Vikings Look to Bounce Back at Home against Weber State Saturday - Portland State Vikings

TIPOFF

The Portland State volleyball team gets a chance to bounce back Saturday, as they look to shake off a tough loss to defending-champion Idaho State with a home game against Weber State at 12 p.m. at Viking Pavilion.

A tough second half led to an 83-40 loss to Idaho State Thursday in which the Bengals dominated on defense and on the glass. The Bengals out-rebounded the Vikings 50-26 Thursday, including a 30-6 advantage in the second half.

It won't get any easier Saturday, as the Wildcats come into the game leading the Big Sky with +7.67 rebounding margin. The Wildcats also rank third in total rebounds per game (41.5), second in offensive rebounds per game (13.0) and fourth in defensive rebounds per game (28.5).

Three different Wildcats rank in the top 15 of the conference individually. Junior Jadyn Matthews ranks third in the Big Sky with 9.17 rebounds per game, while she also leads the Wildcats and ranks eighth in the conference with 14.2 points per game. Daryn Hickok ranks tied for sixth in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game, while also standing 13th with 11.8 points per game. Emma Tobert ranks 10th in the Big Sky with 7.0 rebounds a game.

Protecting the glass will be key for the Vikings, then, as will finding their offensive mojo. Thursday's 40-point output against Idaho State marked the second straight game in which the Vikings failed to surpass 50 points, after they lost 62-43 at Utah Valley on Nov. 27. The Vikings have the ability to light it up, though, so one breakout game should do the trick. The Vikings opened the season with back-to-back 80-point games, and were shooting over 40 percent from three through their first four games of the year.

Esmeralda Morales has been limited in the Vikings' past two games, but recorded at least 19 points in three of the Vikings' first four games of the season, and had a career-high nine assists in the other. Morales still ranks third in the Big Sky with 16.0 points per game despite her recent struggles, and also stands tied for seventh in three-pointers made per game (2.17) and eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.325).

Morales has also been a big part of why the Vikings lead the conference in steals per game (10.2), turnover margin (+2.83) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.05). Morales ranks tied for third in the Big Sky in steals per game individually, as she and teammate Mia 'Uhila both average 2.17 thefts a game. Morales and 'Uhila also rank tied for fifth and tied for seventh with 4.0 and 3.5 assists per game, respectively, while they both rank in the top 10 for assist-to-turnover ratio as well. 'Uhila ranks third in the conference at 1.91, while Morales ranks eighth at 1.33.

Jada Lewis also lit it up in back-to-back games earlier this season. She set a new career high for points in both games, while going a combined 13-of-21 (.619) from beyond the arc in both contests. Lewis started with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from deep against Dixie State, then topped that with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the outside against Prairie View A&M.

Weber State won't be an easy defense to get back on track, however. The Wildcats rank fourth in the Big Sky in scoring defense while allowing only 62.67 points per game. They also rank third in field goal percentage defense (.375), and rank fifth in the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (.281).

So, the Vikings will have to work their own way out of their funk, and there's no better time to do it than Saturday, when the Vikings tip off at 12 p.m.

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE (3-3, 0-1) vs. WEBER STATE (2-4, 0-1)

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GAME DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 4, 12 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
SCOUTING WEBER STATE: The Weber State Wildcats have shown strong improvement at the start of this season after finishing with three conference wins or less in each of the past three seasons. The Wildcats have wins over North Dakota (72-57 on Nov. 9) and Omaha (59-45 on Nov. 21), and come into Saturday off of two close losses to UC Davis (54-62) – a team that beat No. 18 Oregon on Dec. 1 – and Northern Arizona (79-83) Thursday. The Wildcats led NAU by as many as five points in the fourth quarter before the Lumberjacks came back to win on their home floor. The 79 points the Wildcats scored against Northern Arizona marked a season high for the Wildcats, though the 83 points they gave up also marked a season high for Weber State opponents. Otherwise, it has been the defense that's led the Wildcats this season. They rank fourth in the Big Sky in scoring defense while allowing only 62.67 points per game. The Wildcats also rank third in field goal percentage defense (.375), and rank fifth in the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (.281). Additionally, as is often the case, strong rebounding has backed up the Wildcats' defense as they lead the Big Sky with a +7.67 rebounding margin, while ranking third in rebounds per game (41.5), second in offensive rebounds per game (13.0) and fourth in defensive rebounds per game (28.5). Jadyn Matthews has broken out as a junior to lead the Wildcats in the inside. Matthews ranks eighth in the Big Sky with 14.2 points per game, and also ranks third in the conference with 9.17 rebounds per game. Daryn Hickok, another junior out of Portland's Grant High School, ranks 13th in the Big Sky with 11.8 points per game, while also ranking tied for sixth with 7.5 rebounds per game. Kori Pentzer also averaged 10.0 points per game. Emma Torbert averages 9.7 points per game while ranking 10th in the Big Sky with 7.0 rebounds per game. The Wildcats are also an elite free throw shooting team as they lead the Big Sky and rank fifth in the nation while making 81.8 percent of their shots from the charity stripe. The Wildcats get to the line a lot, too, as they average 12.0 free throws made per game. Torbert enters Saturday a perfect 16-of-16 from the line this season, while Hickok is 17-of-18. Matthews also ranks ninth in the Big Sky while hitting 79.2 percent of her shots from the line.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the Wildcats, 30-28. They've won six in a row in the series, with their last loss coming on the road on Feb. 11, 2017. The teams did not play last year due to a late cancellation resulting from positive cases of COVID-19 within the Weber State program.

STORYLINES/STREAKS/RECORDS

After topping 75 points in their first three games, the Vikings have been held to 43 and then 40 points in their past two games. As a result, the Vikings have dropped to fifth in the Big Sky with 65.5 points per game after leading the conference earlier in the season.
The Vikings hit at least eight three-pointers in their first four games of the season, but are 4-of-30 combined from the outside over their last two games. Despite that, Jada Lewis and Esmeralda Morales still rank tied for third and tied for seventh in the Big Sky with 2.33 and 2.17 three-pointers made per game, respectively.
The Vikings had won the turnover battle in every game they played this season until Idaho State forced 18 turnovers out of the Vikings Thursday while committing only nine turnovers themselves. The Vikings still lead the Big Sky in steals per game (10.2), turnover margin (+2.83) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.05).
Three different Vikings rank in the top five of the Big Sky for steals per game. Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila rank tied for third with 2.17 steals per game each, while Jada Lewis ranks tied for fifth with 2.00 steals per game.
Esmeralda Morales was held to four points on 1-of-8 shooting in the Vikings' loss to Idaho State Thursday, but she still ranks third in the Big Sky with 16.0 points per game this season.
Savannah Dhaliwal has done a little bit of everything for the Vikings this season, as she averages 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 three-pointers per game this season. Dhaliwal's production has provided a feel-good storyline for the Vikings this season, after she missed the last two seasons due to back-to-back ACL tears. Dhaliwal played in her first counting game in 985 days when she started the team's season opener against Warner Pacific on Nov. 9.
Freshman Alaya Fitzgerald scored in double figures in each of her first four games of the season, but has been held to nine points combined on 4-of-17 shooting in the team's last two games. She still ranks third on the team with 10.7 points per game.
Rhema Ogele ranks eighth in the Big Sky with 7.33 rebounds per game. The freshman also ranks fourth in offensive rebounds per game (3.00) and tied for 13th in defensive rebounds per game (4.33)
Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila rank tied for fifth and tied for seventh in the Big Sky with 4.0 and 3.5 assists per game, respectively. The pair also rank in the top 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio with 'Uhila third at 1.91 and Morales eighth at 1.33.
The Vikings have started three freshmen in Esmeralda Morales, Alaya Fitzgerald and Rhema Ogele in every game this season. Additionally, Mia 'Uhila averages 23.0 minutes per game off the bench, ranking her fifth on the team in minutes.
Head coach Chelsey Gregg is in her first year at the helm of the Vikings after spending the previous six seasons as first an assistant then an associate head coach for the Vikings. The Viking players dumped ice water over Gregg's head following the team's first win of the season on Nov. 9. A photo of the moment was shared by the @NCAAWBB accounts as their photo of the week that week.
The Vikings have nine underclassmen out of the 14 players on their roster this season, while Savannah Dhaliwal represents the team's lone senior.

MIXED OFFENSIVE RESULTS

What started as a strength for the Vikings – the team's offense – has hit a rocky patch over their last two games. The Vikings scored 80 points or more in their first two games, but have only scored 43 and 40 points in their last two games against Utah Valley and Idaho State, respectively. The team's three-point shooting has been the primary victim of the team's recent slump. After starting the year shooting over 40 percent from deep through their first four games, the Vikings are 4-of-30 (.133) combined over their last two games. But despite the recent struggles, the Vikings know they can go off at any moment. The Vikings still have four players in double figures in Esmeralda Morales (16.0), Savannah Dhaliwal (11.5), Alaya Fitzgerald (10.7) and Jada Lewis (10.3). Morales ranks third in the conference with her 16.0 points per game, while she and Lewis also rank among the leaders in three-point field goals made per game and percentage. Lewis ranks tied for third in the Big Sky with 2.33 makes per game from deep, while Morales ranks tied for seventh with 2.17. Lewis also ranks sixth in three-point field goal percentage (.359), with Morales eighth (.325). As a team, the Vikings rank in the top 100 of the NCAA for three-point field goal percentage and makes per game. The team ranks third in the Big Sky and 94th in the nation while hitting 33.9 percent of their shots from the outside. Additionally, the Vikings rank fifth in the conference and 88th in the nation with 7.17 makes per game.

BALL CONTROL

Thursday's game against Idaho State marked the first time this season that an opponent has won the turnover battle over the Vikings. Idaho State forced 18 turnovers out of the Vikings, while committing only nine turnovers themselves. Otherwise, the Vikings have dominated the ball control game, even in their other losses this season. The Vikings lead the Big Sky in steals per game (10.2), turnover margin (+2.83) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.05). The Vikings forced at least 15 turnovers in their first five games of the season, and have finished with at least seven steals in all six games so far. Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila have led the effort as they rank in the top 10 of the Big Sky for assists and steals per game, while also ranking in the top 10 for assist-to-turnover ratio. The pair both rank tied for third with 2.17 steals per game each, while Morales ranks tied for fifth with 4.0 assists per game with 'Uhila tied for seventh with 3.5. 'Uhila leads the two with a 1.91 assist-to-turnover ratio that ranks third in the Big Sky, while Morales stands eighth at 1.33. Jada Lewis joins the two in the conference's top five for steals per game as she's averaged 2.0 through the first six games of the season. Savannah Dhaliwal also ranks tied for 14th in the Big Sky with 1.33 steals per game.

MORE OF MORALES, PLEASE

After a recording-breaking debut, Esmeralda Morales has had to adjust to being the target of opposing teams' defensive plans. That's led to some lower outputs recently, but with Morales only being a freshman, everyone should know that she'll figure it out eventually. Morales still ranks third in the Big Sky with 16.0 points per game, while she also ranks tied for seventh in three-pointers made per game (2.17) and eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.325). Morales has also been a big part of why the Vikings lead the conference in steals per game (10.2), turnover margin (+2.83) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.05). Morales ranks tied for third in the Big Sky in steals per game individually, as she and teammate Mia 'Uhila both average 2.17 thefts a game. Morales and 'Uhila also rank tied for fifth and tied for seventh with 4.0 and 3.5 assists per game, respectively, while they both rank in the top 10 for assist-to-turnover ratio as well. 'Uhila ranks third in the conference at 1.91, while Morales ranks eighth at 1.33. Morales' best game this season remains her debut, when she tied a single-game record that has stood since 1991 with eight made three-pointers against Warner Pacific. She also set five other freshman records in the game between the records for points (32), points in a debut (32), field goals made (11), three-point field goals made (8) and three-point field goal percentage (.727). Morales also made the Bank of Hawai'i Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 three-pointers per game against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 20, and Hawai'i on Nov. 21.

JADA CAN KNOCK DOWN THE J's, DUH

Every defense the Vikings face this season should know that Jada Lewis can fill it up from the outside. She showed that while posting two of her best games ever as a Viking in back-to-back contests against Dixie State on Nov. 12 and Prairie View A&M on Nov. 20. Lewis set a new career high for points in both games, while going a combined 13-of-21 (.619) from beyond the arc in both contests. Lewis started with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from deep against Dixie State, then topped that with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the outside against Prairie View A&M. Lewis has gone cold since then, but she still ranks tied for third in the Big Sky with 2.33 three-pointers made per game. She also ranks sixth in the Big Sky for three-point field goal percentage, as she's hit 35.9 percent of her shots so far.

THE LONG-AWAITED RETURN OF SAVANNAH DHALIWAL

Savannah Dhaliwal hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 38 seconds left in the Vikings' game against Hawai'i on Nov. 21 that could have made for a storybook ending for the redshirt senior. Unfortunately, Hawai'i immediately responded with its own three-pointer to take back the lead, and the Rainbow Wahine went on to win the game. Still, the storybook element for Dhaliwal has been the simple fact that she's back out there playing for the Vikings, and playing well. The Vikings' season opener against Warner Pacific on Nov. 9 marked the first counting game for Dhaliwal in 985 days. Dhaliwal first tore the ACL in her right knee in the Vikings' home game against Idaho on Feb. 28, 2019, which kept her out of the entire 2019-20 season. She re-tore her ACL in the fall of 2020, which forced her out of the entire 2020-21 season as well. But ever since her return, Dhaliwal has shown no ill-effects of the injuries as she's scored in double figures in five of the team's six games this season. She recorded the first double-double of her Viking career in the team's win over Prairie View A&M on Nov. 20, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds (five offensive). Dhaliwal's done a little bit of everything for the Vikings this season, as she's averaging 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 three-pointers made per game while shooting .473 from the field and .533 (8-of-15) from three-point range. Dhaliwal ranks tied for 15th in the Big Sky with her 11.5 points per game, while she also ranks 10th in offensive rebounds per game (2.17) and tied for 14th in steals per game (1.33).

ROOTING FOR LAY IS AS EASY AS A LAY-UP

Freshman Alaya Fitzgerald, nicknamed Lay, scored in double figures in her first four games as a Viking, giving her a strong start to her collegiate career. Fitzgerald played the best game of her young career in the team's near comeback against Hawai'i on Nov. 21. Despite eventually losing the game, Fitzgerald helped lead the Vikings back from a 17-2 deficit at the start, as the Vikings led by five with less than two minutes remaining. Fitzgerald scored 12 of her 17 points after halftime, while she and fellow freshmen Esmeralda Morales and Mia 'Uhila combined for 24 of the Vikings' 30 points in the fourth quarter. Those three also scored all 20 points in a 20-5 run that flipped a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit into a five-point lead with less than two minutes remaining. Fitzgerald's 17 points in the game marked a new career high, while she also set career highs for rebounds (5) and three-pointers made (3).

YOUTHFUL ROSTER

Nine of the Vikings' 14 players this season will be freshmen or sophomores, and neither class has had a normal basketball season due to the pandemic since they were either sophomore or juniors in high school. That should make for a youthful roster at times for the Vikings this season, especially considering the Vikings' only have one senior – Savannah Dhaliwal – to counterbalance that youth. Even the Vikings' juniors had their freshmen years in 2019-20 cut short in March due to the pandemic, and then weren't able to work on their games nearly as much as they would have liked as sophomores during the 2020-21 season.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

Big Sky coaches and media members picked the Vikings to finish ninth and eighth in their respective preseason polls. The top three in both polls were identical, with Idaho State the clear favorite in both. The Bengals return several key players from last year's team that ran away with the Big Sky regular-season and tournament titles. Because of that, the Bengals earned all but their own first-place vote in the coaches poll, and picked up 17 of the 22 first-place votes in the media poll. Montana State followed the Bengals at second in both polls, narrowly edging Idaho in third.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Nov. 20, 2021, Portland State 75, Prairie View A&M 61: Savannah Dhaliwal recorded the first double-double of her career with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jada Lewis set career highs for points (23) and three-pointers (7) to lead the Vikings offensively.
Nov. 12, 2021, Portland State 80, Dixie State 52: The Vikings held a Dixie State team that had just set a new school record with 22 made three-pointers in its season opener to 5-of-34 (.147) shooting from deep. Jada Lewis set a career high with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.
Nov. 9, 2021, Portland State 87, Warner Pacific 64: Esmeralda Morales tied a single-game record that's stood since 1991 with eight three-pointers against the Knights, while setting five new freshman records in the game. Morales broke the freshman records for points (32), points in a debut (32), field goals made (11), three-point field goals made (8) and three-point field goal percentage (.727). Savannah Dhaliwal also made her return after missing the last two seasons due to back-to-back ACL tears. Dhaliwal had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting while setting new career highs for assists (6) and steals (2) in her first counting game in 985 days.

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