Vikings Close First Month of Season with 94-64 Loss to UC San Diego
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State Vikings concluded the month of November with a 94-64 loss to the UC San Diego Tritons Sunday afternoon, marking the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Despite strong individual performances, the Vikings struggled from the field and were outscored in points off turnovers, falling to 3-4 on the season.
Esmeralda Morales led Portland State with a career-high 27 points, scoring 12 from beyond the arc. Jada Brown contributed 15 points and a season-best nine rebounds, extending her double-figure scoring streak to 13 consecutive games. Sydney Ellington added a PSU career-high 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, her first 20-point game since the 2019-20 season at Loyola Marymount.Laynee Torres-Kahapea also reached double figures for the first time since the season opener, scoring 11 points with a career-high-tying three three-pointers.
However,the vikings shot just 16-for-55 (.291) from the field. UC San Diego capitalized on portland State’s turnovers, converting them into a 23-5 advantage in points.
“I just appreciated how hard she was playing, and she was actually trying to do what we were asking, so that’s what we were really proud of,” Head Coach Chelsey Burris said of Ellington. “We gave her a shout out in the postgame talk because it starts with playing hard first. We’re trying to execute from that standpoint, and we thought she did that tonight.”
Brown’s 11 made free throws were the most by a Viking since Rhema Ogele made 12 against Weber State on March 9, 2024.
Portland State played without starting forward Ajae Yoakum, with freshman Hannah Chicken making her first-career start in her place.
The Vikings will continue their homestand Wednesday at 7 p.m. against South Dakota as part of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge. They will then travel to Kansas City Saturday for a 12 p.m. PT / 2 p.m.CT tipoff.
