Complete game notes (PDF)
 

TIPOFF

The keys to Thursday night's game against Eastern Washington (6 p.m. tip) will be no secret for the Portland State women's basketball team.
 
Start fast.
 
And take care of the ball.
 
Both likely go hand-in-hand, but the first key – starting fast – has been the most pressing issue recently. Slow starts have hurt the Vikings in their three most recent losses. Even the Vikings' 83-45 win over Evergreen on Dec. 20 was still just an eight-point game at halftime.
 
The Vikings' first-quarter stats reflect their slow starts. Over the Vikings' last four games, they're shooting just 14-of-48 (.292) combined in the first quarter. Additionally, in the Vikings' three most recent losses, they've turned the ball over at least five times in the first quarter of all three games.
 
Against Sacramento State Saturday, the Vikings' slow start put them in a hole they could never climb out of. The Vikings trailed 17-4 just over six minutes into the game and were behind 43-23 by halftime. They rebounded to play a solid second half in which they outshot the Hornets, .500-to-.233, and outscored them, 33-22, but the Vikings' slow start meant it went for nought.
 
So, start fast.
 
Taking care of the ball against an Eastern Washington team that comes into Thursday leading the Big Sky in most of the ball control categories might be the tougher task.
 
From the Eagles' perspective, they come into their game against the Vikings ranked in the top 15 of the nation in both assist-to-turnover ratio (1.30) and turnovers per game (12.1). They also rank 30th nationally in turnover margin (+5.08) while leading the Big Sky and ranking 67th in the NCAA with 15.7 assists per game.
 
Individually, Jamie Loera ranks third in the conference in both assists per game (4.33) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.00). Loera also leads the conference while ranking 62nd in the nation with 2.42 steals per game this season.
 
Of course, the Vikings have been strong on the ball themselves. They rank tied for the Big Sky lead with 10.0 steals per game while ranking third in the conference in turnover margin (+1.64). Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila rank second and fourth, respectively, with 2.36 and 1.91 steals per game, individually.
 
As a team, the Vikings are forcing opponents into 17.4 turnovers per game this season, ranking third in the Big Sky in the category. Considering that the Eagles are giving up just over 12 turnovers per game, something is going to have to give there on Thursday.
 
If the turnover battle goes the Vikings' way Thursday, then it would go a long way towards slowing down what has been a high-scoring Eagle offense this season. The Eagles have scored 80+ points in five games already this season, and rank third in the conference with 71.6 points per game.
 
One of the Eagles' 80-point games came against Boise State, which they beat 83-74 on the road on Nov. 11. The Vikings also played the Broncos during their non-conference schedule, but lost 71-61 on Nov. 20.
 
Both teams lost their Big Sky openers. The Eagles dropped two home games to Montana and Montana State, while the Vikings fell at home to the Hornets.
 
Of course, the Vikings know what they needed to do better against the Hornets.
 
Start fast.
 
Do that Thursday, and the Vikings will give themselves a better chance to win against the Eagles.
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (5-6, 0-1) vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON (7-5, 0-2)

GAME DETAILS: Thursday, Jan. 5, 6 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eastern Washington Eagles posted one of the better records during the non-conference schedule among Big Sky teams. The Eagles went 7-3, with two of their three losses coming to Oregon and Oregon State. The Eagles even played the Beavers, tough, as they lost by only seven points, 73-66. Three of the Eagles' wins during non-conference play came over teams the Vikings also played. Both the Eagles and Vikings beat Evergreen and Seattle U, while the Eagles also beat Boise State, 83-74, on the road on Nov. 11. The Vikings lost to the Broncos, 71-61, on Nov. 20. The Eagles opened Big Sky play last weekend with a pair of home losses to Montana (81-70) and Montana State (92-84). Statistically, the Eagles rank well both offensively and on the ball. Offensively, the Eagles stand third in the conference with 71.6 points per game, having scored 80 or more points in five of their 12 games so far this season. Jaydia Martin – last year's Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year – leads a group of four players in double figures for the Eagles. Martin ranks seventh in the conference with 14.3 points per game, while Jamie Loera (10.8 ppg), Aaliyah Alexander (10.4) and Jacinta Buckley (10.4) are all also in double figures. Jaleesa Lawrence has also averaged 8.8 points per game off the bench for the Eagles. The elite part of the Eagles' game, however, is their strength on the ball. The Eagles give up one of the fewest number of turnovers per game of any team in the nation. Opponents have only forced them into 12.1 turnovers per game on average, which ranks them first in the Big Sky and 11th in the nation. The Eagles lead the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.30), turnover margin (5.08) and assists per game (15.7). Additionally, the Eagles rank third in the Big Sky and 68th in the NCAA with 9.8 steals per game. Individually, Loera ranks third in the conference in both assists per game (4.33) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.00). Loera also leads the conference while ranking 62nd in the nation with 2.42 steals per game. Martin ranks seventh in the conference with 1.67 steals per game behind her, while Buckley ranks tied for 11th with 1.50 steals per game. Buckley has also given the Eagles a presence in the post, as she ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 7.33 rebounds per game, as well as tied for sixth in the conference with 1.00 blocks per game.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Eagles lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 42-35. They've won four of the last five in the series, including both games last season. The Vikings' last win in the series came via a 71-51 win in the first round of the 2021 Big Sky tournament in Boise, Idaho.
 

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

• The Vikings have dropped four of their last five games heading into Thursday. All four losses have been to Division I programs while their lone win during the stretch was an 83-45 win over Evergreen, a lower division school out of the NAIA, on Dec. 20.
• Slow starts have plagued the Vikings recently. In their last four games, the Vikings are a combined 14-of-48 (.292) from the field in the first quarter.
• Turnovers have been part of the problem in the Vikings' slow starts. In their losses to Portland on Dec. 10 and New Mexico State on Dec. 17, the Vikings committed seven turnovers in the first quarter of each game. This past Saturday, the Vikings committed five turnovers in the first quarter of their loss to Sacramento State.
• The Vikings set season highs for points (83), rebounds (41), rebounding margin (+13, assists (23 on 27 field goals) and three-pointers (13) in their win over Evergreen.
• Jada Lewis was held to just one made three-pointer for the second time in the Vikings' past three games. She had been on a run of four straight games with four or more three-pointers before that. Lewis still leads the Big Sky while ranking 11th in the NCAA with 3.00 three-pointers made per game.
• Esmeralda Morales broke out of a shooting slump by going 4-of-6 from three-point range against Evergreen. She came into the game just 1-of-11 from three-point range over the previous three games. For the season, Morales ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 37th in the NCAA with 2.73 three-pointers per game.
• Esmeralda Morales and Jada Lewis are both shooting 39.8 percent or better from three-point range. Morales leads the Big Sky while ranking 22nd in the NCAA while shooting 46.9 percent from deep. That's only one percentage point behind the current single-season record of 47.0 percent that P.J. Hall set during the 1993-94 season.
• As a team, the Vikings lead the Big Sky while ranking 24th in the NCAA with a three-point field goal percentage of 36.7 percent. They also rank fifth in the Big Sky and 61st in the NCAA with 7.64 makes per game.
• Jada Lewis had a streak of eight straight games with 10+ points snapped last Saturday, as Sacramento State held her to five points. Lewis is still averaging a career-best 12.8 per game this season, ranking her 11th in the Big Sky. Her previous best scoring average came last season when she averaged 10.0 points per game as a junior.
• Esmeralda Morales has scored in double figures in nine of the team's 11 games, including five games with 19+ points, and now ranks sixth in the Big Sky with 15.3 points per game. That's three points more than she averaged as a freshman when she led the Vikings with 12.5 points per game.
• The Vikings rank tied for the Big Sky lead and 58th in the nation with 10.0 steals per game. They have forced at least 16 turnovers in eight of their 11 games, while recording at least 10 steals six times.
• The Vikings rank third in the Big Sky and 98th in the NCAA for scoring defense, giving up only 59.7 points per game. The Vikings have held six of their 11 opponents to 60 points or under.
• Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila rank second and fourth in the Big Sky, respectively, with 2.36 and 1.91 steals per game.
• Esmeralda Morales has played every minute in five games this season. She played all 45 minutes of the Vikings' 80-73 overtime win over Seattle U on Nov. 17. She leads the conference while also ranking third in the NCAA with 37.8 minutes played per game.
• Esmeralda Morales ranks in the top 15 of the Big Sky in nine different statistical categories so far this season.
• Jada Lewis passed Sidney Rielly (2016-19) for sixth on the all-time career list for made three-pointers with her five makes against Fresno State on Dec. 1. Lewis now has 158 makes in her PSU career. She needs 25 more to pass Karrin Wilson (1996-2000) for fifth all time.
• Nakia Boston returned to play after going 651 between games, checking into the Vikings' game against Evergreen in the third quarter on Dec. 20. She missed all of last season and part of this season due to an ankle injury.
• The Vikings chose "competitive," "hungry," and "family" as the three words to define their 2022-23 season. The players voted on the words at their team retreat in September.
• The Vikings are coming off a 2021-22 season in which they went 5-24 overall and 0-20 in Big Sky play. The Vikings started three freshmen in all but one game last season, while four of the team's top six scorers were freshmen. Esmeralda Morales, then a freshman, led the Vikings while ranking 11th in the Big Sky with 12.5 points per game last season. Her classmates Alaya Fitzgerald, Mia 'Uhila and Rhema Ogele followed with 9.3, 6.0 and 5.2 points per game, respectively.
• Head coach Chelsey Gregg enters her second year at the helm for the Vikings. Before becoming head coach, she spent the previous six seasons as first an assistant then an associate head coach for the Vikings.
• A season after they started three freshmen, the Vikings will still be young this season as they sport 10 underclassmen between three freshmen and seven sophomores (includes redshirts).

 

THREE-POINT SHOOTING

Jada Lewis and Esmeralda Morales have taken their three-point shooting to another level this season. The pair average 3.00 and 2.73 makes per game, respectively, while both are shooting 39.8 percent or better from beyond the arc. Lewis leads the Big Sky while ranking 11th in the NCAA with 3.00 three-pointers made per game. Morales, meanwhile, broke out of a three-game slump while going 4-of-6 from three-point range against Evergreen on Dec. 20. That was Morales' sixth game with at least four makes from three-point range, but her first in the Vikings' last four games at the time. She now ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 37th in the NCAA with 2.73 three-pointers made per game. Morales leads the Big Sky while ranking 22nd in the NCAA for percentage, despite her recent slump, as she's shooting 46.9 percent from three-point range. Lewis isn't far behind her, either. She ranks fifth in the Big Sky and 85th in the NCAA while shooting 39.8 percent from deep. Both players were held to only one three-pointer against Sacramento State last Saturday. Even still, their consistency has been much improved over the course of this season. Lewis has hit at least four three-pointers in five of the team's last seven games. A year ago, Lewis had seven games in which she hit 4+ threes but also had 13 games in which she was held to one or less. Morales already has more games with four or more three-pointers (6) than she had all of last season. As a team, the Vikings lead the Big Sky while ranking 24th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.367). They also rank fifth in the conference and 61st nationally in three-pointers made per game (7.64).
 

MONEY FROM THE LINE

Free throw shooting nearly led the Vikings to a stolen win against New Mexico State on Dec. 17. With the Vikings struggling from the field, they scored their first 13 points of the game from the charity stripe and used their superior free throw shooting to nearly make up an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The Vikings followed by going 16-of-18 from the line against Evergreen on Dec. 20, making the team's free throw shooting one of their best weapons this season. The Vikings head into this weekend ranked third in the Big Sky and 61st in the nation while shooting 75.1 percent from the line as a team. Four of the team's five starters are shooting 74.0 percent or better from the line. Only Esmeralda Morales at 74.3 percent qualifies for the conference rankings, but Jada Lewis (.889, 16-of-18), Alaya Fitzgerald (.870, 20-of-23) and Rhema Ogele (.846, 11-of-13) are all above 84.0 percent.
 

DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE

A season after the Vikings ranked last in the Big Sky and 322nd in the NCAA for scoring defense, they've shown vast improvements on the defensive end so far this season. Six of the Vikings' 10 non-conference opponents scored 60 or less, including both Utah Valley and Fresno State in the team's back-to-back wins against them on Nov. 26 and Dec. 1, respectively. Only three teams have scored more than 70 points against the Vikings, and one of those came in an overtime game against Seattle U on Nov. 17. The Vikings now sit third in the Big Sky and 98th in the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing just 59.7 points per game. Strong on-the-ball defense has led the way for the Vikings. They're forcing 17.4 turnovers per game, which ranks them third in the Big Sky. They also rank third in the conference with a positive turnover margin of 1.64.
 

SWIPING LEFT AND RIGHT

Gen Z knows how to swipe. Not just on their phones it turns out, as the Vikings have proven so far this season. The Vikings opened the year with 22 steals against Warner Pacific on Nov. 7, the program's most steals in a single game since they also had 22 in a win over Idaho on Dec. 20, 2006. They followed with 10+ steals in six of their 10 non-conference games, including 13 against Portland on Dec. 10. As a team, the Vikings now rank tied for the Big Sky lead and 58th in the NCAA with 10.0 steals per game. Individually, Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila rank second and fourth in the Big Sky, respectively, with 2.36 and 1.91 steals per game.
 

MORE OF MORALES, PLEASE

Esmeralda Morales was a captain in stature if not in name last season when she led the Vikings in scoring as a freshman. Now also a captain in name, Morales has continued to play like one as she scored 19+ points in five of the team's 10 non-conference games. She broke out of a mini slump with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting overall and 4-of-6 from three-point range against Evergreen on Dec. 20, then followed with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting against Sacramento State last Saturday. Overall, Morales has shown greater consistency as a sophomore. Her five games with 19+ points are already just two fewer than she had during all of last season. She's also hit at least four three-pointers in six games this season, more such games than she had last season. Statistically, she ranks in the top 15 of the Big Sky in nine different categories. She leads the conference in both three-point field goal percentage (.469) and minutes played per game (37.8), while also ranking sixth in scoring at 15.3 points per game. Outside of those categories, Morales ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.448), 10th in assists per game (3.09), 12th in free throw percentage (.743), second in steals per game (2.36), fifth in three-pointers made per game (2.73) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.21). Morales' 46.9-percent mark from three-point range stands just one percentage point off of the single-season school record in the category. P.J. Hall set the current record at 47.0 percent during the 1993-94 season.
 

JADA CAN KNOCK DOWN THE J's, DUH

Head coach Chelsey Gregg said Jada Lewis has ice in her veins after she hit four three-pointers in the fourth quarter to lead the Vikings past Fresno State on Dec. 1. But Lewis' heroics against the Bulldogs were just the latest example. She also came up big late in the Vikings' game against Seattle U on Nov. 17, converting a four-point play with 23.9 seconds left to force overtime. It's the consistency from Lewis this season that has made her so potent. She scored in double figures in eight straight games before being held to just five points against Sacramento State last season. The eight-straight double-digit scoring games marked the longest such streak of Lewis' career. It should come as no surprise, then, that Lewis is averaging a career-best 12.8 points per game, ranking her 10th in the Big Sky for scoring. Her consistent scoring has come from her consistent shooting. She's hit at least four three-pointers in five of the team's last seven games, and now leads the Big Sky and ranks 11th in the NCAA with 3.00 three-pointers made per game. She also ranks fifth in the conference and 85th nationally while shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range. Lewis' consistent play has seen her move up the career rankings at Portland State this season. She passed Sidney Rielly (2016-19) for sixth in career three-pointers during the win over Fresno State. She now has 159 career makes from three-point range, and needs 25 more to pass Karrin Wilson (1996-2000) for fifth all time.
 

TALKIN' SHIP

Head coach Chelsey Gregg has started a series in which she interviews one of her players weekly as they walk around Viking Pavilion. Previous episodes have featured the follow players on the following topics:

• Alaya Fitzgerald talking about her support system and some of her viral moments on TikTok with teammate Rhema Ogele.
• Syd Schultz talking about her love for Giannis Antetokounmpo – both his game and his shoes – as well as her Wisconsin roots (no wonder she loves Giannis).
• Sofía Llanos talking about coming from Spain and teaching Coach Chelsey how to say "Defend The Ship" in Spanish (defiende el barco).
• Cinco McCartney talking about her family (including her baby sister) back on the East Coast and her clothing line (@continued_confidence) that highlights mental health.
• Paige Winter-Blanchard talking about her favorite WNBA players (Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart) as well as her Christmas morning traditions with her family.
• Jada Lewis talking about her love for cooking and her "Shoot Like a Girl" clothing brand.

 

YOUTHFUL ROSTER

A season after the Vikings started three freshmen in all but one game, the Vikings will again have a youth-heavy roster this season. Ten of the team's 15 players enter the year as underclassmen between three freshmen and seven sophomores (including redshirts). Last year's freshmen – Alaya Fitzgerald, Esmeralda Morales, Rhema Ogele and Mia 'Uhila – got plenty of experience last season, but they'll still only be sophomores. Sophomore transfers Sofía Llanos and Paige Winter-Blanchard will join them as underclassmen this season, while Nakia Boston also returns as a redshirt sophomore after sitting all of last season with an ankle injury. Additionally, the Vikings brought in three freshmen in Alani Encinas, Brooklyn Strandy and Kiana Yesiki, all of whom could see time for the Vikings this season.
 

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

Last season's struggles shaped the preseason expectations for the Vikings among Big Sky coaches and media members. The Vikings were picked to finish last in the conference by both groups, while last year's tournament champion Montana State was picked to finish first in both polls. The Vikings returned five of their top six scorers from a year ago, however, between Esmeralda Morales (12.5 points per game), Jada Lewis (10.0 ppg), Alaya Fitzgerald (9.3 ppg), Mia 'Uhila (6.0 ppg) and Rhema Ogele (5.2 ppg). This year's roster also features a full 15 players, including six newcomers between three freshmen – Alani Encinas, Brooklyn Strandy and Kiana Yesiki – and three transfers – Sofía Llanos (from Marshall), Cinco McCartney (from Northeastern) and Paige Winter-Blanchard (from Centralia/William Jessup).
 

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Dec. 20, 2022, Portland State 83, Evergreen 45: The Vikings set season highs for points (83), rebounds (41), rebounding margin (+13, assists (23 on 27 field goals) and three-pointers (13) in their win over Evergreen. Nakia Boston made her return from injury in the game, playing for the Vikings for the first time in 651 days.
Dec. 1, 2022, Portland State 62, Fresno State 60: Jada Lewis hit four three-pointers in the fourth quarter after Fresno State took its only lead of the game. Lewis and Esmeralda Morales both hit five three-pointers in the game while matching each other with 19 points to lead the way.
Nov. 26, 2022, Portland State 73, Utah Valley 55: The Vikings avenged a 19-point loss to Utah Valley last season with an 18-point win over the Wolverines on the same weekend of the calendar, Thanksgiving Saturday. Esmeralda Morales went a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point range, while she and teammate Jada Lewis combined to go 9-of-13 from deep.
Nov. 17, 2022, Portland State 80, Seattle U 73: The Vikings erased a five-point deficit with 38 seconds remaining thanks in part of a four-point play by Jada Lewis that tied the game with 25 seconds remaining. It was the Vikings' first road win since the end of the 2020-21 regular season, and their first overtime win since Jan. 7, 2021.
Nov. 7, 2022, Portland State 67, Warner Pacific 40: The Vikings recorded 22 steals for their most steals in a single game since Dec. 20, 2006. They also assisted on their first 19 field goals in the game, while finishing with 20 assists on 22 field goals.