Vikings Host San Jose State Friday for First of Three Straight at Viking Pavilion

TIPOFF
The Portland State women's basketball team will be home for Thanksgiving this year. The Vikings return to Viking Pavilion for three straight home games over the next 10 days, starting with a game against San Jose State Friday at 5 p.m.

The Vikings and Spartans represent similar teams in certain respects. They're both in their first year under new head coaches – Karlie Burris for Portland State, Jonas Chatterton for San Jose State – while they'll both be looking for breakthrough wins Friday. The Vikings will be looking for their first win over an NCAA Division I team this season, while the Spartans will be looking for their first win of any kind this season.

The Vikings appear to be trending closer and closer to that breakthrough win. Take out the first quarter of Saturday's game against Utah Tech and the Vikings win by 10. Of course, that's not how basketball works, and so a 28-10 deficit after the first quarter came back to bite the Vikings in a 71-63 loss to the Trailblazers.

Even still, the Vikings may have found a formula that worked for them over the final three quarters. They shot 60.0 percent (9-for-15) from the floor in the second quarter when they outscored the Trailblazers 22-14. It was a balanced effort from the Vikings in the period. Kyleigh Brown, Cici Ellington and Hannah Chicken all scored at least six points for the Vikings in the second quarter, giving the Vikings options offensively.

Brown went on to finish with a career-high 26 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the field. It was the second 20-point game of the season for Brown, who originally set a career high with 24 points against Willamette on Nov. 11.

Brown leads the Vikings with 17.6 points per game, ranking her tied for fourth in the Big Sky Conference this season. She's scored in double figures in 11 straight games heading into Friday. That includes all five games this season as well as the final six of last year.

Chicken has now scored in double figures in three straight games, including a career-high 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor Saturday. Chicken's 18 points against the Trailblazers followed back-to-back 11-point nights against Colorado and Air Force on Nov. 16 and 18, respectively. In the last three games, Chicken has averaged 13.3 points per game on 66.7 percent (18-of-27) shooting from the floor.

Ellington, meanwhile, finished with 10 points for her first game in double figures this season.

What's hurt the Vikings recently has been turnovers and three-point shooting. The Vikings turned the ball over 19 times Saturday at Utah Tech, after topping 20 turnovers against Colorado (27) and Air Force (20) earlier in the week. Utah Tech had 17 of their own Saturday, making the margin (-2) more manageable for the Vikings, at least.

The Vikings also showed growth by holding the Trailblazers to 28.6 percent (8-for-28) shooting from three-point range. However, the Trailblazers still finished with six more makes than the Vikings (8-to-2), which was a difference of 18 points in the game.

That was similar to the Vikings' game against Air Force on Nov. 18, when the Falcons made seven more three-pointers than the Vikings for a 21-point swing. That was a key piece in what ended up being a 10-point final margin at 65-55.

But neither turnovers nor three-point shooting represent strengths for the Spartans, giving the Vikings a chance to reassert themselves in both categories Friday. The Spartans rank 11th in the 12-team Mountain West Conference for three-point field goal percentage (.206) – though they still rank third in the conference with 24.3 three-point attempts per game – while they rank last in the conference in turnover margin (-9.75).

The Spartans' biggest strength has been on the interior, as they lead the conference and rank 40th nationally with 5.0 blocks per game. Kaliyah Dillard ranks second in the conference with 1.75 blocks per game, while Harisa Mehmedovic also ranks 12th in the conference with 0.75 blocks per game.

The blocked shots mean the Spartans rank second in the Mountain West in field goal percentage defense (.354), as well as third in three-point field goal percentage defense (.271).

The low shooting numbers haven't stopped opposing teams from scoring against the Spartans, however, as San Jose State ranks 11th in the Mountain West while allowing 72.5 points per game.

Fans attending Friday's game should expect a lot of rebounds and possessions for both teams, then. It's what makes them similar teams in a lot of ways.

GAME #6: PORTLAND STATE (1-4) vs. SAN JOSE STATE (0-4)
GAME DETAILS: Friday, Nov. 28, 5 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SCOUTING SAN JOSE STATE: The San Jose State Spartans are still looking for their first win of the season, as well as their first win under first-year head coach Jonas Chatterton. The Spartans opened their season with a 70-51 loss to BYU in Provo, Utah, on Nov. 8. They followed with three straight games against California schools, losing to California Baptist (69-55 on Nov. 14), UC Santa Barbara (75-60 on Nov. 19) and Pepperdine (76-52 on Nov. 23). The Spartans came into the season picked to finish 12th in the 12-team Mountain West Conference. That was after they finished 10-22 overall and 3-15 in Mountain West play last season, tying Utah State for last in the conference standings. Despite their struggles, the Spartans rank highly in certain categories defensively within the Mountain West Conference. They lead the Mountain West with 5.00 blocks per game, while they rank second in field goal percentage defense (.354) and third in three-point percentage defense (.271). Kaliyah Dillard ranks second in the conference with 1.75 blocks per game, while Harisa Mehmedovic also ranks 12th in the conference with 0.75 blocks per game. The Spartans lead the Mountain West Conference with 44.3 rebounds per game, though they actually rank eighth in the conference with a negative rebounding margin (-0.50). Three different Spartans rank among the top 10 in the conference for rebounds. Maya Anderson leads the Spartans while ranking tied for sixth in the conference with 6.50 rebounds per game. Amira Brown and Rylei Waugh then rank tied for 10th in the conference with 6.25 rebounds per game. Anderson also leads the Spartans with 11.8 points per game, ranking her 15th in the conference. In general, offense has been more of a struggle for the Spartans. They rank second-to-last in the Mountain West in points per game (54.5) and three-point percentage (.206), while they rank last in the conference in field goal percentage (.307) and assists per game (9.50). The Spartans' best offense this season has been getting to the free throw line. They average 20 attempts per game while making 75.0 percent of their attempts, ranking them second in the Mountain West Conference.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings are 5-1 all-time against the Spartans. They've won their last three meetings against San Jose State, with the latest being an 80-51 home victory on Nov. 11, 2018. The Spartans' lone victory over the Vikings came in Portland on Jan. 4, 2005.

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The Vikings have dropped three in a row, including a 71-63 loss to Utah Tech last Saturday. The Vikings are 0-4 against NCAA Division I teams this season.
The Vikings trailed 28-10 after the first quarter against Utah Tech. They were +10 over the final three quarters of the game, but the poor first quarter proved costly. The Vikings are 0-4 this season when they trail after the opening quarter and 1-0 when leading.
The Vikings had 19 turnovers against Utah Tech on Saturday, after recording 20+ in two games earlier in the week against Colorado and Air Force. However, the Vikings had a better turnover margin against Utah Tech (-2) than they did against either Colorado (-10) or Air Force (-9).
The Vikings went 15-of-22 from the free-throw line against Utah Tech. They've shot over 20 free throws in three of their five games this season. They're averaging 18.2 attempts per game, five more than they did last season (13.2).
Utah Tech made six more three-pointers than the Vikings Saturday, a difference of 18 points in what ended up being an eight-point game. Air Force made seven more three-pointers for a minus-21 point difference from beyond the arc in what was a 10-point game on Nov. 18.

Players
#12 Kyleigh Brown

Sophomore guard Kyleigh Brown reset her career high for a second time this season with 26 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the field against Utah Tech Saturday. It was her second 20-point game of the season after she scored a then-career-high 24 points against Willamette on Nov. 11.
Brown has scored in double figures in 11 straight games between the first five games of this season and the last six games of last season.
Brown leads the Vikings with 17.6 points per game, an average that ranks her tied for fourth in the Big Sky Conference.
Brown also ranks in the top 10 of the Big Sky Conference in three-pointers made and percentage. She ranks tied for second in the Big Sky while making 50.0 percent of her shots from three-point range. She stands tied for eighth in the conference with 2.00 three-pointers made per game.
Brown had a streak of 19 straight free throws made snapped while going 3-for-5 from the line Saturday against Utah Tech. She's still 10-for-12 (.833) from the line this season.
Brown accounts for most of the Vikings' three-point shooting this season. While she's 10-for-20 (.500) from three-point range, the rest of the team is a combined 7-for-41 (.171).
Brown was the OSAA 5A State Player of the Year as a senior at Silverton High School when she led her team to the 5A state title in 2024.

#9 Hannah Chicken

Freshman Hannah Chicken set a career high with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the floor while also contributing four rebounds and two steals against Utah Tech Saturday.
Chicken has scored in double figures in three straight games now, after scoring 11 points each against Colorado and Air Force on Nov. 16 and 18, respectively.
Chicken's averaging 13.3 points per game over the team's last three games when she's shooting 66.7 percent (18-of-27) from the floor.
Chicken ranks second on the team with 5.60 rebounds per game, an average that ranks her 13th in the Big Sky Conference this season. Chicken ranks tied for ninth with 4.00 defensive rebounds per game.
Chicken is one of three Australians on the Vikings' roster, joining Kailee Field from Brisbane and Taylor Moffat from Mount Barker, Australia. Chicken is from Taree, Australia.

#5 Ajae Yoakum

Ajae Yoakum scored 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field while adding six rebounds and a career-high-tying three blocks in the Vikings' win over Willamette on Nov. 11.
Against the Vikings' four NCAA Division I opponents, Yoakum is averaging 4.25 points per game on .250 shooting. She had two points on 1-of-11 shooting against Utah Tech Saturday, though she still contributed with a season-high seven rebounds.
Yoakum ranks third on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game. She's tied with Hannah Chicken for the team lead on the offensive glass with 1.6 offensive rebounds per game.
Yoakum is finishing her career in her native Portland after previous stops at Eastern Arizona (2020-22), FIU (2022-24) and Arizona (2024-25). She won an Oregon 6A State title in 2019 with her Portland State teammate Cici Ellington when both were at Benson Polytechnic High School.
Yoakum needs four more points to reach 1,000 across her entire collegiate career.

#11 Laynee Torres-Kahapea

Laynee Torres-Kahapea – despite being just five-feet, six-inches tall – leads the Vikings with 6.4 rebounds per game. She set a career high with nine rebounds against Utah Tech Saturday, all of which came on the defensive glass.
Torres-Kahapea ranks seventh in the Big Sky in total rebounds per game, while she ranks third in the conference with 5.80 defensive rebounds per game.
Torres-Kahapea went 6-for-6 from the free throw line Saturday. She's 19-of-22 (.864) from the line this season, ranking her fourth in the Big Sky for free throw percentage.
In her first game back in her native Hawai'i, Torres-Kahapea – the 2023 Hawai'i State Gatorade Player of the Year – scored a career-high 22 points while also setting career highs for field goals (6), field goal percentage (.750), free throws (8) and rebounds (6, since broken). She hasn't scored more than seven points in any of the other four games for the Vikings, however.
Torres-Kahapea ranks fourth in the Big Sky with 32.7 minutes played per game. That's actually down from last season when she led the conference with 35.8 minutes per game.

#4 Sophie Buzzard

Freshman Sophie Buzzard scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in her collegiate debut against Hawai'i on Nov. 4. Her 20 points were the most by a Viking freshman in their first collegiate game since Esmeralda Morales opened with 32 points against Warner Pacific on Nov. 9, 2022.
She hasn't scored in double figures in any game since the season opener. She's 4-of-14 (.286) from the field over the team's last four games when she's averaging 4.0 points per game.
Buzzard had 19 free throw attempts through the Vikings' first three games of the season, including 11 in the season opener at Hawai'i. She hasn't gotten to the line in either of the last two games, however. Her 19 free throw attempts still rank her second on the team this season.

#8 Cici Ellington

Ellington scored in double figures for the first time this season with 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting against Utah Tech Saturday.
After initially being denied an extra year of eligibility, Cici Ellington won her appeal and made her season debut against Willamette on Nov. 11.
Ellington played for the Vikings last year, marking her return from a two-year injury absence that plagued her at Grambling State (2021-24). Ellington also played two years at Loyola Marymount (2019-21).
Ellington was a West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team selection at Loyola Marymount following the 2019-20 season.
Ellington was named the OSAA 6A State Co-Player of the Year in 2019, sharing the award with future NCAA national champion and Los Angeles Sparks player Cameron Brink. Ellington and her Benson Polytechnic High School team – that included fellow Viking Ajae Yoakum – beat Brink and two-time defending champion Southridge in the 2019 state championship game.

#10 Kirstine Munk

Kirstine Munk set PSU/Division I career highs for points (11), rebounds (6), assists (2), and steals (2) in the Vikings' loss to Air Force on Nov. 18. She was 3-for-5 from the field against the Falcons, and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
Munk has started the first five games of the season for the Vikings, recording the first five Division I starts of her career. Munk started 26 of 28 games while at Central Arizona, a junior college, during the 2023-24 season.

#23 Taylor Moffat

Taylor Moffat returned from an 11-month injury absence to play 14 minutes in the Vikings' season opener at Hawai'i on Nov. 4. She returned to the scoring column against Willamette on Nov. 11, finishing with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting to go with two rebounds and three assists.
Moffat leads the Vikings with 2.0 assists per game.
Moffat had been out since tearing her ACL in the Vikings' game against Denver on Dec. 7, 2024.

Additional Players

Katelyn Best scored a career-high 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field against Willamette last Tuesday. Best was scoreless against Hawai'i and Colorado, however.
Ryme Jaekel made her collegiate debut against Utah Tech Saturday, after sitting the team's first four games with a hand injury. Jaekel's return gave the Vikings 12 available players for the first time this season. They're still without Jamia Carter and Kailee Field.

Team Tendencies/Stats

The Vikings rank fifth in the Big Sky with a .428 field goal percentage. They shot 55.9 percent (38-of-68) against Willamette on Nov. 11, the team's best shooting percentage since Feb. 4, 2023, when they shot 60.4 percent against Eastern Washington. The Vikings shot 43.2 percent (19-of-44) against Air Force on Nov. 18, their best mark against an NCAA Division I opponent so far this season.
The Vikings are averaging 34.0 points per game in the paint this season, which amounts to 53.9 percent of their total scoring per game. Comparatively, the Vikings averaged only 25.6 points per game in the paint last season, which was 45.9 percent of the team's total points per game.
The Vikings have won the rebounding battle in two of their five games this season, while they finished tied in another. That's a significant improvement over last season, when the Vikings were out-rebounded in all but six games. The Vikings rank tied for sixth in the Big Sky in rebounding margin (+0.40), a significant improvement over last year when they ranked last in the conference at minus-6.33. The Vikings haven't finished a season with a positive rebounding margin since 2018-19.
Six different players average at least 3.0 rebounds per game for the Vikings this season. That list includes Laynee Torres-Kahapea (6.4 rebounds per game), Hannah Chicken (5.6), Ajae Yoakum (5.0), Kyleigh Brown (4.2), Cici Ellington (3.3) and Kirstine Munk (3.0).
The Vikings rank last in the Big Sky in three-pointers made per game (3.40), while they rank eighth in the conference in percentage (.279). Opponents have made more three-pointers than the Vikings in all five games this season.
The Vikings rank last in the Big Sky in turnover margin (-4.20). The Vikings have lost the turnover battle in all but their game against Willamette on Nov. 11. In their four games against NCAA Division I opponents, the Vikings have an average turnover margin of minus-6.75.
The Vikings rank fourth in the Big Sky while making 72.5 percent of their shots from the foul line. The Vikings are averaging 18.2 free throw attempts per game, five more than they averaged last season (13.2).
The Vikings rank last in the Big Sky with 9.8 assists per game. They've assisted on less than half of their field goals in four of their five games, with the one exception being their game against Willamette on Nov. 11 when they assisted on 20 of 38 field goals.

Coaching Staff

Karlie Burris earned the first win of her head coaching career in last Tuesday's 89-52 victory over Willamette.
Burris is a first-time head coach. She spent the past four years as an assistant coach at UNLV where she helped the Lady Rebels win four straight Mountain West Conference regular-season titles (2022-25), as well as three Mountain West Conference tournament titles (2022-24).
Burris outlined three areas of focus for the Vikings this season: 1) Transition offense and defense; 2) Rebounding; and 3) Execution. Execution is an umbrella term for winning the turnover battle, executing the scouting report, and holding the opposing team's best player to under 17 points.
Burris said of the lack of expectations on her team this year: "We're going to be the hunters this year at Portland State. We're super excited about that. No one has any expectations for us, other than ourselves. And we're excited to be the hunters. That's a good spot to be. You get to play really hard with reckless abandon and really not worry about the result because all the expectations are on the other team. It's a fun place to be. It's hunting season."
Assistant coach Raina Perez is a former finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which honors the nation's best point guard. She made the finalist list while at NC State where she was part of runs to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

General/Preseason Info

The Vikings returned nine letterwinners and had four incoming freshmen already committed to the roster when Karlie Burris was named head coach. Burris' one addition to the 2025-26 roster was Ajae Yoakum, who signed with the Vikings in April.
The Vikings were picked to finish tied for ninth and 10th in the Big Sky Conference in the preseason coaches and media polls, respectively. The Vikings have finished 10th in the conference three of the past four seasons.
The Vikings feature only one player listed as taller than six feet in Katelyn Best, who stands 6-3. However, the Vikings have five players listed at six feet exactly in Hannah Chicken, Cici Ellington, Kirstine Munk, Brooklyn Strandy and Ajae Yoakum.
The Vikings have three players who won Oregon state titles in high school. Ellington and Yoakum won the 2019 OSAA 6A state title with Benson Polytechnic High School. Ellington was named the OSAA 6A State Co-Player of the Year that year alongside current WNBA player Cameron Brink. Kyleigh Brown, meanwhile, won the 5A state title with Silverton High School in 2024 when she was also named the OSAA 5A State Player of the Year.
The Vikings signed a five-player recruiting class last week that features the 2025 Hawai'i State Gatorade Player of the Year in Nihoa Dunn. She'll join Torres-Kahapea, who won the award in 2023, in giving the Vikings two Hawai'i State Gatorade Players of the Year on the roster next season. Dunn is also one of two state champions in the Vikings' recruiting class along with Alex Padilla, who won an Oregon 6A state title with Tualatin High School. Emma Zuniga represents a second Oregon product in the recruiting class, while Liv Collins and Aspen McClees will join the Vikings from Sumner, Wash., and Gilbert, Ariz., respectively.