Sacramento, CA – Portland State's shooting went south and with it a chance for victory at The Hornets Nest on Saturday. As a result the Sacramento State Hornets defeated the Vikings, 56-53, in the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams.
 
The Vikings entered the game leading the Big Sky in shooting (.498) and scoring (83.4). Credit the Hornets for finding a way to stifle those numbers with a game played at their pace. As has been the case for several years in this series, this was another half-court, grind-it-out contest.
 
PSU shot a solid .542 from the field in the first half (13-24) and held a 31-25 halftime edge. But the Vikings managed only 8-27 after intermission (.296). Meanwhile, Sacramento State accomplished just the opposite, going from 8-29 (.276) to 11-22 (.500).
 
Free throw shooting continued to haunt the Vikings as well. Ranked last in the Big Sky in shooting at the charity stripe (.634), they were 5-13 (.385) for the day against Sacramento State, including 3-7 in the second half. That was particularly costly in a three-point loss.
 
PSU saw its four-game winning streak, and two-game road winning streak come to an end. The Vikings are now 8-6 on the season, 0-1 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State improved to 5-9, 1-0. The Hornets have won three games in a row, and beaten the Vikings in four of the last five meetings.
 
Portland State took advantage of a chilly shooting performance by the Hornets in the first half. Sacramento State made just 3-17 shots to open the game, including nine straight misses from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Vikings went on a 12-2 run and opened an 18-10 lead - the largest of the game for either team. Cole Farrell scored seven early points off the bench. Those points were important as leading scorer Jaylin Henderson sat down after eight minutes due to foul trouble.
 
The Hornets were able to close within a point but Terri Miller Jr. sparked a late first-half rally for the Vikings with a pair of hoops inside, and a steal-and-dish to Henderson for a breakaway layin.
 
Each team's shooting numbers flipped early in the second half. Unable to make a field goal before the first media timeout, the Vikings gave up their lead. Sacramento State tied the game 32-32 on a three-pointer from Lachlan Brewer.
 
A drive by EJ Neal with 13:48 left in the second half gave the Hornets their first lead since early in the game, 37-35. Neal scored seven points as part of a 12-2 run and Sacramento State moved ahead 44-37 with 11:20 remaining in the game.
 
It proved to be the largest lead the Hornets would have, but it would be enough. The Vikings pulled within two points on three occasions but would never lead again, making only 3-13 shots from the field in the final 6:39 of the game.
 
Isaiah Johnson led Portland State with 13 points on 5-9 from the field, 2-4 from distance and 1-2 at the line. Miller Jr. added 11 points on 5-7 shots. Tre-Vaughn Minott and Farrell each had five rebounds for the Vikings, and Qiant Myers handed off seven assists.
 
Neal scored 10 of his team-high 12 points in the second half to lead four Hornets in double figures. Jacob Holt added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

GAME NOTES

• Portland State's 53 points were the fewest in more than two seasons, a span of 67 games.
• The Vikings are now 3-4 in road games this season. 
• The game marked the start of Portland State's 29^th basketball season in the Big Sky Conference.
• Portland State plays at home next week. The Vikings host Eastern Washington on Thursday at 7 p.m. then Idaho on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Viking Pavilion. Both games can also be seen on ESPN+.