PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — The Portland State Vikings used a dominant interior presence and a combined 39 points from Terri Miller and Keyon Kensie to pull away from the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks for a 63-52 victory in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Stott Center.

The Vikings, improving to 11-5 overall, leveraged a decisive 30-18 advantage in points in the paint and a commanding 11-2 edge in offensive rebounds to overcome a sluggish shooting night from the perimeter. Portland State shot just 22 of 54 from the field and 7 of 23 from three-point range but generated enough second-chance opportunities to maintain control.

Northern Arizona, which fell to 6-13, struggled offensively throughout, posting an offensive rating of 82.4 points per 100 possessions. The Lumberjacks shot 39.1% from the floor and were hampered by 12 turnovers, which Portland State converted into 12 points.

The game’s most important sequence came late in the first half, turning a tight contest into a lead the Vikings would not relinquish. With Northern Arizona holding a 20-18 lead after a Karl Poom free throw with 5:50 remaining, Portland State closed the half on a 10-1 run. The surge was fueled by the Vikings’ work on the glass and Northern Arizona’s miscues.

After a Jaylin Henderson tip-in gave Portland State a 22-20 lead, the Lumberjacks committed turnovers on three of their next four possessions. The Vikings capitalized, with Kensie scoring on a layup and a dunk in transition, the latter off a steal by Mozae Downing-Rivers. A technical foul on Kensie allowed Northern Arizona’s Brennan Peterson to hit a free throw, but Kensie immediately answered with another dunk off a Henderson assist. Brayden Barron’s tip-in at the buzzer sent Portland State into halftime with a 28-21 advantage, capping the critical run that established the game’s momentum.

The Lumberjacks never recovered. Portland State opened the second half with a 7-2 spurt, extending its lead to 12 points within the first three minutes. Northern Arizona managed to cut the deficit to seven points on two occasions, the last at 52-45 after a Diego Campisano three-pointer with 8:02 to play, but could get no closer.

Miller, a 6-foot-8 forward from Fresno, California, led all scorers with 19 points, adding four assists and a block. Kensie, a 6-8 guard from Los Angeles, contributed 20 points and was a force defensively with a block and several key rebounds. Henderson, the Vikings’ floor general, played all but 20 seconds of the game, finishing with 10 points and a game-high six assists.

For Northern Arizona, Peterson, a guard from Scottsdale, Arizona, led the way with 11 points and four assists in 39 minutes. Poom, from Tartu, Estonia, also scored 11 points. The Lumberjacks’ offense was disjointed, managing only seven assists against 12 turnovers.

Portland State’s defense was particularly effective in limiting Northern Arizona’s transition game, holding the Lumberjacks to just 12 fastbreak points while allowing only four of their own. The Vikings also protected the rim, recording four blocks to Northern Arizona’s two.

The announced attendance at the Stott Center was 922. Portland State next travels to face Eastern Washington on Thursday. Northern Arizona returns home to host Montana on Monday.