SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Playing their third game of the weekend, the Portland State women's basketball team looked a little travel weary at the start of Monday's contest at Sacramento State. The Hornets led 21-5 after the opening quarter at The Nest and maintained the lead from there en route to a 69-57 win over the Vikings in both teams' regular-season finale.
 
The Vikings (4-23, 1-17 Big Sky) shot just 2-of-17 (.118) from the field in the opening quarter while the Hornets (14-17, 7-11 Big Sky) shot 10-of-16 (.625).
 
An 11-0 run to finish the second quarter got the Vikings back within seven at halftime. Two free throws from Kyleigh Brown cut it down to a six-point lead with 8:47 remaining in the third quarter. But the Hornets responded with a 9-0 run and then maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

"We can't spot them 16 points and expect to win," Portland State head coach Chelsey Gregg said after the game. "I loved our fight going into half, but the Hornets' transition points really killed any momentum we could create.

"When we lose by 12, the start really was the difference of the game."
 
The Vikings stayed in the game thanks to their free-throw shooting. The Vikings went 17-of-22 (.773) from the line compared to just 8-of-10 (.800) for the Hornets. The 22 free throw attempts marked their third-highest total of the season and their most within a regulation Big Sky game.
 
The Vikings also forced the Hornets into 20 turnovers, tied for the most by a Viking opponent this season (Portland also had 20 turnovers on Dec. 13). The Vikings turned those 20 turnovers into an 18-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Rhema Ogele recorded five steals to lead the PSU defense. That tied her career high for a third time in her career.
 
Ogele was also one of three Vikings to score in double figures against the Hornets. She finished with 15 points to go with her five steals and three rebounds.
 
Lana Wenger led the Vikings with 17 points, five of which came in the Vikings' 11-0 run to finish the first half. The 17 points marked a conference season high for Wenger.
 
Brown shook off a tough shooting night to finish with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Brown has now scored in double figures in five straight games as well as 11 of the team's 18 Big Sky games.
 
The Vikings will now head into the Big Sky tournament in Boise, Idaho. They'll face ninth-seeded Northern Colorado in the first round of the tournament Saturday at 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT. Should they win, they'll then face top-seeded Montana State in the quarterfinals Sunday, also at 11 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. MT.

"They call it March Madness for a reason. We'll rest and get ready for the tournament," Gregg said.
 
Game Notes: The Vikings still lead the all-time series between them and the Hornets, 34-27…The Hornets outscored the Vikings 38-20 in the paint…The Hornets outshot the Vikings .491-to-.310.
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