PORTLAND, Ore. — Non-conference play in late February? In 2020-21, anything is possible. After Monday, the Portland State women's basketball team may look to make it a regular thing. The Vikings beat Warner Pacific 66-30 Monday at Viking Pavilion, setting a couple defensive records in the process.
 
The 30 points allowed marked the fewest for the Vikings during the program's Big Sky era (1996-97), as well as the lowest total for an opponent since the Vikings gave up 28 points to the University of Oregon during the 1975-76 season. The Vikings (9-9) also held the Knights to 18.8 percent (12-of-64) shooting Monday, the lowest mark since game-by-game records date back through the 2006-07 season.
 
The Vikings also grabbed 61 rebounds against the Knights, their most since grabbing 65 in a win over Pacific Union on Nov. 20, 2016.
 
"We didn't get these types of games early on, with us not playing and Warner Pac not playing. So, it was a chance for both teams to work on some execution and getting some players who usually don't get minutes in. I thought it worked out really well for both teams," head coach Lynn Kennedy said after the game.
 
"For us, I liked how we extended our lead in the second half. That allowed us to get a lot of people some minutes and work on the execution on the offensive end, reading their players and understanding where we should attack. Defensively, I thought we locked in, especially during the first half. I thought we did a good job with our intensity."
 
No Viking played more than 26 minutes Monday, while Labrea Denson and Ruchae Walton both set season highs for minutes. Ironically, the player who played the least in the game was Kylie Jimenez. The senior guard came into the game leading the Big Sky with 37.9 minutes played per game, but played for all of nine minutes, 23 seconds against the Knights.
 
Fifth-year senior Tatiana Streun finished with more points than minutes played Monday, as she tied sophomore Jada Lewis with a game-high 12 points despite playing only 11 minutes, 23 seconds. Streun went 6-of-8 from the field Monday, and added eight rebounds (five offensive) and two steals. 
 
"Tots, I thought, did a great job, especially in the first half, of creating a scoring threat with her cuts and back-side post-ups as well as getting those offensive rebounds," Kennedy said of Streun.
 
Streun scored six points at the end of a 13-0 Viking run that gave them complete control early, up 19-2. Streun also scored back-to-back baskets to cap a 10-3 run out of the gates in the second half that put the Vikings up 41-16.
 
Lewis started that run with a three-pointer on the Vikings' first possession of the second half, as she found her shooting stroke in the third quarter. Lewis hit three of her four triples in the game during the third period, returning to form after a couple of tough shooting games against Idaho last weekend. Lewis went 4-of-8 from three-point range Monday, only a couple of days after she went a combined 3-of-15 across both games against the Vandals.
 
Freshman Nakia Boston didn't need to find her stroke again after she had maybe the strongest weekend of any Viking against the Vandals. Boston continued that hot play Monday, scoring in double figures for the third straight game while chipping in 10 points to go with four rebounds (all offensive), four assists and three steals.
 
"Nakia had a little bit of a set back with her ankle a couple weeks ago, but now she's really starting to make strides and create things for us. I liked her intensity on defense and then she was able to attack their zone, reading the defense and hitting some shooters on the backside, too," Kennedy said of Boston.
 
No other Viking scored more than six points Monday, while all but two of the Vikings' 13 dressed players scored against the Knights. Walton and Morgan Baird both chipped in six points for the Vikings, with Walton's six matching the career high she set at Montana earlier this month on Feb. 6.
 
Walton's first bucket came at the end of a 23-4 opening quarter for the Vikings, when they held the Knights to only 2-of-16 (.125) shooting from the field. The Vikings played a similar quarter in the third, when they extended their lead out of reach of the Knights. The Vikings out-scored the Knights 20-7 in the third period, and held them to just 2-of-15 (.133) from the field.
 
The Vikings would have liked to shoot the ball better Monday night, as they finished 27-of-78 (.346), as well as 6-of-31 (.194) from three-point range.
 
The Vikings will take that in exchange of the extra minutes they were able to give players further down the bench, however. Of the Vikings' bench players, Reilly Kelty set new career highs for rebounds (7) and steals (3) while chipping in five points and two blocks. Marina Canzobre also set a new season high with five rebounds, while fellow Spaniard Itziar Ugarte set a new career high with five points.
 
"Hopefully we can carry this over into March and keep using these players in key moments," Kennedy said of his team's bench.
 
The Vikings will face the Knights again Sunday, but before then, the Vikings will host Northern Colorado as they return to Big Sky play Thursday and Saturday. The Vikings tip off at 7 p.m. Thursday against the Bears, and follow up with a 12 p.m. tip Saturday.
 
If those games go well, then the Vikings will be thankful all over again for the rare late February non-conference game they got Monday.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings improved to 2-1 all-time in their series against Warner Pacific…Monday's game counted as an exhibition game for the Knights, who hadn't played or practiced much beforehand due to not receiving a waiver from Governor Kate Brown until less than two weeks ago…With eight rebounds Monday, Streun has 592 now in her career, leaving her 20 shy of matching Hiedi Hatcher (1997-01) for 10th all-time at Portland State.