Portland State shot 55 percent for the game and turned a two-point halftime lead into a 73-59 win over the Northern Arizona women on Saturday.
NAU junior Amy Patton scored a game-high 24 points to go with six assists and sophomore Amanda Frost totaled 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting as NAU dropped to 2-9 in the Big Sky and 7-16 overall. Portland State improved to 5-5 in conference play and 13-9 for the season.
The Lumberjacks jumped to a 6-0 lead to open the game before Portland State responded with an 11-0 run, holding NAU scoreless for more than five minutes. Down 21-12 with 8:43 to play, NAU used a 7-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Frost, to get within two points at 21-19. A Patton jumper pulled NAU into a tie at 23-23 with 4:57 remaining, but Portland State responded with an 8-1 run to take a 31-24 lead. NAU ended the half with a Patton jumper and a 3-pointer by Tyler Stephens Jenkins to get within two points heading to the intermission.
NAU could not continue its momentum to open the second half, as the Vikings began the period on an 8-0 run to take a 39-29 lead. A jumper by Patton ended the run, but NAU could get no closer than nine points for the remainder of the contest. A Patton three-3 brought the Lumberjacks within 57-45 with 9:22 to play, but a 12-4 Portland State run would give the Vikings a game-high 20-point lead at 69-49 with 4:54 remaining. NAU outscored PSU 10-4 to end the game.
Patton was 10 of 19 from the field and added six assists and four rebounds. Frost had four boards and two steals to go with her perfect shooting day, and sophomore Khyra Conerly contributed eight points, a team-high five rebounds and two steals.
The Lumberjacks played without senior Caty Huntington and sophomore Shay May after both suffered injuries in Thursday's game.
NAU shot 44 percent and made five 3-pointers but was just 4 for 9 from the free-throw line. The Vikings held a 33-26 rebounding edge. Both teams committed 18 turnovers.
