POCATELLO, Idaho — A tough environment became all the tougher for the Portland State women's basketball team Thursday as Idaho State jumped out to an early lead and then cruised to a 79-43 victory over the Vikings at Reed Gym.
 
The Bengals (5-9, 1-2 Big Sky) scored 13 straight points to open up a 15-2 lead out of the gates. The Vikings (5-10, 0-3 Big Sky) gifted the Bengals several of their points as PSU turnovers led to a number of breakaways for the Bengals early in the game. Eighteen of the Bengals' first 30 points came off of PSU turnovers, while the Bengals built a 27-point halftime lead behind a 17-0 advantage on fast-break points.
 
The Vikings finished with 20 turnovers in the game, which the Bengals turned into 27 points on the other end.
 
Esmeralda Morales tried to jumpstart the Vikings. She snapped a pair of 13-0 runs in the first half with a three-pointer each time. She'd finish with a game-high 21 points on 5-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc.
 
Morales scored 12 of her 21 points in the third quarter when the Vikings finally found some success offensively. After scoring only five points in the second quarter – a season low for PSU in any quarter – the Vikings poured in 19 in the third. Outside of Morales, Rhema Ogele chipped in four points in the quarter, while Paige Winter also dropped in a bucket. The Vikings got to the line for eight free throws in the quarter, with Ogele, Morales and Laynee Torres-Kahapea all hitting free throws during the period.
 
Perhaps most importantly, the Vikings limited themselves to just two turnovers in the third quarter. That finally allowed them to get into their offense after the tough first half. The Bengals still maintained a comfortable lead, of course, but the Vikings played more level with them in the second half.
 
Reed Gym has typically been a tough environment for the Vikings. They are 8-25 in Pocatello after Thursday's game and have only won once at Reed Gym since 2009. Thursday's poor start meant the Vikings had much more of a hill to climb, and they couldn't surmount it.
 
Portland State will now look to snap its seven-game losing streak Saturday when they play at Weber State at 1 p.m. PT / 2 p.m. MT. The Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak of their own with an 81-61 win over Sacramento State Saturday.
 
The Vikings will need a better start Saturday if they hope to get back in the win column.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 25-44 all time against Idaho State with Thursday's loss…Morales' 21 points against the Bengals marked her seventh 20-point game of the season and 22nd of her career, tying her with current assistant coach Ashley Bolston for seventh all time…No other Viking had more than six points outside of Morales.
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