POCATELLO, Idaho — A sizable rebounding discrepancy for the second time on the Portland State women's basketball team's road trip led to a 66-52 loss for the Vikings at Idaho State Saturday.
Two days after Weber State out-rebounded the Vikings 45-to-25, the Bengals (7-11, 2-5 Big Sky) out-rebounded the Vikings 46-to-18. That included a 17-to-3 advantage on the offensive glass, which the Bengals used to outscore the Vikings 14-2 in second-chance points.
The minus-28 rebounding margin set a new season low for the Vikings (4-12, 1-6 Big Sky), two days after Weber State set it initially. Four of the Vikings' last five opponents have now out-rebounded them by at least 13.
"We can't win games when we don't rebound," Portland State head coach
Chelsey Gregg said bluntly after the game. "We've got to stop talking about it and start doing it."
Saturday's game at Reed Gym started positively for the Vikings. They forced the Bengals into six turnovers in the first quarter, which they turned into an 8-1 advantage in points off turnovers within the period.
The Bengals led 10-6 early, but the Vikings scored eight straight – all off turnovers – to take the lead. They'd extend it to a 23-17 advantage after
Laynee Torres-Kahapea and
Kyleigh Brown hit a three-pointer and a floater back-to-back with 6:39 remaining in the second quarter.
The Vikings were 10-of-18 (.556) from the field at that point, but they went cold from there as the Bengals asserted themselves. The Vikings missed their next six shots as the Bengals went on a 14-2 run to re-take the lead. The Bengals then opened the second half on an 8-0 burst to take a 41-29 lead just over two minutes into the third quarter.
A big run out of halftime also hurt the Vikings Thursday. Weber State led by only one at the break but then scored 11 straight to open the third quarter and didn't look back from there.
Saturday, the Vikings tried to answer. Brown got the Vikings back within five at 43-38 with 4:51 remaining with five straight points.
Rhema Ogele made it a five-point game again with two free throws of her own, then answered an Idaho State three-pointer with a basket.
But that'd be as close as the Vikings got the rest of the way. Idaho State closed the third quarter on a 6-0 run, then led by double figures throughout the fourth.
The Bengals outshot the Vikings .491-to-.380 Saturday. The 49.1 percent (28-of-57) shooting was a season high for a Viking opponent, as well as a conference season high for an Idaho State team that came into the game ranked eighth in the Big Sky for field goal percentage.
Brown led all players with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting in the game. The 15 points were her most since scoring 18 in back-to-back games against UC Davis and Omaha on Nov. 30 and Dec. 4, respectively.
"It was great to see Kyleigh get some confidence back, for sure," Gregg said.
Alaya Fitzgerald scored 12 for the Vikings, going into double figures for the fifth straight game and sixth time out of the Vikings' first seven Big Sky games.
Cici Ellington added eight points, including the first two baskets of the game for the Vikings after earning her first start in nearly three seasons.
The Vikings have a chance to right themselves during a four-game home stand, which starts next week as the Montana schools come to Viking Pavilion. The Vikings host Montana Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m., then play Montana State at home Saturday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m.
You can bet what the focus in practice will be in the leadup to those games.
Game Notes: The Vikings fell to 26-45 all-time against the Bengals with Saturday's loss…The Vikings outscored the Bengals 16-3 off turnovers…The Vikings' 18 rebounds set a new program low in a game since game-by-game records were kept starting with the 2006-07 season.
