Complete game notes (PDF)
 

TIPOFF

Every college basketball team wants to be playing its best basketball entering its conference tournament. That's the goal.
 
For the Portland State women's basketball team, that has become a reality over its final seven games of the regular season. Aside from an off-shooting night at Idaho Monday in the team's regular-season finale, the Vikings have shown glimpses of a team that could extend its stay at this week's Big Sky tournament in Boise, Idaho, beyond just a single game.
 
The Vikings, who will open the tournament Saturday against No. 9 seed Weber State (11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT tipoff), have shown vast improvements since snapping a 15-game losing streak over the middle of the season. They initially broke through with a 59-53 win over Idaho State on Feb. 10, then followed with a 60-55 victory over Montana State on Feb. 22 – a win that featured an 11-point second-half comeback.
 
Last Saturday, the Vikings capped their home schedule with a 57-51 win over Sacramento State on Senior Day. That gave the Vikings three wins out of their last four home games heading into the tournament.
 
Comparing the Vikings' last seven games, in which they've won three games, to the previous 15 (all losses), the statistics look like:
 

• Points allowed per game (64.1 vs. 71.9)
• Field goal percentage (.424 vs. .355)
• Opponent field goal percentage (.397 vs. .484)
• Three-point field goal percentage (.377 vs. .245)
• Three-pointers made per game (7.86 vs. 5.40)

 
Individually, Esmeralda Morales had been on a tear offensively until Idaho held her to six points on 2-of-11 shooting Monday. Before that, Morales had scored 20 or more points in four straight games, including a season-high 31 – just her second 30-point game as a Viking – against Montana on Feb. 24. She heads into this week's tournament as the conference's leading scorer, averaging 17.0 points per game.
 
She could become the first Viking ever to lead the Big Sky in scoring at the end of the season. She also has the chance to break the single-season record for three-pointers made. She needs two to tie and three to break Michele Hughes' record of 89 from the 1989-90 season.
 
Lana Wenger won't be chasing records at the tournament, but has also stepped up her game of late. She's averaging 9.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on 55.1 percent shooting overall and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from three-point range over the team's last seven games. Those are better numbers across the board than her season-long averages, which are 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on 44.4 percent shooting and 31.7 percent from three-point range.
 
The Wildcats, meanwhile, have struggled in their last seven games. They lost all seven heading into the tournament. Ironically, that streak started after a 67-46 win over the Vikings in Portland on Feb. 8. The Wildcats won that game behind 18 points each for Daryn Hickok and Jadyn Matthews while holding the Vikings to 29.0 percent shooting from the floor.
 
But since then, the Wildcats are 0-7. They nearly snapped the streak against Montana State on Senior Day Monday. The Wildcats trailed the Bobcats by 15 with 6:15 remaining, but then went on a 15-2 run to close the game. They had a shot to tie it on their final possession of the game, but missed, giving the Bobcats a 67-65 victory.
 
The Wildcats' best game of the season likely came in their first meeting with the Vikings on Jan. 13. They won that game 89-53 in Ogden, while setting a school record with 64.3 percent shooting, a mark that was also the second-best shooting percentage by a Viking opponent in the past 18 seasons (game-by-game records are incomplete before the 2006-07 season). The Wildcats shot a high percentage thanks to outscoring the Vikings 56-24 in the paint. Matthews led a group of five Wildcats in double figures in that game with 17 points.
 
But the Vikings are a new team since they last played the Wildcats. In the same stretch that the Wildcats are 0-7, the Vikings are 3-4.
 
So, both teams can take a dose of confidence into Saturday's first-round matchup. The Wildcats can draw confidence from their season sweep of the Vikings, while the Vikings can lean on their recent success.
 
Both teams also have the opportunity to put past disappointments behind them. A conference tournament means the start of a new season, after all. Everybody's 0-0. It's why it's nice to be playing your best basketball when play starts Saturday.
 

GAME #31: PORTLAND STATE (8-22, 3-15) vs. WEBER STATE (7-24, 4-14)

GAME DETAILS: Saturday, March 9, 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT, Boise, Idaho (Idaho Central Arena)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SCOUTING WEBER STATE: The Weber State Wildcats swept the Vikings during the regular season, beating them 89-53 in Ogden on Jan. 13, then 67-46 in Portland on Feb. 8. That win in Portland was the Wildcats' last of the season, however, as they enter the conference tournament on a seven-game losing streak. The Wildcats nearly snapped the streak at home Monday amid a furious late comeback against Montana State. They trailed the Bobcats by 15 with 6:15 remaining, but then went on a 15-2 run to close the game. They had a shot to tie the game in the final seconds, but missed to lose 67-65. Statistically, a strength of the Wildcats' all season has been getting to the free throw line. They rank fifth in the Big Sky in free throw attempts per game (14.8) as well as sixth in free throws made per game (10.3). They also rank seventh in the Big Sky in three of the four rebounding categories between total rebounds per game (34.7), defensive rebounds per game (24.5) and rebounding margin (-0.7). Individually, Daryn Hickok and Jadyn Matthews – two fifth-year seniors – lead the Wildcats with 12.3 and 10.9 points per game, respectively. Kendra Parra ranks third on the team with 8.3 points per game. Hickok gets to the line more than anyone within the Big Sky Conference, as she ranks first in free throws made (97) and attempted (134). Rebounding wise, four different players average at least 4.0 rebounds per game between Matthews (5.1), Hickok (4.7), Laura Taylor (4.4) and Amelia Raidaveta (4.0). Parra leads the Wildcats with 2.7 assists per game. Hickok leads the team while ranking ninth in the Big Sky with 1.4 steals per game. In their previous meetings with the Vikings, the Wildcats won the first game behind a school-record 64.3 percent shooting from the field while also outscoring the Vikings 56-24 in the paint. Five different Wildcats scored in double figures in that game, led by Matthews with 17. The second time around, the Vikings held the Wildcats to a meager 28-24 advantage in the paint and played better defense. But 18 points each from Matthews and Hickok, coupled with 29.0 percent shooting by the Vikings, proved too much.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Wildcats lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 33-31, having broken a tie in the series with a sweep of their regular-season matchups. The Wildcats beat the Vikings 89-53 in Ogden, Utah, on Jan. 13, then completed the sweep with a 67-46 victory at Viking Pavilion on Feb. 8. The Wildcats have won both previous matchups at the Big Sky tournament, with the latest tournament meeting coming on March 7, 2016, which the Wildcats won 91-68.
 

A WIN WOULD…

• Advance the Vikings to the Big Sky quarterfinals Sunday at 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT where they'll face No. 1-seeded Eastern Washington.
• Give the Vikings at least one win in six of their last seven appearances at the Big Sky tournament.
• Give the Vikings their first win over Weber State at the Big Sky tournament (0-2).

 

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

• The Vikings dropped their regular-season finale Monday, falling 60-44 at Idaho.
• The loss to Idaho was a departure from the Vikings' improvements over their previous six games. After shooting 40.3 percent from three-point range over their previous six games, the Vikings went just 3-of-17 (.176) from deep against the Vandals. Additionally, after averaging 12.3 assists per game since their win over Idaho State on Feb. 10, the Vikings recorded only three assists on 18 field goals Monday.
• The Vikings won three of their last four home games, including a 57-51 win over Sacramento State last Saturday. Conversely, the Vikings dropped their last 11 road games of the regular season.
• Against Sacramento State, the Vikings held the Hornets to 33.3 percent (20-of-60) shooting from the field, a season low for a Viking opponent. The Hornets shot just 19.0 percent in the fourth quarter when they were 4-of-21 from the field.
• Besides the win over the Hornets, the Vikings also erased an 11-point second-half deficit to beat Montana State, 60-55, on Feb. 22. That came after the Vikings' initial breakthrough when they snapped a 15-game losing streak with a 59-53 win over Idaho State on Feb. 10.
• Comparing the Vikings' statistics from their last seven games (three wins) to the 15 games before (all loses), the Vikings have improved in points per game (58.0 in last seven, 52.7 in previous 15), points allowed per game (64.1 vs. 71.9), field goal percentage (.424 vs. .355), opponent field goal percentage (.397 vs. .484), and assists per game (11.0 vs. 9.0).
• The Vikings set a conference season high while shooting 51.1 percent (23-of-45) from the field in their comeback win over Montana State on Feb 22. They outshot the Bobcats .583-to-.226 in the second half.
• Esmeralda Morales was held to six points in the Vikings' game at Idaho Monday. That snapped a streak of four straight games with at least 20 points for Morales, the longest such streak of her career. Morales scored 25 points against Sacramento State last Saturday behind a season's best 64.3 percent (9-of-14) shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from three-point range.
• Lana Wenger set a career high with 14 points in last Saturday's win over Sacramento State. In the Vikings' last seven games, Wenger has averaged 9.4 points per game on 55.1 percent shooting (27-of-49) from the field and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from three-point range. That's much better than her season-long averages of 6.3 points per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field and 31.7 percent from three-point range.
• Through their last seven games of the regular season, they shot 37.7 percent from deep while making 7.86 three-pointers per game. That's a dramatic turnaround from the Vikings' 15-game losing streak that preceded that stretch when the Vikings shot just 24.5 percent from three-point range while averaging 5.4 makes per game.
• The Vikings have outscored four of their last seven opponents in the paint. That's a major turnaround from the start of the season when 18 of the team's first 23 opponents outscored the Vikings in the painted area. Out of those first 18, 13 did so by at least 10 points. That includes Weber State, which outscored the Vikings in the paint 56-24 on Jan. 13.
• Esmeralda Morales entered the conference tournament as the Big Sky scoring leader, averaging 17.0 points per game. She entered the tournament leading the No. 2 scorer within the Big Sky Conference (NAU's Sophie Glancey) by 1.81 points per game, meaning she is likely to become the first Viking ever to lead the Big Sky Conference in scoring at the end of the season.
• In addition to scoring, Esmeralda Morales also entered the tournament leading the conference in three-pointers made per game (2.90) and free throw percentage (.903) while ranking in the top 10 nationally in both categories.
• Esmeralda Morales has 87 made three-pointers this season. She needs two more to tie and three more to break the single-season school record that Michele Hughes set at 89 during the 1989-90 season.
• Juniors Rhema Ogele and Mia 'Uhila are averaging career bests in a number of categories. Ogele is averaging career bests for points (9.1) and rebounds (6.1) per game while shooting a career-best 50.5 percent from the floor. 'Uhila, meanwhile, is averaging career bests for points (8.5), rebounds (4.8) and assists (2.8) per game.
• Alaya Fitzgerald ranks 11th in the Big Sky with a career-best 1.65 three-pointers made per game.
• The two most common areas of struggle for the Vikings have been defense and rebounding. The Vikings rank last in the Big Sky in overall field goal percentage defense (.453). They also rank last in three of the four rebounding categories between rebounds per game (29.8), defensive rebounds per game (20.2), and rebounding margin (-6.97).
• The Vikings have been bitten by the injury bug this season. With Cinco McCartney out for the year, the Vikings are guaranteed to never have all 15 players dressed for a single game this season. The bug started when starter Rhema Ogele missed the Vikings' games against San Diego and Warner Pacific on Nov. 11 and 14, respectively. Alaya Fitzgerald, another starter, then missed seven games between Nov. 18 and Dec. 20. McCartney, a third different starter, went down before the Vikings' game against Eastern Washington on Dec. 28. The Vikings were also without three players and assistant coach during their trip to Montana and Montana State (Jan. 25-27).
• Big Sky coaches and media members picked the Vikings to finish fifth in the conference in their respective preseason polls.
• The Vikings set a program record with eight more conference wins last season than they won the previous year. That was one off the best year-to-year turnaround in Big Sky Conference history.
• The Vikings advanced to the Big Sky semifinals last season for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The Vikings beat Idaho State, 73-58, in the first round of last year's tournament, then upset second-seeded and defending-champion Montana State, 77-65, in the quarterfinals.
• The Vikings returned four starters and nine letterwinners off last year's team. That group includes All-Big Sky second-team selection Esmeralda Morales, as well as third-leading scorer Alaya Fitzgerald and leading rebounder Rhema Ogele. Cinco McCartney, who averaged 6.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while starting 30 of 31 games also returns.
• The Vikings have more upperclassmen (8) than they do underclassmen (7) for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
• The Vikings made the program's first international trip with a tour of Costa Rica in September. The Vikings played two exhibitions against members of the Costa Rica National Team during the trip, winning both.

 

PLAYING YOUR BEST IN MARCH

It's the goal of any team, but for the Vikings it's true, you want to be playing your best basketball in March. For the Vikings, they won three of their last four home games, following up a 15-game losing streak with a 3-4 finish to the regular season. It started with a 59-53 win over Idaho State on Feb. 10 that they followed with a 60-55 comeback victory over Montana State on Feb. 22. The Vikings then added a third victory last Saturday with a 57-51 win over Sacramento State. Besides the wins, the breakthrough for the Vikings has been clear in the team's statistics. Compare the last seven games (three wins) to the 15 games that came before it (all losses), and the Vikings have improved in points per game (58.0 in last seven, 52.7 in previous 15), points allowed per game (64.1 vs. 71.9), field goal percentage (.424 vs. .355), opponent field goal percentage (.397 vs. .484), three-point field goal percentage (.377 vs. .245), three-pointers made per game (7.86 vs. 5.40) and assists per game (11.0 vs. 9.0). Unsurprisingly, several of the Vikings' best performances have come in their last seven games. The initial breakthrough against Idaho State saw the Vikings set conference season highs or bests in field goal percentage (.449), opponent field goal percentage (.339), points allowed (53), assists (17, on 22 field goals) and steals (9, tied). The Vikings bettered their field goal percentage when they shot 50.9 percent against Northern Arizona on Feb. 17. They topped that again against Montana State on Feb. 22, when they shot 51.1 percent from the field. Last Saturday, defense won the day as the Vikings held Sacramento State to just 33.3 percent from the field defensively, a season low for a Viking opponent.
 

STEPPING UP AS UPPERCLASSMEN

The four juniors who have been with the Vikings since they were freshman – Alaya Fitzgerald, Esmeralda Morales, Rhema Ogele and Mia 'Uhila – have all elevated their game now as upperclassmen. Morales, Ogele and 'Uhila are all averaging career bests in the scoring column, and all three have done so by wide margins. Morales is averaging 17.0 points per game, making her the Big Sky Conference's scoring leader. Ogele has nearly doubled her previous best scoring average as she's scoring 9.1 points per game this year after averaging just 5.3 points per game as a sophomore. 'Uhila has increased her scoring average to 8.5 points per game, up from 6.1 as a sophomore. Both Ogele and 'Uhila have seen increases in other respects as well. Ogele is shooting a career-best 50.5 percent from the floor, while also averaging a career-best 6.1 rebounds per game. 'Uhila, meanwhile, is averaging career bests for rebounds (4.8) and assists (2.8) per game. Fitzgerald would be on a similar trajectory if not for an injury she suffered against Warner Pacific on Nov. 14. She had a season-high 19 points in the Vikings' win over Idaho State on Feb. 10, and is averaging a career-best 1.65 three-pointers made per game this season.
 

THREE-POINT SHOOTING

Aside from an off-shooting night in Monday's regular-season finale at Idaho, the Vikings have found their stroke from three-point range of late. After shooting just 24.5 percent from three-point range and averaging only 5.4 makes per game during their 15-game losing streak, the Vikings have jumped to 37.7 percent and 7.86 makes per game over their last seven games. That includes conference season highs for makes (11) and percentage (.478) from three-point range against Northern Arizona on Feb. 17. What's been especially encouraging is that multiple people have contributed to the recent resurgence. While Esmeralda Morales is the clear leader – as she has been all season – with 18 three-pointers over the team's last seven games, four other players have hit at least six shots from deep during that stretch. And three of those other four have done so while shooting better than 40 percent from three-point range. Mia 'Uhila is shooting 42.9 percent on 9-of-21 shooting from deep over the team's last seven games. Lana Wenger, meanwhile, is shooting 47.1 percent on 8-of-17 shooting recently, while Laynee Torres-Kahapea has six makes on 42.9 percent shooting. For the season, the Vikings have moved up to fifth in the Big Sky in three-pointers made per game (6.50) with their recent hot streak. Morales has been outstanding individually, as she leads the Big Sky with 2.90 three-pointers made per game, an average that also ranks her 10th nationally. Additionally, Morales ranks seventh in the Big Sky in percentage, making 34.5 percent of her shots from beyond the arc. Alaya Fitzgerald ranks 11th in the Big Sky with a career-best 1.65 makes per game from the outside. 'Uhila also has career bests for makes (27) and percentage (.346) from beyond the arc this season.
 

AROUND HERE, WE SPELL M-V-P AS E-S-M-E

Esmeralda Morales has proven her preseason Big Sky MVP credentials this season. Idaho held her to just six points in Monday's regular-season finale, but before that, she had scored 20 or more points in the team's last four games, the longest such streak of her career. Morales scored a season-high 31 points against Montana on Feb. 24, the first 30-point game for Morales since her very first game as a Viking when she had 32 against Warner Pacific on Nov. 9, 2021. She followed with a game-high 25 points last Saturday against Sacramento State while shooting a season's best 9-of-14 (.643) from the field and 5-of-7 (.714) from three-point range. Morales enters the conference tournament as the Big Sky's scoring leader, averaging 17.0 points per game, making her likely to become the first Viking ever to lead the Big Sky in scoring at the end of the season. Besides scoring, Morales also entered the tournament leading the conference in three-pointers made per game (2.90) and free throw percentage (.903), numbers that also rank her in the top 10 nationally in both categories. Morales is no stranger to being ranked among the statistical leaders, as she entered the tournament ranked in the top 15 of the Big Sky in seven different statistical categories. Besides the three categories she leads, Morales finished the regular season ranked among the conference leaders in field goal percentage (6th, .381), assists per game (T-7th, 2.83), three-point field goal percentage (7th, .345) and minutes played per game (2nd, 36.1). At the same time, Morales is also moving up the career rankings at Portland State. She passed both Ashley Bolston and Eryn Jones for eighth all-time in career scoring during the Vikings' win over Sacramento State last Saturday. Morales also ranks eighth all-time in career scoring average (15.1), third in both three-point makes (211) and attempts (596), and fourth in free throw percentage (.862). Additionally, Morales ranks fourth in career 20-point games (27), tied for sixth in career 10-point games (71) and tied for ninth in career 30-point games (2).
 

SHE'S HER FROM HERSBERG

Lana Wenger – from Hersberg, Switzerland – has added a new element for the Vikings offensively this season, especially during the Vikings' recent hot streak. Wenger scored a career-high 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting against Sacramento State last Saturday, while adding five rebounds. That was the latest in a run of strong performances, as Wenger has averaged 9.4 points per game over the team's last seven games while shooting 55.1 percent (27-of-49) from the field and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from three-point range. That's a big jump from her season-long averages, which stand at 6.3 points per game on 44.4 percent shooting overall and 31.7 percent from three-point range. Besides Saturday's game, Wenger scored 11 of the Vikings' first 15 points in the Vikings' win over Montana State on Feb. 22 while tying her then-career high with 13 points. Wenger was also a major contributor to the team's initial breakthrough over Idaho State on Feb. 10, recording eight points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting while adding six rebounds and a career-high four steals. Earlier in the season, Wenger set a career high with four blocked shots against St. Thomas on Jan. 6, while leading the Vikings to a season-high nine blocks as a team. That was the program's most blocks in a game since the 2019-20 season. Overall, Wenger entered the Big Sky tournament ranked eighth in the conference with 0.82 blocks per game this season.
 

MIA OOOOOO-HEE-LUH ('UHILA)

Mia 'Uhila has sparked some "oooohh's" from fans at times this season. The Vikings' breakthrough win over Idaho State on Feb. 10 was one of those times as she stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. She filled the box score again in the Vikings' win over Montana State on Feb. 22, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists while going a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range. She recorded the first double-double of her career earlier in the season when she had 19 points on a career-best 8-of-10 shooting and a career-high 10 rebounds against Northern Arizona on Jan. 18. 'Uhila set her career high for scoring with 20 points against Oregon on Dec. 9. She added another double-digit scoring game against Sacramento State on Feb. 3, recording 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go with five rebounds. For the season, 'Uhila is averaging career bests for points (8.5), rebounds (4.8) and assists (2.8) per game. She entered the Big Sky tournament ranked tied for seventh in assists per game (2.83) and 13th in minutes played per game (30.6).
 

RHEMA REMADE

Junior center Rhema Ogele signaled that she's leveled up over the offseason with a standout showing in the team's season opener against UC Davis. Ogele set a career high with 24 points on 12-of-14 shooting while adding 11 rebounds for what was then only her third career double-double. Ogele posted her second double-double of the season in the Vikings' 72-61 win over Fresno State on Nov. 29, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. She added a third against Eastern Washington on Dec. 28, leading the Vikings with 14 points to go with a career-high 14 rebounds. Ogele posted her fourth double-double of the season against Sacramento State on Feb. 3 with 10 points and 12 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. She also contributed to the Vikings' breakthrough win over Idaho State on Feb. 10, recording 14 points and five rebounds while holding the Bengals' Laura Bello to just one point on 0-of-6 shooting from the field. She nearly added a fifth double-double last Saturday, recording eight points and 13 rebounds in the Vikings' win over Sacramento State. For the season, Ogele entered the tournament ranked 10th in the Big Sky in rebounds per game (6.14) as well as sixth in offensive rebounds per game (2.25) and 13th in defensive rebounds per game (3.89).
 

ROOTING FOR LAY IS A LAYUP

Junior Alaya Fitzgerald – nicknamed Lay – returned from a seven-game injury absence during the Vikings' game against Eastern Washington on Dec. 28. She fully announced her return with a season-high 17 points against Idaho two days later while tying her career high with four made three-pointers. That was a season high for Fitzgerald until she led the Vikings with 19 points in the team's 59-53 breakthrough win over Idaho State on Feb. 10. Fitzgerald tied her career high with four made three-pointers against the Bengals, while setting another season high with four assists. Fitzgerald has been averaging a career-best 1.65 makes per game this season, ranking her 11th in the Big Sky at the start of the conference tournament. She also entered the tournament ranked 11th in the conference with 30.8 minutes played per game.
 

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

March 2, 2024, Portland State 57, Sacramento State 51: The Vikings won their third game out of their last four at home. Esmeralda Morales recorded her fourth straight game with 20 or more points, scoring a game-high 25 on 9-of-14 shooting overall and 5-of-7 from three-point range. Lana Wenger set a career high with 14 points in the game.
Feb. 24, 2024, Montana 76, Portland State 65: Esmeralda Morales scored a season-high 31 points, 16 of which came in the fourth quarter. Morales has scored 20+ points in the last three games, the longest such streak of her career.
Feb. 22, 2024, Portland State 60, Montana State 55: The Vikings erased an 11-point second-half deficit to earn their second conference win of the season. Esmeralda Morales scored 12 of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, including the Vikings' last seven points in the game.
Feb. 17, 2024, Northern Arizona 89, Portland State 73: The Vikings put together their best offensive showing within Big Sky play, setting conference season highs for points (73), field goal percentage (.509), field goals (27), three-point field goal percentage (.478) and three-point field goals (11) despite the loss to NAU.
Feb. 10, 2024, Portland State 59, Idaho State 53: The Vikings snapped a 15-game losing streak while setting conference season highs or bests in field goal percentage (.449), opponent field goal percentage (.339), points allowed (53), assists (17, on 22 field goals) and steals (9, tied).
Jan. 18, 2024, Northern Arizona 73, Portland State 65: The Vikings outscored NAU 36-28 in the paint, marking just the third time all season the Vikings had outscored their opponent in the paint. They also outscored NAU 12-9 off turnovers, the first time the Vikings had outscored their opponent off turnovers in their last 10 games.
Dec. 30, 2023, Idaho 61, Portland State 55: In just her second game back from an injury that held her out of seven games early in the season, Alaya Fitzgerald scored a season-high 17 points while tying a career high with four three-pointers against Idaho.
Dec. 12, 2023, Portland State 69, Bushnell 60: Esmeralda Morales hit the 1k career scoring mark in the second quarter while leading the Vikings with 26 points. Rhema Ogele (13 points) and Lana Wenger (12 points) joined Morales in double figures.
Nov. 29, 2023, Portland State 72, Fresno State 61: The Vikings won back-to-back games for the first time this season while shooting a season-high 57.1 percent from the field. Rhema Ogele recorded her second double-double of the season (19 points, 10 rebounds), while Esmeralda Morales led all scorers with 21 points for her fourth 20-point game of the season.
Nov. 25, 2023, Portland State 75, Seattle U 68: Esmeralda Morales scored a season-high 27 points while Mia 'Uhila (16 points) and Rhema Ogele (11) joined her in double figures. The Vikings made 11 three-pointers as a team and swiped 11 steals.
Nov. 14, 2023, Portland State 74, Warner Pacific 62: The Vikings went 13-of-24 (.542) from three-point range and swiped 17 steals against the Knights.
Nov. 9, 2023, Portland State 71, UC Davis 62: Rhema Ogele led the Vikings to a road win in their season opener with a career-high 24 points on 12-of-14 shooting from the field. The win was the Vikings' sixth straight in their season opener.