PORTLAND, Ore. — Too many extra possessions for Eastern Washington cost the Portland State women's basketball team Thursday, as the Vikings fell to the Eagles, 81-63, at Viking Pavilion.
 
The Eagles (10-9, 3-3) out-rebounded the Vikings by 31 (58-to-27), the largest rebounding deficit of the season for the Vikings (5-13, 1-5). The Eagles finished with 19 more field goal attempts than the Vikings (73-to-54) as a result, while they outscored the Vikings 23-5 in second-chance points.
 
The Eagles came into the game ranked in the top 10 nationally in both total rebounds and defensive rebounds per game. So the Vikings knew rebounding would be a key Thursday, but they failed to slow that down.
 
"Our number one key for the game was rebounding. They destroyed us on that. It's hard to compete when they're taking 19 more shots than you. We didn't turn the ball over a ton, but they capitalized when we did turn the ball over. Just off of second chances and turnovers alone, that's 37 points [that the Eagles scored]. Sok we dug ourselves a pretty big hole there," Portland State head coach Karlie Burris said.
 
The extra possessions continue to limit what has been an efficient run from the Viking offense. The Vikings outshot the Eagles .444-to-.438 Thursday, no small feat against an Eastern Washington team that had held its first five Big Sky opponents all below 38.0 percent from the field.
 
The Vikings have now outshot five of their six Big Sky opponents this season. But at the same time, the Vikings have finished with 10 fewer field goal attempts in three of those five games.
 
The Eagles first took control of the game with an 11-0 run that broke a 26-all tie midway through the second quarter. The Vikings never got closer than nine points down the rest of the way.
 
Kyleigh Brown did her best to carry the load for the Vikings. She finished with 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting, 17 of which came in the second half including 11 in the third quarter alone. It was Brown's seventh game with 20+ points this season, as well as her 24th straight game in double figures going back to her freshman year.
 
"I thought she battled. I thought percentage-wise she did a better job tonight. She took some good ones and was looking for some others. I think that's her next level of evolution. Once two people take her away, how can we share the ball a little bit more," Burris said of Brown.
 
"But we also don't want it to be all on her shoulders. I thought Jamia [Carter] was aggressive tonight. If she makes her free throws, I think it feels a little bit different because she can be an offensive threat for us. We also need more production from our frontcourt."
 
Brown was the only Viking in double figures until Cici Ellington got hot late in the fourth quarter. She scored the Vikings' last 10 points of the game to finish with 11 on 5-for-10 shooting. The second of Ellington's five straight buckets to finish the game put her over 1,000 in her career.
 
"That's hard whenever you do it," Burris said of Ellington's 1,000-point milestone.
 
Missed free throws limited the Vikings' comeback attempts. They went 13-for-27 (.481) from the line, the lowest mark of the season. Their 27 attempts were 11 more than the Eagles, but they only had one more make from the line (13-to-12).
 
"We did a much better job tonight getting to the free throw line. But we have to be able to make them. That's a huge point of emphasis for our players. We do extra free throws and they shoot a couple hundred on their own. That's where we need people to step up when they get there," Burris said.
 
The Vikings will look for better execution Saturday, when they host Idaho at 2 p.m. The Vandals present their own problems on the glass as they entered Thursday leading the Big Sky Conference and ranked in the top 10 nationally in rebounding margin, total rebounds and offensive rebounds per game.
 
"We need better energy and focus," Burris said of turning the page to the Vandals. "We'll watch the film and be ready to prepare.
 
Game Notes:

• The Vikings fell to 36-48 all-time against the Eagles with Thursday's loss.
• The Vikings only had seven assists on their 24 field goals Thursday.
• The Vikings tried a new starting lineup of Laynee Torres-Kahapea, Jamia Carter, Brown, Hannah Chicken and Ajae Yoakum.

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