BOZEMAN, Mont. — Two second-half runs proved the difference Thursday, as Montana State separated itself from Portland State late in a 64-52 win for the Bobcats at Worthington Arena.
 
Otherwise, the Vikings played even with the defending Big Sky tournament champions. That's a promising sign as the Vikings opened a four-game road trip Thursday.
 
An 11-3 run of their own gave the Vikings a 35-31 lead midway through the third quarter. Three three-pointers from three different Vikings capped the run, as Jada Lewis, Sofía Llanos and Esmeralda Morales all connected from the outside. But the Bobcats immediately responded with a 16-2 spurt that gave them the first double-digit lead of the game at 47-37 with 8:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.
 
The Vikings got back within five at 52-47 after a three-point play from Rhema Ogele with 4:20 remaining, but the Bobcats scored 12 of the next 14 points to put the game away.
 
"Proud of our fight and of our players stepping up for us while we're short-handed," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said after the game. "Too many turnovers and we weren't able to get to the line tonight. Really an MSU run in the fourth was the difference in the game."
 
Turnovers limited the Vikings' chances at a comeback. The Vikings (9-9, 4-4 Big Sky) knew that would be a key coming into Thursday, as the Bobcats (14-7, 7-2 Big Sky) entered the game leading the conference in turnovers forced per game (17.8), while ranking second in turnover margin (+4.15).
 
Thursday night, the Bobcats forced the Vikings into 19 turnovers, which turned into 18 points for the Bobcats. Eleven of the Vikings' 19 turnovers came in the first half when the Vikings were forced to use a lot of different ball handlers after Morales and Alaya Fitzgerald each picked up two early fouls. Morales picked up her second foul with 7:50 to go in the second quarter and sat for the rest of the first half.
 
But the Vikings still scored 16 points of their own off of Montana State's 13 turnovers. The bigger discrepancy between the two teams came at the free throw line. The Bobcats went 16-of-20 from the line while the Vikings were just 2-of-2. The Vikings' two free throw attempts didn't come until midway through the fourth quarter.
 
In the second quarter alone, nine of the Bobcats' 11 points in the period came from the line. That helped the Bobcats maintain a three-point lead going into halftime despite shooting just 1-of-12 (.083) from the field in the second quarter.
 
The Vikings weren't shooting much better, though, as they finished the first half just 9-of-26 (.346) from the field.
 
Both teams shot better in the second half. The Vikings got rolling early in the third quarter, going 4-of-8 from three-point range in the period with three different players connecting from the outside. But the Bobcats nearly matched the Vikings from the outside, going 3-of-4 from deep in the third quarter – two of which immediately answered threes from the Vikings.
 
The Bobcats stayed hot in the fourth quarter, as they shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) overall in the second half after shooting just 25.0 percent (7-of-28) in the first. The Vikings, meanwhile, couldn't maintain their level from the outside either, going 1-of-8 from three-point range in the fourth quarter.
 
Morales and Lewis tied for the team lead with 11 points each, while Fitzgerald added nine. But the three of them were also a combined 12-of-40 from the field. Others stepped up for the Vikings, as seven of the eight players who played Thursday scored in the game. All seven scored at least four points, while six Vikings also finished with at least four rebounds. Lewis, Ogele and Cinco McCartney all tied for the team lead with six rebounds apiece.
 
The Vikings will need all hands on deck again Saturday, when they continue on the road at Montana at 1 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. MT. The Lady Griz will carry momentum into that one after they came back from 14 down in the second half to beat league-leading Sacramento State, 81-77, Thursday.
 
But the Vikings knew these games would be tough going into their four-game road trip. Thursday night, the Vikings didn't have enough in the end, but it's just one of four. The next chance comes Saturday.
 
"Short memory," Gregg said of turning around and facing the Lady Griz. "We've got to learn from [tonight] and be ready to go on Saturday.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 30-41 all time against the Bobcats with Thursday's loss…The Bobcats have won six of their last seven games against the Vikings, including their last three in Bozeman…The Vikings had won four of their last five coming into Thursday…Lewis went 3-of-9 from three-point range, giving the senior her most makes from three-point range in a Big Sky game this season…Lewis had been just 7-of-35 from three-point range within Big Sky play entering Thursday.