Midseason report

As the Portland State women’s basketball team comes off a successful conference opener at Sacramento State on Saturday, it is worth taking a look back at the first half of the season and some notable player performances.

The Vikings (7¬–7, 1–0 Big Sky) struggled early on in the season, at one point losing five straight games, but have battled back to win five of their last seven games. Performances such as junior guard Kelly Marchant’s two 30-point games and a defense that is nearly unbeatable when keeping opponents to less than 60 points are keeping championship hopes alive.

Coming up, Portland State plays six of the next eight conference games at the Stott Center, starting with Montana State on Friday and Montana on Saturday night. Look for continued high-tempo play from these Vikings as the second half of the season increases the stakes:
 
Claire Faucher
Senior, guard
Leading the pack this season as the Vikings’ top player on the court, Faucher is shining in her senior year. She now holds school and Big Sky records in all-time assists and has four double-digit assist games this season and 28 in her career.
Faucher has scored in double digits 11 times and earned four double-doubles in the 13 games she’s played this year. She currently leads the conference in assists (7.4 per game) and steals (2.8 per game).

Kelly Marchant
Junior, guard
Named conference Player of the Week at the beginning of December, Marchant scored 30 points against Pacific on Dec. 6 and then posted a career-high 31 points on Saturday at Sac State.
Individual players have scored 30-plus points in three games so far this season, tying last year’s total. Faucher earned the other with her career-high 30 points against Gonzaga.

Katy Wade
Sophomore, center
The young newcomer is quickly earning her keep on the Portland State roster, playing in all 14 games and starting in 12.
After a review of the film from the Dec. 29 game against Oregon State, Wade was credited with seven blocked shots, instead of the four that were originally listed. Seven blocks ties the school’s single-game record and marks the first time since 1991 that a Viking has recorded that many in a game.

Kelli Valentine
Junior, forward
In the first game of the season, the former Big Sky Conference’s Outstanding Freshman demonstrated her ability to stand out on the court. Her 15-foot jumper with less than a second remaining in the game lifted the Vikings to a 67–66 victory over Washington.
She currently ranks third on the team in scoring and rebounding this season, with an average of 9.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Lexi Bishop
Junior, guard
Playing at full strength for the first time since she injured her ACL during her freshman year, Bishop is returning to her role as the biggest three-point threat. She ranks third in Portland State’s career three-point field goal percentage, and so far this season has nailed 12 from the distance—hitting at least one in nine of her 13 games.

Digits

28

Rebounds Faucher needs to become the ninth member of Portland State’s elite 1,000-point, 500-rebound club.

199

Career wins head coach Sherri Murrell has tallied in her 14 years of coaching.

.787

The Vikings’ win percentage at the Stott Center since the 2005–06 season.

2

Number of times over the past four games the Viks posted six players with double-digit scoring

226

Number of games played, before Dec. 18, since the last time the Viks had six players score ten or more.

3

Number of Portland State players who hold Big Sky Conference single-game highs: Marchant (points), Faucher (assists, steals and three-point attempts) and Wade (blocks).