UTC's Kylie Lambert (22)

Lady Moc transfer Ashlen Dewart (center) encourages her teammates duing warmups before the Davidson game Saturday.

MORAGA, Calif. - Ashlen Dewart scored 23 points, Kylie Lambert added 18 and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team improved to 4-0 Friday with a 68-59 win against Portland State.

Playing in the Saint Mary's Thanksgiving Classic at McKeon Pavilion, UTC didn't shoot well from the field (22-of-63) but made up for it with 19 steals and by making 20 of 27 free throws.

Dewart, making her first start in place of the injured Faith Dupree, carried UTC early. She scored 12 of the Lady Mocs' first 14 points.

The Vikings (3-1) led 16-8 with 14:42 left in the first half before UTC eventually closed the gap, tying the game at 22 on a Taylor Hall putback.

"After the first five minutes they were on pace to score 56 points in the half, but from that point on the kids picked it up pretty good and it was a pretty good effort," UTC coach Wes Moore said.

Lambert did most of UTC's scoring late in the half, accounting for 12 of the Lady Mocs' final 21 points. Her 3-pointer with 44 seconds left in the period gave UTC its first lead, 33-32. A Ka'Vonne Towns steal and layup put UTC up 35-32 at the break.

UTC led throughout the second half, but the Vikings hung around the whole way. Kayla Christopher hit two 3s in the half to move into fourth all-time at UTC with 171. Christopher, who totaled eight points, also hit the 1,000-point mark Friday.

Lambert had scored 10 points all season before going 3-for-7 from the field and hitting 10 of 12 free throws. She also led UTC with 10 rebounds.

The Lady Mocs' 4-0 start is their first since 1999-2000, and they will try to tie the program's best start ever today against St. Mary's.