MOSCOW, Idaho — The Portland State women's basketball team put together an improved performance Saturday against Idaho but still found itself on the wrong end of a 60-56 loss at ICCU Arena.
 
The Vikings (3-9, 0-3 Big Sky) shook off a poor showing against Eastern Washington Thursday to lead for nearly 30 of the 40 minutes Saturday against the Vandals (11-4, 3-1 Big Sky). The Vikings led by seven at halftime and by four entering the fourth quarter. Kyleigh Brown hit a three-pointer with 7:43 remaining in the fourth quarter to double the Vikings' lead at 49-43. But the Vandals (11-4, 3-1 Big Sky) went on a 14-2 run over the next seven minutes to take control of the game late.
 
Alaya Fitzgerald gave the Vikings life with a three-point play with 39 seconds remaining that cut the deficit in half at 57-54. The Vikings got a stop on their next defensive possession, giving them the ball back with 10.6 seconds remaining. Fitzgerald worked herself open on the wing for a potential game-tying three-pointer, but it bounced off the rim and the Vandals closed out the game from there.
 
"Proud of the bounce back and resilience we showed," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said after the game. "I thought we out-played them for 35 minutes, but turnovers and rebounding got the best of us.
 
"That's a top team that we played with in a great environment.  We showed we are capable of competing with top teams. Now we got to finish."
 
Saturday's game followed a similar script to the Vikings' 76-74 overtime loss to Sacramento State on Jan. 4. The Vikings led for the majority of that game, too, including a multi-possession lead in the fourth quarter. The Vikings led by 11 at the start of the fourth quarter against the Hornets, while it was a six-point lead near the start of the fourth quarter Saturday against the Vandals.
 
In both games, late turnovers helped flip the script against the Vikings. Against Sacramento State, seven of the Vikings' 18 turnovers came in the fourth quarter and overtime. Saturday against the Vandals, nine of the Vikings' 18 turnovers came in the fourth quarter when the Vandals outscored the Vikings 14-0 off giveaways. The 14 points off turnovers accounted for two-thirds of the Vandals' 21 points in the final period.
 
"We got better in some facets of the game, but we've yet to put together a complete game in conference play. Rebounding has to be better. They got way too many second chance opportunities," Gregg said after Idaho out-scored the Vikings 16-2 in second-chance points after out-rebounding PSU 47-to-32.
 
The Vikings still put themselves in position to win behind one of their best defensive performances of the season. The Vandals scored only 18 points in the first half, the fewest points the Vikings have given up in any half this season. Idaho shot just 21.9 percent (7-of-32) from the floor in the first half.
 
They still only finished at 29.9 percent (20-of-67) for the game, marking the first time the Vikings have held a conference opponent below 30 percent shooting since an earlier game between Portland State and Idaho when the Vikings held the Vandals to 28.6 percent (16-of-56) shooting on Jan. 7, 2023.
 
"Our defense was suffocating in the first half and got some big stops for us down the stretch," Gregg said.
 
The strong defensive first half meant the Vikings took a 25-18 lead into the halftime break. The Vikings held the Vandals scoreless for over six minutes in the second quarter before they hit a three-pointer on their final possession of the half.
 
The late three-pointer may have sparked something in the Vandals, as they hit two more early in the third quarter to cut the lead down to one at 27-26. They tied it at 32-all a little later, but the Vikings responded with a 6-0 run off baskets from Rhema Ogele, Fitzgerald and Brown.
 
The Vikings stretched it back to a seven-point lead at 42-35 with the second of two three-pointers from Laynee Torres-Kahapea. The teams traded runs from there. The Vandals scored six straight to get back within one at the start of the fourth quarter, but the Vikings answered with a 7-2 run that Brown capped with her three-pointer to give the Vikings a 49-43 lead with 7:43 remaining.
 
The final momentum swing went in favor of the Vandals, though, as they outscored the Vikings 17-7 the rest of the way.
 
Fitzgerald led the Vikings with 17 points to go with a career-high eight rebounds and four assists. Brown added 13 points and three steals. Torres-Kahapea scored five of her eight points in the second half, while Ogele and Lana Wenger added seven and six points, respectively.
 
The Vikings return to Portland for a home stand against Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona next weekend. They'll begin the weekend against the Bears Thursday at 7 p.m. before hosting the Lumberjacks Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 15-37 all-time against the Vandals with Saturday's loss…The Vikings were leading the turnover battle entering the fourth quarter, but have still not won the turnover battle since their last win of the season against UC Davis on Nov. 30…The Vikings haven't won in Moscow since Dec. 8, 2007, back when the teams were non-conference opponents.
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