MOSCOW, Idaho — An off-shooting night spoiled the Portland State women's basketball team's late-second momentum, as the Vikings fell to Idaho, 60-44, Monday at ICCU Arena.
The Vikings (8-22, 3-15) had improved their shooting during their recent stretch of three wins out of their last four home games. They topped 40 percent in four of their last six games heading into Monday, and topped 50 percent from the field in two of those four. Additionally, the Vikings hadn't shot worse than 38.5 percent from three-point range in any of their last five games, while they topped 40 percent in four of those five.
But Monday, the Vikings hit just 35.3 percent (18-of-51) of their shots and went just 3-of-17 (.176) from three-point range.
"We got out-worked tonight," head coach
Chelsey Gregg said of the game. "On the positive side, we held them to just three points over the last seven minutes, but we'll have to be better at the Big Sky tournament next weekend.
"We've shot well in Boise, so we can take confidence in that as we look to get back on track."
Gregg is right in saying her Vikings have shot well at the Big Sky tournament in the past. It was a year ago that the Vikings shot 45 percent or better from three-point range in their first two games at the tournament, beating Idaho State and then Montana State to make the semifinals. The Vikings hit 15 three-pointers in an upset win over the Bobcats last season, tying a program record.
The Vikings had been on a similar trajectory before going cold Monday. Over the previous six games, the Vikings had been shooting 40.3 percent from deep while averaging 8.67 makes per game. But Monday, the Vikings tied their season low with only three makes from three-point range.
Alaya Fitzgerald hit two of those three from deep, as she led the Vikings with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field.
Fitzgerald's first triple gave the Vikings their first lead of the game at 5-4.
Rhema Ogele followed with an old-fashioned three-point play to give the Vikings their second lead at 10-9.
Laynee Torres-Kahapea then answered two free throws form Idaho's Kennedy Johnson to put the Vikings back in front, 12-11.
But that'd be it as far as leads for the Vikings. Idaho (15-15, 8-10) scored seven straight to close the first quarter with an 18-12 advantage. The game hovered around a seven-point lead throughout the second quarter before the Vandals put some distance on the Vikings after halftime.
Fitzgerald's second triple made it a 35-28 game with 8:16 remaining in the third quarter. But Idaho responded with a 10-2 run to take a 45-30 lead and the Vandals led by double digits the rest of the way.
Besides Fitzgerald, Ogele flirted with a double-double in Monday's game, recording nine points and seven rebounds. She had seven points and five rebounds at halftime, but couldn't get enough in the second half to complete what would have been her fifth double-double of the season.
No other Viking finished with more than six points. That included
Esmeralda Morales, who had scored at least 20 in the Vikings' last four games. The Vandals held Morales to just six points on 2-of-11 shooting overall and 0-of-4 from three-point range Monday. It's only the fourth time this season that Morales has been held to single digits.
You can bet Morales won't have a similar game in Boise as the Vikings begin the Big Sky tournament Saturday with a first-round game against ninth-seeded Weber State. Tipoff between the Vikings and Wildcats is set for 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT Saturday.
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 15-36 all-time against the Vandals with Monday's loss…Morales remains two away from tying and three away from breaking the single-season program record for three-pointers that Michele Hughes set with 89 during the 1989-90 season…Idaho recorded 15 assists on 22 field goals compared to just three assists on 18 field goals for the Vikings.
