Pink Zone and senior night hit Stott Center

The Portland State women’s basketball team kicks off its last five-game run for a Big Sky Conference title at home this weekend when they host Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado in the final two home games of the regular season.

On Friday night, Portland State (13–11, 7–4 Big Sky) hosts Northern Arizona in the annual Pink Zone game. Sponsored by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, Pink Zone is a global effort to highlight breast cancer awareness. Players will wear pink warm-ups and fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game.

The Vikings then host Northern Colorado on Saturday night in the final home game of the 2009–10 regular season. Prior to tip-off, senior guard Claire Faucher and senior forward Erin Yankus will be honored in front of their home crowd.

With a third-place standing in the Big Sky and only three weeks remaining in regular season play, PSU is looking for a winning run in the last five games to secure a season title and entry in the Big Sky Tournament.

Last weekend, the Vikings had an unexpected split on the road, beating out Montana for the first time in 11 years but failing to hold off Montana State.

Sophomore guard Eryn Jones came off the bench and provided the heat for the Vikings. She posted 19 points against Montana and went on to again lead PSU in points with her 16 against Montana State.

As the season continues, the Vikings have had stellar performance off the boards. They opened the season by being outrebounded in 11 of their first 18 games, but since their matchups with Weber State and Idaho State in late January that has all changed. Portland State has outrebounded its competitors for seven consecutive games.

Northern Arizona (5–19, 3–8 Big Sky) enters tonight’s meeting on a four-game losing streak. They finished a three-game home stretch with a 71–64 loss to Idaho State, and prior to that the Lumberjacks narrowly lost to Weber State 64-61 in a nail-biting finish.

With 10 seconds left on the clock, NAU forced a turnover from Weber State, but what would have been a game-tying three-pointer from Caty Huntington missed the mark, and the Lumberjacks fell to the Wildcats for the first time this season.

In both the Weber State and Idaho State games, the Lumberjacks played without key freshman guard Tyler Stephens-Jenkins. She was out due to an injury against Weber State, and against Idaho State she sat the bench due to early foul trouble. The Lumberjacks will undoubtedly be eager to have her return for their contest against the Vikings.

Northern Colorado (12–13, 4–7 Big Sky) took a weekend split at home last weekend. They lost to Idaho State 62–51, but ended the weekend on a high note with a 75–68 win over Weber State. It was the Bears’ Pink Zone game with Weber that kept their dream of a post-season appearance alive.

It was a free throw victory that took Northern Colorado to the win over Weber State. In their best free-throw shooting night the Bears have seen in conference play this season, they shot .765 from the stripe. Senior guard Whitley Cox and junior guard Courtney Stroermer led the team, both shooting seven of eight from the line.

Cox also led the game in total points with 30, marking the second time this season she has made it to the 30-point mark. Her performance bumped her up to a third-place standing in the Bears’ total career points, with 1,462.

Standing in seventh place—ahead of Northern Arizona and behind Idaho State—the Bears know that these late-season wins are crucial.

The Bears and Lumberjacks both upset the Vikings in this season’s earlier meetings. Northern Colorado halted Portland State’s four-game winning streak with a 72–68 win in Greeley. The Viks’ upset continued when the Lumberjacks beat out the Vikings 86–80 in Flagstaff.

Tip-off for each game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Stott Center, and both games can be followed by live stats and audio on www.goviks.com.
 

Portland State
(13–11, 7–4 Big Sky)
vs.
Northern Arizona
(5–19, 3–8 Big Sky)
Today, 7 p.m.
*Pink Zone night

Portland State
(13–11, 7–4 Big Sky)
vs.
Northern Colorado
(12–13, 4–6 Big Sky)
Sat, 7 p.m.
*Senior Night

Probable starters
Pos.    Name               Year
G    Lexi Bishop           Jr.
G    Kelly Marchant      Jr.
G    Claire Faucher      Sr.
F    Kelli Valentine       Jr.
F    Erin Yankus          Sr.