USAFA, Colo. — The Portland State women's basketball team got what it wanted out of Monday: a game. That's what Monday's 94-65 road loss at Air Force amounted to for the Vikings, who got to work through some issues ahead of their first Big Sky weekend later in the week.
 
Six of the Vikings' first seven games of the 2020-21 season have been cancelled, and so Monday's game against Air Force (2-3) was only the second time the Vikings (1-1) had played a game this season.
 
The Vikings showed that lack of game experience in the first quarter against Air Force, as they finished the opening 10 minutes just 2-of-13 from the floor with eight turnovers. The team bounced back to get as close as 24-19 with 5:29 left before half, but the hole ultimately proved too deep to climb out of for the Vikings.
 
The Vikings got within eight again early in the third quarter, but another 11-1 run from the Falcons made it 50-32 with 5:51 left in the quarter and Air Force didn't let up from there.
 
Defense helped lead the Vikings back from a similar slow start in their season opener against Dixie State on Dec. 16. It couldn't bail out the Vikings against Air Force, however, as the Falcons shot 39-of-64 (.609) from the floor, including 8-of-15 (.533) from three-point range despite coming into Monday's game shooting 23.1 percent from deep.
 
A bright spot for the Vikings came in their ability to get to the free-throw line. That was a point of emphasis after the team's tough opening quarter, and the Vikings responded with 33 free-throw attempts – 31 of which came after the opening 10 minutes of the game. The Vikings' 33 free-throw attempts marked the program's most in a game since attempting 37 against San Jose State on Nov. 19, 2017.
 
Fifth-year senior Tatiana Streun made six trips to the line, going 6-of-12 (.500) and helping her record her seventh-career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Nakia Boston also went 7-of-10 (.700) from the line, helping her record her first double-digit scoring game as a Viking with 11 points.
 
Desirae Hansen and Kylie Jimenez led the Vikings early, as they scored 17 of the team's 20 points in the second quarter to keep the Vikings in it before Air Force's second-half run. Hansen scored all 16 of her team-high points by the 8:37 mark of the third quarter, and added six rebounds and three blocks. Jimenez, meanwhile, scored eight of her 11 points in the second quarter, and tacked on three assists and three steals.
 
The Vikings now turn their attention to Big Sky play, which gets underway Thursday with the first of two games against Eastern Washington. The Vikings and Eagles face off at 6 p.m. Thursday, before playing each other again at 12 p.m. Saturday. Both games will be at Viking Pavilion.
 
Game Notes: Monday's game was the first-ever meeting between the Vikings and Air Force…The Vikings are now 1-2 all time against the service academies between an 0-1 record against Air Force, an 0-1 record against Army, and a 1-0 record against Navy…The Vikings' 24 turnovers were the team's most in a game since they had 31 against Eastern Washington on Feb. 3, 2018…The Vikings forced 22 turnovers from Air Force, but the Falcons outscored the Vikings 28-15 on points off turnovers.