PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — Keyon Kensie scored 24 points and Portland State used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from Montana State for a 63-54 victory in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at the Stott Center.

The Vikings, who led by just two points at halftime, outscored the Bobcats 40-33 after the break to improve to 14-6 overall. Montana State dropped to 13-10.

The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the second half. After Montana State’s Jeremiah Davis hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 29 with 18:35 remaining, Portland State unleashed a 14-4 run over the next six minutes to seize control. Kensie, a 6-foot-8 junior from Los Angeles, ignited the run with a 3-pointer and capped it with a jump shot, giving the Vikings a 43-33 lead. The Bobcats would not get within six points the rest of the way.

Kensie, who played 40 minutes, added four assists and a block to his game-high point total. He was supported by Terri Miller, who scored 16 points and grabbed three assists, and Kelcy Phipps, who added 10 points. Jaylin Henderson orchestrated the offense with eight assists.

Montana State was led by the duo of Jeremiah Davis and Patrick McMahon, each scoring 16 points. Davis, a guard from Compton, California, did his damage in 26 minutes, while McMahon, a forward from Palmer, Alaska, played 37. Jed Miller added 12 points for the Bobcats.

The contest was a defensive struggle marked by inefficient offense. Portland State scored 63 points on 64 possessions for an offensive rating of 98.9, while Montana State managed only 54 points on 63 possessions, an offensive rating of 85.5. The Vikings shot 45.3% from the field compared to the Bobcats’ 33.9%. Montana State was particularly cold from beyond the arc, making just 5 of 25 3-point attempts.

Both teams were active defensively, combining for 19 steals and forcing 27 turnovers. Portland State converted Montana State’s 13 turnovers into 17 points, while the Bobcats scored 20 points off 14 Vikings giveaways. Portland State also held advantages in points in the paint, 30-24, and fast-break points, 16-10.

The first half was a low-scoring, back-and-forth affair featuring nine lead changes and five ties. Neither team led by more than four points until the final minute of the period. Portland State took a 23-21 lead into the locker room after a late 3-pointer from Phipps and a Montana State layup from Jed Miller just before the buzzer.

The win allowed Portland State to bounce back from a home loss to Montana on Thursday. The Vikings were installed as a 3.5-point pregame favorite, and the final score fell well under the over/under line of 141. Montana State has now lost two straight following a defeat at Sacramento State on Thursday.

An announced crowd of 1,795 watched the game.

Portland State next hosts Idaho State on Monday. Montana State returns home to face Idaho on Thursday.