2008-09 Portland State Women's Basketball Schedule 

PORTLAND ? The Portland State women's basketball team unveiled its 2008-09 schedule this morning, highlighted by 13 home games and a road game at 2008 NCAA Tournament participant Syracuse.

The Vikings, coming off their best season to date as a Division I program, will play 13 games at the Stott Center, including opening the year with a Nov. 14 matchup at home against BYU.

PSU then hits the road for back-to-back games in New York, starting with a Nov. 21 contest at Binghamton. The Vikings then take on Syracuse the following day.

Portland State returns home to host cross-town rival Portland on Nov. 26, before road games at Long Beach State on Dec. 1, and at Pacific two days later.

After hosting Seattle on Dec. 5, PSU will hit the road for three straight road games, starting with a contest at Oregon State on Dec. 7. The Vikings then play at Gonzaga on Dec. 14, and at Utah State on Dec. 16.

The Vikings return to the Park Blocks to host Manhattan on Dec. 21, which begins a string of four consecutive games at the Stott Center. PSU's final non-conference game is against Utah Valley State, on Dec. 29. They then open Big Sky Conference play on Jan. 2 by hosting Sacramento State.

PSU will play eight home games and eight road games during the 16-game Big Sky schedule. The Vikings host Big Sky Tournament champion and NCAA participant Montana on Jan. 29.

The Big Sky Conference Tournament runs Mar. 12-14. The championship game will be on Mar. 14, at the home site of the regular season champion.

“I'm very excited looking at our preseason schedule, especially the road portion,” said second-year head coach Sherri Murrell. “The road games will be very challenging and help us prepare for a very solid Big Sky Conference.”

Last season under Murrell, Portland State finished 22-9 and advanced to the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament. The 22 wins marked the Vikings' first 20-win season as a Division I program, and their first since going 25-5 as a member of Division II in 1995-96.

Portland State finished 11-5 in the Big Sky, tying with Montana State for third place, to post its first winning conference mark since going 8-6 in 2002-03. The Vikings were impressive in their conference victories, posting an average margin of victory of 16.7 points.

The Vikings return four starters, including first team All-Big Sky pick and honorable mention All-America point guard Claire Faucher. The junior-to-be led the nation in assists at 8.84 per game and became the first Vikings player to ever receive All-America honors at the Division I level.

Senior guard/forward Kelsey Kahle, who led PSU in scoring at 14.9 PPG, also returns, as does sophomore forward Kelli Valentine. Kahle is a three-time all-conference honoree, and Valentine was named the Big Sky's Outstanding Freshman last season. The other returning starter is sophomore guard/forward Lexi Bishop.