, as the Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank sixth in the nation with a team free throw percentage of .787. However, the Vikings are not only shooting a high percentage from the line, they're also making a ton of shots from the charity stripe. The Vikings average 13.9 free throws made per game, including a season-high 22 (on 24 attempts) in the Vikings' win over Nevada on Nov. 23. Tatiana Streun ranks third in the Big Sky and 79th in the nation individually while shooting .817 from the line. The Vikings could set a new single-season program record for free throw percentage this season. They're just behind the current record of .792, which the Viking set during the 2011-12 season. Idaho State set the current Big Sky record at .832 in 2007-08.
 
THE BOARDS AS A BELLWETHER
How important is rebounding to the Vikings? Well, considering the Vikings are 6-0 when they out-rebound their opponent, 1-1 when they tie in rebounds, and 0-5 when they lose the rebounding battle, we'd say it's very important. Posts Tatiana Streun and Jordan Stotler each rank in the top five of the conference for rebounds. Streun ranks second in the Big Sky in total rebounds per game (7.8) and fifth in offensive rebounds per game (2.7). Stotler, meanwhile, ranks fifth in the Big Sky in total rebounds per game (7.5) and leads the conference with 6.0 defensive rebounds per game.
 
PASSING THE ROCK
For the second straight season, the Vikings can have two elite distributors on the floor at any given time. Last year, it was Kylie Jimenez and Ashley Bolston, who ranked third and fifth, respectively, in the Big Sky for assists per game. This year, sophomore Desirae Hansen joins Jimenez as she ranks third in the conference with 4.6 assists per game while Jimenez ranks fourth at 4.5. The pair also rank in the top 10 of the conference for assist-to-turnover ratio, with Jimenez third at 1.8 and Hansen sixth at 1.5.
 
BIG-SHOT DES TURNING INTO ALL-AROUND DES AS A SOPHOMORE
Sophomore guard Desirae Hansen has stepped up all phases of her game after a freshman season that ended on a high note with the game-winning shot against Eastern Washington in the Big Sky championship game. Hansen has scored 20 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time in her career, scoring 21 against Idaho Thursday after setting a new career high with 23 against Southern Utah Monday. Hansen now ranks second in the Big Sky with 14.2 points per game, and leads the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.456) after going a combined 18-of-27 from the field over the Vikings' past two games. Hansen also ranks third in the Big Sky with 4.6 assists per game, and averages 4.5 rebounds per game to make her a 15-5-5 threat in every game. Additionally, Hansen ranks sixth in the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), 10th in minutes played per game (31.5) and tied for 13th in three-pointers made per game (1.6).
 
JIMENEZ CHASING EXCLUSIVE COMPANY AS A JUNIOR
Junior guard Kylie Jimenez entered the career top 10s at Portland State for assists and three-pointers made against Tennessee on Dec. 21, and entered the top 10 for steals with three against Northern Colorado Saturday. Jimenez now ranks seventh in school history in career three-pointers made (129), eighth in career assists (359) and 10th in career steals (178). Jimenez tied a career high with nine assists in the Vikings' win over Idaho Thursday, moving her up to fourth in the Big Sky with 4.5 assists per game this season. Jimenez also ranks 14th in the Big Sky with 12.2 points per game, as well as fifth in three-pointers made per game (1.9), third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8), fourth in steals per game (2.3) and third in minutes played per game (35.6). Additionally, Jimenez remains on pace to become the 19th member of the Vikings' 1,000-point club by season's end, at which point she could also become only the third player in program history to record 1,000-career points and 450-career assists. Jimenez will join Claire Faucher and Kim Manifesto, both PSU Hall of Famers, in the exclusive 1,000-point, 450-assist club whenever it happens.
 
THE PAINT BELONGS TO JORDAN STOTLER
Senior forward Jordan Stotler has 22 blocks in the Vikings' past four games, giving her a ridiculous per game average of 5.5 during the stretch. Stotler tied a program record with nine blocks in the Vikings' home loss to 23rd-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 21, and has followed it up with four blocks each in the Vikings' two road games against Northern Colorado and Southern Utah, and another five blocks against Idaho Thursday. Stotler entered the career top 10 for blocks at Portland State with her first block Thursday night, and now ranks ninth all time with 86 career blocks as a Viking. For the season, Stotler leads the Big Sky and ranks ninth in the nation with 3.1 blocks per game. Stotler also leads the Big Sky with 6.0 defensive rebounds per game, and ranks fifth in the conference with 7.5 total rebounds a game. 
 
GET YOUR OWN TOTS!
Redshirt junior Tatiana Streun – nicknamed tots – has made a triumphant return to the court this season after an ACL tear kept her out of the Vikings' entire 2018-19 season. Streun has four double-doubles this season, including two in a row in the middle of December. Streun had 17 points and 11 rebounds against Grand Canyon on Dec. 6, then followed with 17 points and 12 rebounds against the University of Portland on Dec. 15. Streun ranks second in the Big Sky in total rebounds per game (7.8), and stands fifth in offensive rebounds per game (2.7) as well as sixth in defensive rebounds per game (5.2). Additionally, Streun ranks ninth in the Big Sky with 12.8 points per game, and ranks third in the Big Sky and 79th in the nation in free throw percentage (.817). Streun set a new career high with 21 points against UC Irvine on Dec. 2, when she was also a rebound away from another double-double with nine boards. Streun set a new career high for rebounds with 13 in the Vikings' season opener against Multnomah on Nov. 5.
 
DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF US IS BELLE
Like the main character from Beauty and the Beast, freshman Belle Frazier is different from the rest of us, but in a good way. Frazier has stepped right into the Vikings' starting lineup as a freshman, and averages 9.5 points per game. Frazier has scored in double figures eight times this season, and has hit three three-pointers in five different games. Frazier set career highs for points (17) and rebounds (5) in the Vikings' win over UC Davis on Nov. 30, and followed with a career-high six steals in the Vikings' win over UC Irvine on Dec. 2. Frazier ranks sixth in the conference with 2.0 steals per game, and also ranks tied for 13th in three-pointers made per game (1.6) and 14th in minutes played per game (30.8).
 
GROWTH UNDER KENNEDY
The Vikings improved their win total in each of their first four seasons under head coach Lynn Kennedy. The Vikings won just four games during their first year under Kennedy in 2015-16, but then jumped up to 16 wins in 2016-17. The Vikings improved on that total with 19 wins in 2017-18, and then set a Division I program record with 25 wins last season.
 

Record	Season	Kennedy's Year at PSU
4-26	2015-16	1st
16-17	2016-17	2nd
19-13	2017-18	3rd
25-8	2018-19	4th

 
NEWCOMERS
The Vikings added a talented class of six newcomers over the offseason that they'll try and mesh with their seven returners. The newcomers are split evenly between the front and back courts, as Erika Brumfield, Marina Canzobre and Syd Schultz add depth at forward while Belle Frazier, Cassidy Gardner and Jada Lewis will contribute at guard. Frazier and Lewis were each named McDonald's All-American nominees while in high school, while Gardner led her team to a 3A Washington state title as an all-state honorable mention as a senior. Schultz, meanwhile, recorded 1,000-career points and 1,000-career rebounds in high school, and led the entire state of Wisconsin in rebounds as a high school senior. Canzobre was also part of the invited players pool for the Spain U-15 team.
 
VIKINGS IN THE PRESEASON WNIT
The Vikings made their first-ever appearance in the Preseason WNIT this season. The Vikings lost their first-round game against Boise State, 82-57, on Nov. 8, then lost two consolation games to Kansas City (87-69 on Nov. 15) and UC Irvine (83-75 on Nov. 16). Jordan Stotler was named to the KC Site Preseason WNIT Consolation All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game in the Vikings' two consolation games in Kansas City. The Vikings are the third Big Sky team to participate in the Preseason WNIT in the past four seasons, joining Montana State in 2018 and Eastern Washington in 2016.
 
VIKINGS PICKED FOR THIRD IN PRESEASON COACHES, MEDIA POLL
Big Sky media and coaches picked the Vikings to finish third in the conference this season in the preseason polls. Montana State, Idaho and Portland State went 1-2-3 in both the media and coaches polls, but the major takeaway from both polls was uncertainty. Seven of the 11 teams in the Big Sky received at least one first-place vote in the preseason media poll, while five of those seven teams received multiple votes. Additionally, four different teams received first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll, three of which received two or more.
 
JIMENEZ NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG SKY TEAM
Junior guard Kylie Jimenez was named to the preseason All-Big Sky team, voted on by the Big Sky's media members. Jimenez was one of seven players named to the preseason all-conference team. Fallyn Freije, a two-time All-Big Sky honorable mention while at North Dakota but now with Montana State, was named the conference's preseason MVP. Sacramento State's Kennedy Nicholas, Idaho State's Estefania Ors, Montana State's Oliana Squires, Montana's McKenzie Johnston and Idaho's Gina Marxen were the other preseason all-conference selections. The preseason honor was just the latest in what has already been a decorated career for Jimenez at Portland State. Jimenez was named the Big Sky Freshman of the Year following the 2017-18 season, and was an All-Big Sky honorable mention last season. Additionally, Jimenez made the All-Big Sky tournament team as the Vikings won the tournament last season.
 
VIKINGS PLAN INTERNATIONAL TRIP TO SPAIN IN AUGUST 2020
The Vikings will make what is believed to be the women's basketball program's first-ever international trip when they head to Spain in August 2020. The Vikings will visit Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona on a 10-day trip that will see them play three different exhibition games against local Spanish teams.
 
The Vikings are currently fundraising for the trip, which will cost around $4,000 per person. Anyone who would like to donate towards the team's travel fund can visit GoViks.com and click on the "Spain 2020 Trip Donations" link under the "Donate" drop-down menu.
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Nov. 5, Portland State 104, Multnomah 48: The Vikings hit the century mark in their season opener for the second straight season. Before last season, the Vikings hadn't scored over 100 points in a game since Dec. 2, 1995. The Vikings also tied a program record with 13 three-pointers in the game, and assisted on 28 of their 37 field goals.
Nov. 23, Portland State 80, Nevada 75: The Vikings handed Nevada its first loss of the season, while junior guard Kylie Jimenez beat her sister, Alyssa Jimenez, who's a freshman guard for the Wolf Pack.
Nov. 30, Portland State 76, UC Davis 70: The Vikings beat a fellow 2019 NCAA tournament team on the road in UC Davis. The Vikings hit 18-of-18 free throws in the game, tied for the second most makes without a miss within a game in program history. Kylie Jimenez led the Vikings with 25 points, while setting or tying career highs for steals (8) and three-pointers made (5).
Dec. 2, Portland State 70, UC Irvine 61: The Vikings avenged two recent losses to UC Irvine, including one earlier this season in a consolation game of the Preseason WNIT. The win marked the Vikings' third straight win, as well as their second straight road win over a team that won at least 20 games last season.
Dec. 6, Portland State 69, Grand Canyon 46: The Vikings held Grand Canyon – a team that came into the game ranked in the top 10 for both overall field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage – to just 29 percent shooting (18-of-62) from the floor. The Lopes went just 2-of-17 from the three-point line, when they had been hitting more than 47 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.
Dec. 15, Portland State 77, Portland 71: The Vikings overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to beat cross-town rival University of Portland for the third straight season. The Vikings hadn't overcome a 15-point halftime deficit since Jan. 8, 2010, when they came back to beat Montana State, 69-62.
Dec. 21, #23 Tennessee 88, Portland State 61: The Vikings lost to the 23rd-ranked Lady Volunteers, but the game marked the first time the Vikings hosted an AP-ranked opponent since Dec. 23, 2000. The Vikings also set a new program record with 1,748 fans in attendance at Viking Pavilion.
Jan. 2, Portland State 74, Idaho 53: With the score tied at 49 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Vikings closed on a 25-4 to win their second straight game against the Vandals after snapping a 10-game losing streak to them in the Big Sky semifinals last season. The Vikings held the Vandals to 28.4 percent shooting in the game, and out-rebounded them 49-33.