Title-Game Rematch with Eastern Washington Awaits Vikings in First Round of Big Sky Tournament Monday

Complete Game Notes (PDF)

TIPOFF

It'll be Déjà vu in Boise for the Portland State women's basketball team. Nearly a year after the Vikings beat Eastern Washington to win the program's second Big Sky tournament title, the Vikings face the Eagles in the first round of the 2020 Big Sky tournament Monday.

It's a shame there will be a game before the Vikings and Eagles face each other at approximately 4 p.m. (PT) / 5 p.m. (MT) Monday. Otherwise, the teams would have played the last game of the 2019 tournament, and then faced each other again in the very first game of the 2020 edition.

It didn't look like the teams would face each other at the tournament just two weeks ago, as Portland State had to go on a late-season run to secure the No. 7 seed. The Vikings won their last three games of the regular season, vaulting them above Northern Colorado, and pitting them against Eastern Washington in Monday's first round.

The Vikings have done it both offensively and defensively during their recent win streak. Offense was the main theme Friday, when the Vikings closed the regular season with a 91-68 win over Sacramento State. The 91 points marked a season high for the Vikings in a Big Sky game, and stood as the Vikings' highest point total since the team scored 104 in their season opener against Multnomah.

All five Viking starters scored in double figures for the Vikings against the Hornets, while four of the team's five starters scored at least 16 points in the game. The inside and outside were both working for the Vikings Friday. Starting posts Tatiana Streun – 21 points, nine rebounds – and Jordan Stotler – a near triple-double with 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks – posted resurgent games on the inside, while the Vikings went 14-of-29 (.483) from the outside.

Stotler's eight blocks Friday put her one off the single-game record at Portland State, while she surpassed the single-season record for blocks during the game. Stotler now has 96 blocks this season after Friday, moving her past the old record of 94 that Courtney West set during the 2016-17 season. Stotler needs only four more blocks to become just the third player in Big Sky Conference history to record 100 in a season.

However, the better defensive effort for the Vikings actually came against Northern Arizona on Wednesda. The Vikings held NAU – one of the best offenses in the Big Sky – to 10 points below their season average in a 68-63 win in Flagstaff. NAU went just 22-of-61 (.361) from the field against the Vikings, while the Lumberjacks' Khiarica Rasheed – the Big Sky leader in field goal percentage (.511) who was averaging a conference-best 19.0 points per game in Big Sky play – went 4-of-19 (.211) individually.

The strong defense was a change from the Vikings' recent skid, when opponents shot 40 percent or better in seven straight losses for the Vikings. That streak ended when Weber State shot 39.6 percent (21-of-53) last Saturday, and the Vikings have held NAU (.361) and Sacramento State (.388) below 40 percent since then.

The Vikings had one of their worst defensive performances of the season in their last game against Eastern Washington, a 79-75 loss in Cheney on Feb. 15. The Vikings set a new program record with 15 three-pointers offensively in that game, but allowed Eastern Washington to shoot 28-of-54 (.519) from the field and 12-of-21 (.571) from three-point range.

Both teams figure to shoot a lot from three-point range again Monday. The Eagles rank third in the Big Sky with 8.0 three-pointers made per game, right behind the Vikings, who rank second in the league with 8.2 makes per game. The Eagles also feature the league's best three-point shooter in Jenna Dick, who leads the conference in percentage (.437) and went 6-of-8 from deep in the Eagles' earlier win over the Vikings. The Vikings, meanwhile, are 39-of-87 (.448) from three-point range over their last three games, and have made 10 or more three-pointers in three straight games.

The biggest difference Monday compared to the last game between the Vikings and Eagles could be in the number of minutes Stotler plays. Stotler played only seven minutes before fouling out in the Eagles' win over the Vikings in February. Compare that to the Vikings' 75-58 win over the Eagles on Jan. 4, when Stotler finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks in 28 minutes of action, and the difference is clear.

The differences between last year's Big Sky championship game against the Eagles and the first-round contest that awaits both teams Monday will also be clear. Instead of coming at the end of a March run, the Vikings hope a tournament win over the Eagles launches them into a string of victories this time around at the conference tournament.

PORTLAND STATE HISTORY AT BIG SKY TOURNAMENT

The Vikings are 12-10 all time in 12 appearances at the Big Sky tournament.
The Viking won the tournament for only the second time in program history last season. It was the Vikings' first tournament championship since the 2010 season.
Lynn Kennedy is 7-3 at the Big Sky tournament as the Vikings' head coach. His teams have made the semifinals or better in each of the past three seasons.

A WIN WOULD…

Give the Vikings at least one win at the Big Sky tournament for the fourth straight season.
Assure the Vikings of at least a .500 record for the third straight season.
See the Vikings face No. 2-seeded Idaho at 4:30 p.m. (PT) / 5:30 p.m. (MT) in the Big Sky quarterfinals Tuesday.

GAME NOTES: #7 PORTLAND STATE (15-15, 9-11) vs. #10 EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES (4-25, 3-17)

LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
DETAILS: Monday, March 9, Approx. 4 p.m. (PT) / 5 p.m. (MT), Boise, Idaho (CenturyLink Arena)
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eastern Washington Eagles won two games in a row in the middle of February, snapping a 12-game losing streak with a 79-75 win over the Vikings on Feb. 15, and a 78-73 win over Sacramento State on Feb. 20. The Eagles have followed up with five straight losses, however, including an 83-77 overtime loss to last-place Weber State Friday in their regular-season finale. Four of the team's five losses to finish the regular season came by six points or less. Despite their struggles, the Eagles are one of the Big Sky's top three-point shooting teams, as they rank third in the conference with 8.0 makes per game, and rank fifth in the conference while shooting .340 from beyond the arc. The Eagles went 12-of-21 (.571) from three-point range while beating the Vikings on Feb. 15. The Vikings set a new program record with 15 three-pointers of their own in that game, but couldn't get a stop defensively as the Eagles shot 28-of-54 (.519) overall in the game. Five different players average 8.9 points per game or higher for the Eagles, with Grace Kirscher and Bella Cravens leading the way at 10.5 and 10.2 points per game, respectively. Cravens missed the Vikings' first game against the Eagles – a 75-58 win for the Vikings on Jan. 4 – but ranks second in the Big Sky with 8.6 rebounds per game. Jenna Dicks leads the Eagles with 2.3 three-pointers made per game this season, while Jessica McDowell-White and Kirscher follow with 2.0 and 1.8 makes per game, respectively. Dick leads the Big Sky while shooting 43.7 from three-point range this season, and went 6-of-8 from deep in the Eagles' win over the Vikings in mid-February.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Eagles snapped the Vikings' five-game winning streak in their all-time series with a 79-75 win in Cheney on Feb. 15. The Eagles lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 38-33, after that win. The teams have met four times at the Big Sky tournament, with the Vikings 3-1 in those games. The Vikings met in last season's Big Sky championship game, which Portland State won 61-59.

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

The Vikings closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak, beating Weber State (88-63, Feb. 29), Northern Arizona (68-63, March 4) and Sacramento State (91-68, March 6). The three-game winning streak immediately followed a seven-game losing streak, which the Vikings suffered from Jan. 31 to Feb. 27.
The 91 points the Vikings scored against Sacramento State Friday marked a season high for the Vikings in a Big Sky game this season. It was also the Vikings' highest point total overall since the scored 104 in their season opener against Multnomah on Nov. 5. All five Viking starters scored in double figures in the game, while the Vikings balanced great games by their starting post players – Tatiana Streun (21pts, 9rebs) and Jordan Stotler (16pts, 10rebs, 8blks) – with a 14-of-29 (.483) performance from three-point range.
Defense led the Vikings to their win over Northern Arizona Wednesday, as the Vikings held NAU – one of the top offenses in the Big Sky this season – to 10 points below their average in their 68-63 win. The Vikings held NAU to 22-of-61 (.361) shooting from the field, while the Lumberjacks' Khiarica Rasheed – the Big Sky leader in field goal percentage (.511) who was averaging a conference-best 19.0 points per game in Big Sky play – went 4-of-19 (.211) individually.
The Vikings' last three opponents have all shot below 40 percent, just the opposite of the Vikings' recent seven-game losing streak when every opponent shot above 40 percent, and three shot above 50.
Sophomore guard Desirae Hansen has scored in double figures in 10 straight games, as well as 17 of the Vikings' 20 Big Sky games. Hansen had a string of three straight 20-point games snapped Friday at Sacramento State, but still finished with 16 points, eight assists and three rebounds against the Hornets. Hansen set a new career high in back-to-back games before that, scoring 24 against Weber State on Feb. 29, and then following with 25 against Northern Arizona on March 4.
Senior forward Jordan Stotler broke the single-season program record for blocks while recording eight against Sacramento State Friday. Stotler now has 96 blocks this season, putting her two ahead of the old record of 94 that Courtney West set during the 2016-17 season. Stotler needs only four more blocks to become just the third player in Big Sky Conference history to record 100 in a season.
Stotler leads the Big Sky and ranks fifth in the nation with 3.2 blocks per game.
The Vikings went 14-of-29 (.483) from three-point range in Friday's win over Sacramento State, the third straight game in which the Vikings have hit at least 10 three-pointers. The Vikings are 39-of-87 (.448) from deep over their past three games. Hansen and junior guard Kylie Jimenez, meanwhile, have each hit at least three three-pointers in the past four games, and are 16-of-35 (.457) and 14-of-29 (.483) from deep, respectively, over that stretch.
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank 16th in the nation with a three-point field goal percentage of .367 this season. The .367 mark would set a new Big Sky-era program record if the season ended today, as the current record stands at .359, set during the 2017-18 season.
Four different Vikings average more than one three-pointer a game in Jimenez (2.1), Belle Frazier (1.9), Hansen (1.8) and Cassidy Gardner (1.3). Jimenez, Frazier and Hansen all rank in the top 15 of the Big Sky for makes per game, coming in fifth, 10th and 13th, respectively. Jimenez is the only one of the group to meet the minimum to be ranked in percentage, as she ranks fourth in the Big Sky and 72nd in the nation while shooting .368 from three-point range.
The Vikings lead the Big Sky and rank sixth in the nation with a team free throw percentage of .788. Jimenez leads the Big Sky with an .855 individual free throw percentage, while Hansen and Tatiana Streun rank fourth and eighth in the league, respectively, at .807 and .793. Eight different Vikings shoot 75 percent or better from the line.
Hansen has hit 22 free throws in a row entering Monday's Big Sky tournament game.
The Vikings have out-rebounded two of their last three opponents after failing to do so in 14 straight games from Jan. 4 to Feb. 27. The Vikings snapped the streak while out-rebounding Weber State 35-33 on Feb. 29, and then out-rebounded Sacramento State 45-38 Friday.
Friday's balanced scoring was a return to form for the Viking offense, which has four players averaging at least 10 points a game while a fifth – Frazier – averages 9.6. Hansen leads the group while ranking fourth in the Big Sky with 14.0 points per game. Jimenez follows at 13th in the league with 12.6 points per game, while Streun ranks 18th with 12.0 points per game.
Streun led the Vikings with 21 points Friday, recording her most points in a game since scoring a career-high 30 against Montana on Jan. 13. Streun also grabbed nine rebounds Friday, her most rebounds in a game since finishing with 11 against Weber State on Jan. 20.
Jimenez ranks third in the Big Sky and 37th in the nation with 2.4 steals per game. Jimenez has three or more steals in four of the Vikings' past six games, and tied a career high with eight steals in the Vikings' game against Southern Utah on Feb. 8.
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

The balanced scoring in Friday's win over Sacramento State was a return to form for the Viking offense after Desirae Hansen and Kylie Jimenez had carried the bulk of the load against Northern Arizona. Two days after Hansen and Jimenez combined to score 47 of the Vikings' 68 points against NAU, all five starters finished in double figures while four of the five finished with at least 16 points. Tatiana Streun led the Vikings with 21 points, her most points in a game since scoring a career-high 30 against Montana on Jan. 13. Jordan Stotler also had 16 points for her second double-digit scoring game in the past three games after not reaching double figures in seven of the previous eight games. All told, four Vikings average in double figures this season, while a fifth – freshman Belle Frazier – upped her average to 9.6 points per game after scoring 17 Friday against Sacramento State. Hansen, who has scored in double figures in 10 straight games and 17 of the team's 20 Big Sky games, leads the Vikings while ranking fourth in the Big Sky with 14.0 points per game. Jimenez ranks 13th in the Big Sky with 12.6 points per game, and has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 12 games. Streun moved up to 18th in the Big Sky with 12.0 points per game after Friday, while Stotler increased her average to 10.0. Cassidy Gardner leads the Vikings' bench players with 5.1 points per game.

STREAKY PLAY

The biggest indication of the Vikings' youth this season has been the team's streaky play. That's been especially in focus recently, as the Vikings followed a seven-game losing streak with a three-game winning streak to close the regular season. The Vikings also won five of seven games before their seven-game losing streak, after losing three in a row at the end of December. Before that December losing streak, the Vikings won five in a row during non-conference play, which followed three straight losses in November. Only two wins this season haven't come as part of a two-game or longer winning streak for the Vikings. Additionally, the Vikings have snapped a losing streak after only one game just twice this season.

DEPTH FROM DEEP

The Vikings broke a program record that had stood since Dec. 29, 2007, with 15 three-pointers against Eastern Washington on Feb. 15. Two weeks later, the Vikings matched the record with 15 three-pointers against Weber State, and have been on fire from three-point range ever since that game. The Vikings are 39-of-87 (.448) from three-point range over their last three games, and were 14-of-29 (.483) from deep against Sacramento State Friday. Desirae Hansen and Kylie Jimenez have been on fire individually, as they have each hit at least three three-pointers in the past four games. Hansen is 16-of-35 (.457) from deep over the Vikings' last four games, while Jimenez is 14-of-29 (.483) over the same stretch. The Vikings are shooting .367 from three-point range overall this season, giving them the Big Sky lead in the category and ranking them 16th in the nation. The .367 mark would set a new Big Sky-era program record if the season ended today, as the current record stands at .359, set during the 2017-18 season. Four different Vikings average more than one three-pointer a game in Jimenez (2.1), Belle Frazier (1.9), Hansen (1.8) and Cassidy Gardner (1.3). Jimenez, Frazier and Hansen all rank in the top 15 of the Big Sky for makes per game, coming in fifth, 10th and 13th, respectively. Jimenez is the only one of the group to meet the minimum to be ranked in percentage, as she ranks fourth in the Big Sky and 72nd in the nation while shooting .368 from three-point range.

MONEY FROM THE LINE

The Vikings went 9-of-9 from the free throw line last Saturday against Weber State, the second time this season that the Vikings have gone through a whole game without a miss. Free throw shooting has been a weapon for the Vikings throughout the season, as they lead the Big Sky and rank sixth in the nation while shooting .788 as a team from the line. Eight different Vikings shoot 75 percent or better, including all five of the Vikings' regular starters. Kylie Jimenez leads the Big Sky with an individual free throw percentage of .855, while Desirae Hansen and Tatiana Streun rank fourth and eighth in the league, respectively, at .807 and .793. Hansen has hit 22 straight free throws entering Monday's first-round game at the Big Sky tournament.

RECENT BREAKTHROUGHS ON DEFENSE, REBOUNDING

The Vikings played their best defensive game in some time Wednesday, holding Northern Arizona – one of the best offenses in the Big Sky – to 10 points below their season average in a 68-63 win. The Vikings held NAU to 22-of-61 (.361) shooting from the field, while the Lumberjacks' Khiarica Rasheed – the Big Sky leader in field goal percentage (.511) who was averaging a conference-best 19.0 points per game in Big Sky play – went 4-of-19 (.211) individually. The strong defense was a change from the Vikings' recent skid, when opponents shot 40 percent or better in seven straight losses for the Vikings. That streak ended when Weber State shot 39.6 percent (21-of-53) last Saturday, and the Vikings have held NAU (.361) and Sacramento State (.388) below 40 percent since then. The Vikings also broke through on the boards against Weber State, out-rebounding the Wildcats 35-33 to snap a streak of 14 straight games in which they had failed to out-rebound an opponent. The Vikings also out-rebounded Sacramento State 45-38 Friday, improving the Vikings' record when they win the rebounding battle to 8-0 this season.

BIG-SHOT DES TURNING INTO HOT-HAND HANSEN

Sophomore guard Desirae Hansen set a new career high in back-to-back games, scoring 24 points against Weber State last Saturday and following with 25 points against Northern Arizona Wednesday. Hansen played more a distributor role against the Sacramento State Friday, though she still finished with 16 points to go with eight assists. Hansen has scored 10-plus points in 10 straight games, as well as 17 of the Vikings' 20 Big Sky games. Hansen had three straight 20-point games before finishing with 16 against Sacramento State Friday. The Vikings' sophomore guard has been especially hot from beyond the arc, totaling 16 three-pointers over the Vikings' last four games. Hansen has averaged 21.75 points, 5.25 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.75 steals per game over the Vikings' last four games, while making 4.0 three-pointers per game during that stretch. Hansen has recorded 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists seven times this season, and added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals to her career-high 25 points Wednesday against Northern Arizona. Hansen ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 14.0 points per game overall this season, and also ranks fourth in free throw percentage (.807), 13th in three-pointers made per game (1.8), sixth in assists per game (4.2), 12th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3) and 15th in minutes played per game (30.7).

"I AM IRON WOMAN" – KYLIE JIMENEZ

Junior guard Kylie Jimenez played all 40 minutes while scoring 19 of her 22 points in the second half Wednesday against Northern Arizona. It was the eighth time this season – sixth in Big Sky play – that Jimenez has played all 40 minutes, as she ranks second in the Big Sky and 32nd in the nation while playing 36.7 minutes played per game. Jimenez has been about more than her durability of late, however, as she's scored in double figures in 11 of the Vikings' last 12 games, and has two 20-point games in that stretch. Jimenez surpassed 1,000-career points against Weber State last Saturday, becoming the program's 19th member of the 1,000-point club early in the first quarter when she hit her second three-pointer of the game. Jimenez has 23 three-pointers over the Vikings' last seven games, giving her an average of 3.29 makes per game in that stretch. Jimenez ranks fourth in the Big Sky and 72nd in the nation while shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range this season, and also ranks fifth in the conference with 2.1 makes per game. Jimenez's recent hot streak has moved her up to 13th in the Big Sky with 12.6 points per game, and she also leads the conference while shooting 85.5 percent from the line. Additionally, Jimenez has three or more steals in four of the Vikings' past six games, moving her up to third in the Big Sky and 37th in the nation with 2.4 steals per game. Jimenez also ranks fourth in the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0), and ranks seventh in the conference with 4.1 assists per game.

STOTLER SETS SINGLE-SEASON BLOCKS RECORD

Senior forward Jordan Stotler broke the single-season program record for blocks while recording eight against Sacramento State Friday. Stotler now has 96 blocks this season, putting her two ahead of the old record of 94 that Courtney West set during the 2016-17 season. Stotler needs only four more blocks to become just the third player in Big Sky Conference history to record 100 in a season. Stotler leads the Big Sky and ranks fifth in the nation with 3.2 blocks per game. Stotler had 61 blocks over a 13-game stretch earlier in the season, a run that started after she tied the single-game program record with nine blocks against Tennessee on Dec. 21. Stotler has three or more blocks in 16 games this season, and has nine games with five or more blocks. Additionally, Stotler now has 142 blocks in her career, ranking her second only to West in the Portland State record books despite playing only two years on the Park Blocks.

GET YOUR OWN TOTS!

Redshirt junior Tatiana Streun – nicknamed tots – had a resurgent game while leading the Vikings with 21 points and adding nine rebounds Friday against Sacramento State. Streun's 21 points were her most in a game since she scored a career-high 30 points against Montana on Jan. 13. Streun's nine rebounds also marked her most since she had 11 against Weber State on Jan. 20. Streun 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 six double-doubles this season, with the last coming when she had 15 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high five assists against Weber State on Jan. 20. Streun's career-high 30 points against Montana, meanwhile, came on 10-of-14 shooting from the field and 10-of-13 from the free throw line. Streun also finished with nine rebounds and four steals in that game. For the season, Streun ranks 18th in the Big Sky with 12.0 points per game, and also ranks eighth in the conference with 6.8 rebounds per game. Streun has been especially effective at getting to the free throw line this season, as she ranks 86th in the nation with 107 free throws made. Streun ranks eighth in the Big Sky for free throw percentage (.793), and also ranks among the Big Sky leaders for defensive rebounds (8th, 4.8) and offensive rebounds (9th, 2.0) per game.

DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF US IS BELLE

Freshman Belle Frazier had just one three-pointer through the first 19 minutes of Friday's game against Sacramento State. In the five minutes of game time since then, Frazier hit four shots from deep as she helped the Vikings extend their lead in an eventual 91-68 win over the Hornets. Frazier finished with five three-pointers, tying a career high and giving Frazier her highest point total (17) since she led the Vikings with 17 points against Idaho State on Jan. 18. Frazier ranks 10th in the Big Sky with 1.9 three-pointers made per game overall this season. Additionally, Frazier ranks 11th in the Big Sky with 1.5 steals per game, and stands 11th in the conference with 31.7 minutes played per game.

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.
Jan. 4, Portland State 75, Eastern Washington 58: The Eagles started 2-of-32 from the field while the Vikings led by double digits for the final 31 minutes of their win over Eastern Washington. The Vikings, meanwhile, tied a program record with 13 three-pointers, with six different players hitting at least one shot from deep. Freshman Belle Frazier led the way from beyond the arc while hitting a career-high five on only seven shots from deep.
Jan. 13, Portland State 78, Montana 65: Tatiana Streun led the Vikings with a career-high 30 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field while going 10-of-13 from the free throw line and adding nine rebounds and four steals. Jordan Stotler nearly recorded a triple-double in the game with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists – not to mention the six blocks she had against the Lady Griz.
Jan. 18, Portland State 69, Idaho State 64: The Vikings snapped a 16-game losing streak to Idaho State while winning their first game against the Bengals since Jan. 17, 2011, and their first road game against ISU since Jan. 10, 2009. Freshmen Belle Frazier and Cassidy Gardner led the way with 17 and 13 points, respectively, for the Vikings while combining to go 7-of-12 from beyond the arc.
Jan. 20, Portland State 76, Weber State 57: The Vikings completed only their second Big Sky road weekend sweep since 2012 with a win over the Wildcats. Posts Jordan Stotler and Tatiana Streun each had double-doubles against the Wildcats. Stotler finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks, while Streun recorded 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Desirae Hansen also had a perfect shooting night, going 4-of-4 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free throw line while scoring 17 points.
Jan. 25, Portland State 66, Montana State 54: The Vikings overcame a 13-2 deficit while outscoring NAU 31-10 over the rest of the first half. The Vikings trailed 22-15 early in the second quarter, but closed the half on an 18-1 run to take a 33-23 lead into halftime.
Feb. 15, Eastern Washington 79, Portland State 75: The Vikings broke a program record with 15 three-pointers against the Eagles, surpassing the old record of 13 which had stood since Dec. 29, 2007. Kylie Jimenez and Cassidy Gardner led the way with five and four three-pointers, respectively.
Feb. 29, Portland State 88, Weber State 63: The Vikings snapped a seven-game losing streak while tying a program record with 15 three-pointers in a win over Weber State. Junior guard Kylie Jimenez surpassed 1,000 career points in the win, making her the 19th player in program history to reach the milestone.
March 4, Portland State 68, Northern Arizona 63: The Vikings won their first road game since Jan. 20, while holding NAU – one of the top offenses in the Big Sky this season – to 10 points below their season average. Desirae Hansen and Kylie Jimenez led the Vikings with 25 and 22 points, respectively, while trading off leading the Vikings between both halves. Hansen scored 19 of the Vikings' 32 points in the first half against NAU, while Jimenez scored 19 of the team's 36 points in the second half.
March 6, Portland State 91, Sacramento State 68: The Vikings finished with their highest point total in Big Sky play this season (91), as well as their most points since scoring 104 against Multnomah in their season opener. Senior forward Jordan Stotler broke the single-season program record for blocks during the game while finishing one off the single-game record with eight blocks against the Hornets.