PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland State women's basketball team fought Saturday. The Vikings came out fighting, winning a back-and-forth first quarter, 20-19. They fought again with a 10-1 run in the second quarter that answered a 13-0 start to the period for Montana.
 
But when Montana went on another run out of halftime, the Vikings didn't have the stuff to narrow the gap again, as the Lady Griz pulled away in the second half for a 76-55 win over the Vikings at Viking Pavilion.
 
"I like how we competed in the first half. We've got to continue to clean up some mental mistakes and make the adjustments needed. Overall, we need to continue to focus on us and what we can do to get better, consistently. Not just for a quarter, not just for two quarters, but to be able to put a whole game together," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said of the game.
 
The Vikings (5-17, 0-14 Big Sky) were a bit unlucky in the third quarter, as several close shots somehow rimmed out. That allowed the Lady Griz (16-8, 9-6 Big Sky) to go on an extended 17-3 run at the start of the period that gave them a 20-point lead at 53-33 with 5:22 remaining. The Vikings didn't get closer than 15 points for the rest of the game.
 
"You've got to be able to make shots. That's part of it. You can stop a run if you make layups," Gregg said of responding to Montana's run in the game. "We have 100 percent belief in these girls and this team that they can turn around and make a change. We can continue to get better every day, but it's got to be a choice. It's got to be a daily choice to continue to work hard and continue to work on us.
 
"Down the stretch, we can make a run. We are capable of being in games, but we have to lock in at key times. Not just at the start, or when we're making shots, but all the time."
 
The Vikings made it a game in the second quarter, working their way out of a slump to start the period to get back in it before hafltime. The Vikings' first nine shots of the second quarter rimmed out while Montana scored the first 13 points of the quarter to take a 32-20 lead with 3:26 remaining before halftime.
 
Mia 'Uhila provided the needed spark off the bench for the Vikings. 'Uhila, who finished with a career-high 15 points, scored the next eight for the Vikings to jumpstart the Viking offense. 'Uhila started her one-woman run with an old-fashioned three-point play, then capped it with a three-point shot from the right wing. Alaya Fitzgerald followed 'Uhila's three with a steal-and-score on Montana's next possession, making it a three-point game again at 33-30 with 1:28 remaining before half.
 
The Vikings even had a chance to extend the run further, as they got the ball back with the chance to tie or cut the deficit to one. But Montana got a stop and then hit a three-pointer of its own to take a 36-30 lead into the break.
 
The Vikings couldn't find the same spark after Montana's run in the third quarter. The Lady Griz scored 11 straight to open the second half before Esmeralda Morales got the Vikings on the board with a three-pointer, again from the right wing. But the Vikings still finished the third quarter 3-of-12 (.250) from the field, while Montana shot 8-of-14 (.571) in the period.
 
Overall, Montana outshot the Vikings .536-to-.327, and out-rebounded the Vikings 39-to-26.
 
The Vikings got their strength from forcing turnovers, as they swiped 12 steals Saturday, tying a season-high they set way back in their first two games of the season. Savannah Dhaliwal and Jada Lewis led the Vikings with three steals each, while seven different players recorded at least one steal.
 
The Vikings also went 8-of-21 (.381) from three-point range, with the eight makes marking their most in a game since they also had eight against Northern Arizona on Jan. 29. However, the Vikings were just 10-of-34 (.294) from inside the arc.
 
'Uhila led the Vikings with her career-high 15 points, which came on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor, 2-of-3 from three-point range and 5-of-5 from the line.
 
"Just her attitude and how she carried herself was great. And for her to be able to provide us with some scoring was really key," Gregg said of 'Uhila.
 
Fitzgerald followed 'Uhila with 10 points, the 10th time in the Vikings' past 13 games that Fitzgerald has scored in double figures. She also added four assists and two steals to her 10 points.
 
Morales and Lewis chipped in nine and eight points, respectively, while Lewis tied for the game-high with seven rebounds, including two on the offensive glass.
 
The Vikings will need to sustain the fighting spirit they showed at times Saturday, when they face Montana State – one of the top three teams in the Big Sky standings – Monday at Viking Pavilion. Tipoff between the Vikings and Bobcats is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 21-53 all-time against the Lady Griz with Saturday's loss…Dhaliwal had five rebounds, all of which were on the offensive glass…Six different players for the Lady Griz had at least eight points, including three in double figures.