PORTLAND, Ore. – Feb. 1, 2015 – Montana State senior Esmeralda Morales returned to her old stomping grounds scoring a game-high 20 points as the Bobcats posted an 85-39 victory over Portland State in Viking Pavilion on Saturday afternoon.
Morales, who played three seasons on the Park Blocks before transferring to MSU, nailed four 3-pointers and went 8-of-8 from the line guiding Montana State (20-2, 10-0) to its 13th straight win, its longest stretch since the 2019-20 Bobcats finished the season with 17 consecutive victories.
The victory also gave head coach Tricia Binford her sixth 20-win season at the helm of the Montana State program, and the third in the last five campaigns. MSU’s 20-2 record also matches the best run for a Bobcat team since 1987-88 when MSU Hall of Fame standout Lynne Andrew paced Montana State to 17 consecutive wins to open the season.
MSU jumped out early on Portland State (4-14, 1-8) taking a 15-4 lead at the midway mark of the opening quarter on a Morales triple. Morales, a product of Spanaway, Wash., connected on three 3-pointers in the first period.
The Bobcats built a 36-18 cushion at intermission and the Vikings would get no closer the rest of the game. MSU’s 32 points in the final frame matched a season-high and its 75% (12-16) shooting was the best for the team in a quarter this season.
“It was a total team effort,” Binford said. “Across the board, it was a great way to finish a four-game road stretch. Winning on the road in the Big Sky Conference is not an easy task.”
Also, finishing in double figures for the Bobcats were Taylee Chirrick and Katelynn Martin. Chirrick, a freshman from Roberts, finished with a career-high 15 points, while also chipping in seven steals, four rebounds and three assists. Martin ended with 12 points and three steals.
Montana State held a 38-31 advantage under the boards, led by Marah Dykstra with seven rebounds. The Bobcat bench outscored the Vikings 40-5. MSU’s defense forced 23 PSU miscues that parlayed into a 27-1 advantage in points scored off turnovers.
Rhema Ogele paced Portland State with 12 points and five rebounds.
Montana State hosts Northern Arizona on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in Worthington Arena for the top spot in the Big Sky standings.