LAS CRUCES, N.M. — In two games between Portland State and New Mexico State over the past two seasons, neither team topped 60 points either time. Both were defensive battles. But that's suited New Mexico State more than the Vikings, as the Aggies topped the Vikings 55-38 for their second victory in as many meetings with the Vikings.
 
Saturday's victory at the Pan American Center followed a 55-53 victory for the Aggies (2-2) at Viking Pavilion last season.
 
The Aggies forced the Vikings into 26 turnovers this time around, 17 of which came in the second half. The Aggies turned those 17 second-half turnovers into 10 points as they broke open what was a single-digit game for much of the first 25 minutes of play.
 
"When you don't take care of the basketball, you aren't going to be in very many games," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said afterwards. "We need to do a much better job being strong with the ball and meeting the pass."
 
The Vikings also struggled from the field in the second half. The team made only one field goal in the third quarter, while they were 5-of-19 (.263) as a team after halftime. Esmeralda Morales hit four of the Vikings' five field goals in the second half, as she was the only Viking able to generate much offensively.
 
The defensive tone was set early when neither team scored for more than two and a half minutes after the opening tip. Rhema Ogele, playing for the first time since scoring 24 points in the Vikings' season opener, finally opened the scoring with a bucket at the 7:22 mark of the first quarter. That was the Vikings' only lead of the game, however, as the Aggies quickly responded with a 13-2 run to go up nine.
 
The Vikings worked their way back level at 21-all in the second quarter. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Morales led the Vikings back into the game with nine points in the second period.
 
But the Aggies ended the half on a 7-0 run to take a 28-21 lead into the locker room, then ratcheted up the defense in the third quarter. The Aggies held the Vikings to 1-of-10 shooting in the quarter. The Vikings' one field goal came on their opening possession, meaning they went more than nine minutes without a make from the field. The Aggies stretched their lead to 17 early in the fourth quarter, and then held a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
 
Morales finished with a game-high 19 points, giving her exactly half of the Vikings' 38 points in the game. Mia 'Uhila added six points while Lana Wenger chipped in four. No other Viking had more than two points in the game.
 
The Vikings will now look to use their week off between games to bounce back offensively. The Vikings won't play again until they host Seattle U next Saturday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m.
 
The Vikings also faced Seattle U last season, just as they did the Aggies, and produced one of their standout games of the year against the Redhawks. Trailing by five with 38 seconds remaining, the Vikings found a way to force overtime, then won it 80-73.
 
The spirit required to win that game will be needed over the next week.
 
"We expect to respond with a renewed sense of energy and effort and level of consistency that we know is there but haven't been able to unlock yet," Gregg said of her team's plans for the next week. "With a starter out, we will need to fill the gap collectively and we will as coaches continue to find ways to prepare our squad to be ready for the next game."
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 0-2 all time against the Aggies with Saturday's loss…Ogele played only 13:15 of game time in her return due to foul trouble.
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