PORTLAND, Ore. — Cold shooting cost the Portland State women's basketball team Saturday in a 62-44 home loss to St. Thomas within the Big Sky-Summit Challenge.
 
The Vikings (5-9) improved their defensive effort Saturday. Three days after Kansas City shot 62.7 percent against them, the Vikings blocked a season-high nine shots while holding St. Thomas to 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor.
 
But poor shooting on the other end, especially from three-point range, hamstrung the Vikings. They finished 3-of-24 (.125) from three-point range, a season low by some distance. Everyone struggled for the Vikings. Esmeralda Morales, who leads the Big Sky and ranks fifth nationally with 3.46 three-pointers per game, shot an uncharacteristic 1-of-11 from deep. Alaya Fitzgerald went 2-of-8, while the rest of the Vikings were 0-for-5 collectively.
 
"We have to make more shots, for sure. We had some opportunities, especially in the first half we had some really good looks. And we held them to only 26 points [in the first half. But the defense is only going to hold you for so long. You have to make buckets," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said afterwards.
 
The Tommies (10-6) made the Vikings pay on the fast break in the second half. It was a five-point game at the break, but the Tommies got out and ran in the second half, outscoring the Vikings 12-1 in fast-break points over the final 20 minutes.
 
Four fast-break points punctuated a 9-0 run that put the game out of reach at 56-40 with 3:06 remaining. The Tommies also got six fast-break points as part of a 9-1 run that turned a 32-29 game midway through the third quarter into St. Thomas' first double-digit lead at 41-30.
 
Seventeen Viking turnovers allowed the Tommies to get out and run. The Tommies turned those giveaways into 20 points on the other end, and outscored the Vikings 12-0 in the second half off of turnovers.
 
"I was displeased with our hustle to get back on defense," Gregg said of the Tommies' fast-break points. "Between points off of turnovers and fast-break points, amongst our poor shooting night, that was the story of the game."
 
The Vikings made it a game after the Tommies jumped on the team early. St. Thomas led 7-0 out of the gates, but the Vikings scored eight of the next nine points to tie it up.
 
The Tommies retook a 13-8 lead, but the Vikings followed with seven straight points to take their first lead of the game. Rhema Ogele scored back-to-back buckets in the paint to start the run, while Fitzgerald followed with the team's first triple to put the Vikings up 15-13.
 
The Tommies closed the half on a 10-2 run to take a 26-21 halftime lead, however, and then stretched their lead in the second half.
 
Morales finished with 15 points, as she converted six of her 10 shots from inside the arc despite her struggles from the outside Saturday.
 
Lana Wenger also went into double figures with 10 points, her third double-digit scoring game out of the Vikings' last seven games. Wenger added eight rebounds and a career-high four blocks to her 10 points.
 
Fitzgerald chipped in nine points and three assists, while Ogele finished with seven points, nine rebounds and two steals.
 
The Vikings now return to Big Sky Conference play next week, as they hit the road to play at Idaho State and Weber State. The Bengals and Wildcats opened Big Sky play 0-2, same as the Vikings, so both sides will see next week's games as opportunities to right the ship.
 
"It's a short season, so we've got to stay present and not allow our minds to wander and make this bigger than it is," Gregg said. "We've got some tough games ahead, but also winnable games. We have enough talent on the roster to get the W, but we've got to start focusing on the right things, which is the process and controlling what we can control."
 
"We'll watch film with them and continue to teach and coach and help with their decision making. Because really that's where, if we can clean that up, we'll be alright."
 
The road trip begins at Idaho State Thursday for a 6 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. MT tipoff in Pocatello.
 
Game Notes: Saturday's game was the first-ever meeting between the Vikings and Tommies…The Vikings went 0-2 within the Big Sky-Summit Challenge, as they also lost 75-56 to Kansas City Wednesday…The Vikings' nine blocks were their most since they had 10 against Sacramento State on March 6, 2020.
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