Complete game notes (PDF)
TIPOFF
The Portland State women's basketball team would be justified in feeling like it's a little unlucky to not be sitting 2-1 in the Big Sky Conference standings. The Vikings have led for the majority of two of their three conference games and yet lost both.
Purely looking at total time in the lead and total time trailing, you would think the Vikings were 2-1. They've led for 70 minutes combined between their three conference games while they've trailed for 44 minutes.
But that's not how wins get counted in basketball, and so the Vikings will look to finish the job Thursday when they host Northern Colorado at 7 p.m.
The Vikings put themselves in position to potentially record their first conference win last Saturday, when they led for nearly 30 minutes against Idaho. The Vandals eventually came back to beat the Vikings, 60-56, but the Vikings out-shot the Vandals .442-to-.299. That included a first half in which the Vikings held the Vandals to only 18 points, the lowest scoring output by a Viking opponent in a single half this season.
The Vandals made up their shooting deficit with more possessions, earning them from both offensive rebounds - they out-rebounded the Vikings 21-to-4 on the offensive glass - and turnovers. It was the turnovers late that proved the difference. Nine of the Vikings' 18 turnovers against Idaho came in the fourth quarter when the Vandals outscored the Vikings 14-0 off giveaways.
So, the Vikings know they'll need to clean that up, especially against a Northern Colorado team that comes in ranked second in the Big Sky in both steals (12.0) and turnovers forced (21.33) per game.
The Viking offense has had some success recently outside of the turnovers. Two of their three-best shooting performances have come in their first three conference games. They shot 46.0 percent against Sacramento State on Jan. 4, when they also set a season high for points with 74. Their 44.2 percent shooting against Idaho last Saturday was then their third-best showing of the season.
has sparked the offense. She scored a career-high 27 points against Sacramento State, then followed up with 17 points last Saturday against Idaho. Through three Big Sky Conference games, Fitzgerald is averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
has also gotten off to a hot start in Big Sky play. After returning from injury for the Vikings' conference opener, she's scored in double figures in each of the last two games. She heads into Thursday's game against Northern Colorado averaging 11.0 points per game within conference play.
Brown will be a key part in limiting the Vikings' turnovers against the Bears alongside starting point guard .
Defensively, the Vikings will have to slow down a post-heavy offense for the Bears. The Bears come into the game leading the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage, as they're making 45.4 percent of their shots as a team. Posts Tatum West and Aniah Hall lead the team in that regard. They rank 1-2 on the team in both points (10.9 per game for West, 10.1 per game for Hall) and rebounding (7.4 for West, 6.7 for Hall).
Gabi Fields leads the Bears' efforts on the perimeter defensively. She leads the Big Sky Conference while ranking 31st nationally with 2.67 steals per game. West ranks fifth in the conference with 1.93 steals per game from her post position.
The Bears have struggled themselves at times at taking care of the ball. While they force 21.3 turnovers per game, they commit 19.5 per game themselves. That leaves room for the Vikings to take advantage if they're able to handle the ball themselves.
And if the Vikings do that and find themselves up in the fourth quarter Thursday, they'll know what they'll need to do. Finish the job.
PROMOTIONS
Portland State Athletics is teaming up with The Sports Bra to provide essential supplies to those impacted by the Los Angeles fires. Any fan who brings in essential supplies from the requested list will receive a free voucher for a ticket to a future women's basketball game. They'll also be entered into a rattle for four free courtside tickets to a future game. Students attending Thursday's game who bring in supplies will be entered into a raffle for a Nike swag bag and four courtside tickets to a future game. The first 100 Portland State students in attendance Thursday will also receive a free Nike cross body bag.
GAME #13: PORTLAND STATE (3-9, 0-3) vs. NORTHERN COLORADO (8-7, 1-3)
GAME DETAILS: Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO: The Northern Colorado Bears are coming off their first Big Sky Conference win, a 57-49 home victory over Montana last Saturday. That snapped a five-game losing streak for the Bears after they had started the season 7-2 overall. Their non-conference schedule included a sweep of their two Big Sky-Summit Challenge games, as they beat St. Thomas, 62-54, and North Dakota, 65-47. Statistically, the Bears lead the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage (.454) behind post players Tatum West and Aniah Hall. Those two rank 1-2 for the Bears in scoring, with West leading the team at 10.9 points per game while Hall ranks close behind at 10.1. West and Hall also lead the team with 7.4 and 6.7 rebounds per game, respectively. They've helped the Bears rank third as a team within the Big Sky Conference with a rebounding margin of +4.9. Defensively, the Bears have been strong on the perimeter, forcing 12.0 steals per game to rank second in the Big Sky and 24th nationally. They also rank second in the conference and 27th nationally while forcing 21.3 turnovers per game. Gabi Fields has led that effort as she tops the conference while ranking 31st nationally with 2.67 steals per game individually. West ranks fifth in the conference with 1.93 steals per game from her post position. Fields ranks fourth on the team offensively with 8.1 points per game, just behind London Gamble, who sits third with 8.6 points per game mostly off the bench.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Bears lead the all-time series between them and the Vikings, 25-11. They've dominated the series of late, winning nine of the last 10 meetings and 16 of the last 18. The Vikings' last win over the Bears came at home, 56-52, on Feb. 9, 2023.
STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS
DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
After giving up 70+ points in back-to-back games for the first time, the Viking defense responded with its best showing of the season last Saturday against Idaho. The Vikings held the Vandals to just 18 points in the first half of last Saturday's game, the lowest scoring output for a Viking opponent in a half this season. The Vandals finished the game shooting just 29.9 percent (20-of-67) from the field, making them the first Big Sky Conference team to shoot lower than 30 percent against the Vikings since an earlier game between the Vikings and Vandals on Jan. 7, 2023. The Vikings hadn't held any opponent below 30 percent from the floor since that earlier game against the Vandals until they held Cal State Fullerton to 28.6 percent (18-of-63) from the floor on Nov. 24 earlier this season. That was an early sign of the Vikings' defensive strength. They followed the win over the Titans with a strong showing against a potent UC Davis offense on Nov. 30. The Vikings held the Aggies to 35.9 percent (23-of-64) from the floor, a season low for a UC Davis offense that came into the game leading the Big West Conference in scoring, field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. Heading into Thursday's game against Northern Colorado, the Vikings rank second in the Big Sky in three-point field goal percentage defense (.284), as well as third in field goal percentage defense (.394).
EMERGING OFFENSE
Two of the Vikings' three-best shooting performances have come in their first three Big Sky Conference games, marking a strong start to league play for the team's offense. The Vikings had struggled at times during non-conference play, closing with three straight games below 50 points. The Vikings snapped out of that with a season-high 74 points in their conference opener against Sacramento State, a game in which they also shot 46.0 percent from the field for their second-best mark of the season. The Viking offense then bounced back after a dip against Eastern Washington last Thursday, outshooting Idaho .442-to-.299 last Saturday. It's helped the Viking offense to have a few key players back from injuries. returned from a five-game absence to start the Vikings' conference opener. also returned for the start of Big Sky play and has responded with 11.0 points per game through the team's first three league games. The returns have helped boost , who leads the Vikings with 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game through the team's first three conference games.
ROOTING FOR LAY IS A LAYUP
- nicknamed Lay - put together a career performance in the Vikings' conference opener against Sacramento State on Jan. 4. The four-year starter scored a career-high 27 points while tying her then-season highs for rebounds (5) and assists (5) against the Hornets. She played aggressively, converting two three-point plays and driving to the basket throughout the game, including a game-tying layup with 36 seconds remaining in overtime. She found that spark again last Saturday against Idaho, scoring 17 points to go with a career-high eight rebounds. Through three conference games, Fitzgerald is averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. She heads into Thursday's game against Northern Colorado ranked among the Big Sky leaders in four different statistical categories. She ranks 10th in the Big Sky in points (11.6), 12th in assists (2.73), ninth in three-pointers made (1.55) and third in minutes played (32.7) per game.
BAD, BAD, KYLEIGH BROWN
Like Leroy Brown, proved she's the baddest (player) in the whole darn (gym). We may have made a few edits there, but the sentiment remains the same. With the Vikings trailing 49-40 entering the fourth quarter against UC Davis on Nov. 30, Brown went off for 14 points in the final period while leading the Vikings all the way back to a 66-61 victory over the Aggies. Brown's 14 points all came within the Vikings' first 16 points in the quarter, turning the team's nine-point deficit at the start of the period into a 56-all tie with 3:57 remaining. She finished with a game-high 18 points, then matched that with 18 points against Omaha five days later on Dec. 4. She added 10 rebounds to her 18 points against Omaha, giving the freshman her first double-double of her career. She led the Vikings in scoring for a third straight game with 11 points and five rebounds against Denver on Dec. 7. A concussion limited her over the Vikings' next two games, but Brown made her return from the injury in time for Big Sky play. She's scored in double figures in two of the team's three conference games and heads into Thursday averaging 11.0 points per game within Big Sky play.
SHE'S HER FROM HERSBERG
- from Hersberg, Switzerland - made an immediate impact in her return from a five-game absence due to a hip injury. Starting again immediately, Wenger posted 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor against Sacramento State on Jan. 4. Her presence has helped open the offense back up for the Vikings. In the three games before Wenger's return, the Vikings averaged 42.3 points per game while shooting just 33.5 percent from the floor. But with Wenger back, the Vikings have recorded two of their three-best shooting games to start Big Sky play. That included a season-high 74 points in the Vikings' game against Sacramento State when they also shot 46.0 percent from the floor.
A LEADER IN THE MIDDLE, RHEMA OGELE
One of two four-year starters on the roster with , has owned the paint for the Vikings so far this season. She's scored in double figures six times this season, including four games with 14 points or more. Ogele has recorded at least seven rebounds in eight of the Vikings' 12 games this season. That includes two double-doubles, the first of which came in the Vikings' first win of the season against Seattle U on Nov. 16. She finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds in that game, then followed up with season highs for points (16) and rebounds (13) two games later against UC Davis on Nov. 30. She now has eight double-doubles in her Portland State career, ranking her 10th all-time since game-by-game records were kept starting with the 2006-07 season. Ogele leads the Vikings with 7.25 rebounds per game, ranking her eighth in the Big Sky Conference. She also ranks seventh in the conference in both offensive rebounds (2.42) and defense rebounds (4.83) per game.
GIVE HER A GATORADE...PLAYER OF THE YEAR, THAT IS
Sophomore - the 2023 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Hawai'i - has seamlessly stepped into the starting lineup for the Vikings. Torres-Kahapea scored in double figures in back-to-back games against San Francisco and Seattle U, then followed with seven points and five assists in the Vikings' win over Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 24. She's handled duties as the Vikings' primary ball handler while leading the Big Sky and ranking 21st nationally with 35.8 minutes played per game. She also ranks tied for 14th in the conference with 2.50 assists per game.
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Portland State 66, UC Davis 61: The Vikings erased a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to complete their second-biggest comeback in school history. led the way, scoring 14 of her game-high 18 points in the final period.
Portland State 61, Cal State Fullerton 52: The Vikings held Cal State Fullerton to just 28.6 percent (18-of-63) shooting Sunday, the lowest mark by a Viking opponent since Idaho shot an identical 28.6 percent (16-of-56) from the floor on Jan. 7, 2023. The Vikings also went 23-of-25 from the free throw line in the win.
Portland State 67, Seattle U 57: The Vikings picked up their first win of the season as six different players scored eight or more points. They shot season highs from the field (49.1 percent) and from three-point range (42.9 percent) while out-rebounding the Redhawks 35-to-28.