After a tough road loss last weekend, Portland State (15-4, 5-1) returned home and regained their confidence, posting a 77-56 win over Eastern Washington (3-16, 5-1) Saturday.
Fueled by a stellar performance from junior forward Kelsey Kahle, the Vikings pulled away from Eastern Washington in the second half. Portland State distanced itself from the Eagles, going on a 21-6 scoring run to end the game.
Kahle tallied her third highest point total of the season, with a game-high 29 on 11 of 12 shooting from the field. The 5-foot-10 forward also grabbed nine rebounds and had five assists to round out her efficient shooting performance.
“Kelsey is really able to score whenever she wants out there, and she just seemed to do everything right tonight,” said head coach Sherri Murrell.
Crucial to the Vikings’ 9-0 record at the Stott Center this season has been their ability to play aggressive defense, which often leads to fast break opportunities. Saturday’s game was no exception.
Kahle nabbed four steals, and freshman guard Kelly Marchant had three of her own. Tenacious defense from the Vikings forced Eastern Washington to commit 26 turnovers, leading to 32 points for Portland State.
“We really play best when we get aggressive play from all five people and force things on defense,” Kahle said.
Sophomore point guard Claire Faucher rebounded from a tough performance last weekend to guide the Vikings offense to a 54.2 percent shooting from the field. Faucher, still leading the nation in assists with 8.6 dimes per contest, recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists.
After shooting 59 percent in the first half, the Vikings headed to the break enjoying just a slim 35-32 lead. Struggling with interior defense and plagued by turnovers, Murrell and her staff decided to switch to a zone defense and inserted freshman center Courtney Cremer into the lineup.
“Defensively we needed something extra inside tonight and Courtney did a good job of giving us some help today,” Murrell said.
Cremer ended the game with two blocked shots and four steals, providing a solid defensive presence to slow the Eastern Washington interior attack.
The home victory gives the Vikings with a bit of momentum before heading into their most difficult road trip of the season, as they head to Montana for a matchup of two teams sitting atop the Big Sky standings. For Kahle and her teammates, the game represents an opportunity to make a statement.
“We will all be real excited for that game,” Kahle said. “We haven’t beaten them ever in my three years.”