complete game notes and statistics in pdf

With an invigorating 83-81 win over Pepperdine tucked neatly in their pockets, the Portland State Vikings will travel this week, competing at the three-day SMU Classic in Dallas, TX. PSU plays Southern Methodist, Lamar and UC Riverside in a tournament hosted by SMU.

The Vikings are 1-0 as they go on the road thanks to a late three-point field goal by SR F Paul Guede last Friday against Pepperdine. Guede hit a three with five seconds remaining to turn a one-point deficit into an 83-81 win at the Stott Center.

That win overcame the disappointment earlier in the week of the loss of SR F Phil Nelson to a foot injury. The 6-8 Nelson, who missed the last 12 games of last season with a broken left foot has reinjured the same foot. The Vikings' top returning scorer at 12.9 ppg last year, Nelson is expected to be out for six weeks.
   
THE SMU CLASSIC
Nov. 19-21, Fri.-Sun., @ Southern Methodist Classic (all times listed are Pacific)
Fri.    Lamar vs. UC Riverside    10:30 a.m.
    Southern Methodist vs. Portland State    1 p.m.    No Radio
Sat.     Lamar vs. Portland State    1 p.m.    Radio: 1360 AM KUIK
    Southern Methodist vs. UC Riverside    3:30 p.m.
Sun.    UC Riverside vs. Portland State    2:30 p.m.    Radio: Freedom 970 AM
    Southern Methodist vs. Lamar    5 p.m.

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (1-0) vs. SMU MUSTANGS (0-1)
Friday, November 19, 1 p.m. PT @ SMU Classic, Moody Coliseum (8,998), Dallas, TX

Television: None • Radio: None
Live Video Stream: None • Live Stats: www.GoViks.com

STORYLINES
• The series: Portland State and Southern Methodist meet for the first time in history on Friday in a first-round game at the SMU Classic. The Vikings also play Lamar and UC Riverside in the tournament.
• Vikings vs. Conference USA: Portland State is 1-4 all-time against teams from Conference USA. Most recently, the Vikings defeated Rice, 78-74, in the 2008-09 season opener in Houston.
• The Mustangs: Southern Methodist has three starters and nine letterwinners returning from the 2009-10 season. Senior forward Papa Dia is a third-team All-CUSA choice from last year when he averaged 12.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Justin Haynes (5.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and Robert Nyakundi (7.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) also return... the Mustangs were 14-17 last season, 7-9 and tied for seventh in Conference USA.
• Mustangs Stumble in Opener: The Mustangs lost their opener, 57-47, at home to Arkansas-Little Rock. SMU made just 13-48 shots from the field in the loss. Rodney Clinkscales made five three-point field goals for a team-high 17 points... the Mustangs play at TCU on Tuesday night before hosting the SMU Classic.
• Head Coach Brad Doherty: The Mustangs' Head Coach begins his fifth season in Dallas. He has a 47-76 record at SMU. In nine years as a collegiate head coach, Doherty is 137-147.

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (1-0) vs. LAMAR CARDINALS (1-0)
Saturday, November 20, 1 p.m. PT @ SMU Classic, Moody Coliseum (8,998), Dallas, TX

Television: None
Radio: KUIK 1360 AM, www.kuik.com • Play-by-play: Ray Canvari • Pregame Show: 12:30 p.m. PT
Live Video Stream: None • Live Stats: www.GoViks.com

All-Time Series: Lamar leads 2-0
Streak: Lamar has won two in a row, but the teams have not played in over 30 years.

STORYLINES
• The series: Portland State and Lamar meet for the third time in history. The previous meetings came in a nine-day span in 1980. Lamar beat the Vikings, 141-84, on Jan. 12, 1980, then beat them again, 99-78, on Jan. 21, 1980 in Beaumont. The 141 points scored in the first game are the most ever allowed by a Viking team... PSU and Lamar are meeting on day two of the three-day SMU Classic in Dallas.
• Vikings vs. Southland Conference: Lamar is the only team the Vikings have ever faced among current Southland Conference members.
• The Cardinals: Lamar comes off a 14-18 season in 2009-10. The Cardinals were 5-11 in the Southland Conference, placing sixth. Four starters and six letterwinners return from that team. Junior guard Anthony Miles averaged 14.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Senior guard Kendrick Harris averaged 10.7 points and 2.8 rebounds.
• Local Flavor: Junior guard Mike James is from Portland's Grant High School. He is a transfer from Eastern Arizona Junior College where he averaged 26.0 points last season.
• Opening Win: Lamar routed Lyon College, 115-57, last Friday in its season opener. The Cardinals hit 15 three-point field goals and forced 34 turnovers in the game. Brandon Davis had 22 points and Devon Lamb added 21.
• Head Coach Steve Roccaforte: The Cardinals head coach is in his fifth year at Lamar and has a 64-61 record.

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (1-0) vs. UC-RIVERSIDE (1-1)
Saturday, November 21, 2:30 p.m. PT @ SMU Classic, Moody Coliseum (8,998), Dallas, TX

Television: None
Radio: Freedom 970 AM, www.970.am • Play-by-play: Ray Canvari • Pre-game Show: 2 p.m. PT
Live Video Stream: None • Live Stats: www.GoViks.com

All-Time Series: The series is tied 1-1
Streak: The teams have not met in almost 35 years.

STORYLINES
• The series: Portland State and UC Riverside have split two previous meetings, but have not met since Dec. 17, 1975. Each team won a game on its home floor: UCR 67-66 on Dec. 16, 1972; PSU 80-75 on Dec. 17, 1975.
• Vikings vs. The Big West Conference: Portland State 19-26 all-time against the Big West Conference. last year, the Vikings won their only meeting with a Big West school, 92-83, over Cal Poly at the Stott Center.
• The Highlanders: UC Riverside was 12-17 last season, 5-11 and ninth in the Big West Conference... only one player returns from last year and one from the year prior... UCR has nine first-year transfers on its roster.
• Opening Split: UC Riverside had two very different games to open the 2010-11 season. The Highlanders lost at UNLV, 85-41, on Friday. They came back to defeat Pomona Pitzer, 81-48, on Monday... after two games, BJ Shearry leads the team in scoring at 10.5 ppg. Tyquan Brown has team-leading 8.5 rebounds per game.
• Head Coach Jim Wooldridge: The Highlanders Head Coach begins his fourth year at UC Riverside. Wooldridge has a 39-52 record. In 22 years of collegiate coaching, he is 351-289.

RADIO BROADCAST CHANGES
Due to scheduling conflicts, one Portland State basketball game will air on KUIK 1360 AM and another will not air. PSU's Friday, Nov. 19 game with Southern Methodist will not be aired due to scheduling conflicts. It tips off at 1 p.m. PT.  The KUIK game will be a Saturday, Nov. 20 contest against Lamar at the Southern Methodist Classic. It also begins at 1 p.m. PT.
   
The Nov. 20 game was moved because it will air almost simultaneously with the Viking football game at Northern Arizona. The Viking football game will be on the flagship station, Freedom 970 AM, with a pregame show at 1 p.m. PT, and kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m. PT.
   
Calling the action for the Vikings in Dallas will be veteran broadcaster Ray Canvari as he fills in for Tom Hewitt, who will be traveling with the Portland State football team.
   
All remaining games beginning on Nov. 21 will air on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am.

VIKING BASKETBALL RADIO SCHEDULE CHANGES
Nov. 19 vs. SMU: will not air
Nov. 20 vs. Lamar: airs on 1360 AM KUIK, pregame show at 12:30, tip-off at 1 p.m.
Nov. 21 vs. UC Riverside: airs on Freedom 970 as scheduled, pregame show at 2 p.m., tip-off at 2:30 p.m.
All remaining games on Freedom 970 AM as scheduled.

TELEVISION GAME ADDED
Portland State's Dec. 5 game at the University of Oregon, one of the last games at fabled McArthur Court in Eugene, will be televised in the Portland area. Oregon, through the Oregon Sports Network, will televise the game on Comcast Sports Net (Channel 37/HD 737). Tip-off for the Sunday afternoon game is 3 p.m. It is the first meeting between the Vikings and the Ducks in four seasons.

VIKING BASKETBALL TICKETS
SEASON TICKETS
Adult Reserved: $125 with a Viking Athletic Fund contribution of $100 per seat
PSU Faculty/Staff: $100 with a Viking Athletic Fund contribution of $100 per seat
General Admission: $100 per seat

SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Adult Reserved: $15.00 • Youth (17 and under) reserved: $10.00
Adult General Admission: $10.00 • Youth (17 and under) General Admission: $7.00

Purchase tickets online at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available to the Portland State ticket office, or at the Stott Center beginning 90 minutes prior to the game.

PORTLAND STATE TICKET OFFICE
Smith Memorial Union
1825 SW Broadway, Portland State campus
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Call 888-VIK-TIKS • 503-725-3307

VIKINGS REWIND: PSU 83, PEPPERDINE 81
An unlikely three-point shooter, Paul Guede hit the biggest shot of his Portland State career as his late trey gave the Vikings an 83-81 season-opening win over Pepperdine at the Stott Center last Friday. Guede hit the three with five seconds on the clock, turning a one-point deficit into a Portland State lead. The Waves raced the ball up the court and got a running jumper from Jonathan Dupre that missed badly at the buzzer... Guede's shot capped a 10-point night off the bench and proved to be big in the absence of Viking three-point specialist Phil Nelson. The senior forward injured his foot earlier in the week and was unable to play for PSU... contributions came from all over as Melvin Jones led the way with 23 points and five assists. Chris Harriel posted a career-high 16 points, Chehales Tapscott scored 15 with a game-high eight rebounds, and Tree Thomas added a career-high 13 points... PSU led by 11 points early in the first half, but the game turned around and by early in the second half, Pepperdine was up 11 at 52-41... over the last 9:10 of the game neither team led by more than four points... Dupre buried a three-pointer off a drive-and-dish from Mychel Thompson with 15 seconds to play giving the Waves an 81-80 lead with 15 seconds to play. PSU hustled up court, got the ball into Jones' hands and he drove the lane. When the defense collapsed, Jones dished to a wide open Guede in the right corner who calmly buried the game winner... the Waves shot .525 from the field on the strength of a number of put backs off the offensive glass. However, the Vikings made up for with a 31-38 effort at the foul line (.816).

FAST BREAKS
WINNING LINES 
• Since the start of the 2007-08 season, Portland State is 34-6 at home, including 22-4 in Big Sky Conference games... the Vikings have currently won three straight home games.
• PSU has gone 102-33 in 135 games at the Stott Center since the 1996-97 season. Including home games at Memorial Coliseum (12-6) and the Rose Garden (19-9), the Vikings are 133-48 at home over the past 15 seasons.
• The Vikings were 5-15 in road games in 2009-10, with two of those losses being neutral site games... PSU went 2-6 in Big Sky road games.
• PSU is 32-16 in Big Sky games since the start of the 2007-08 season, 37-17 including tournament games.
• Portland State is 22-22 all-time in overtime games, including 0-2 last season.
• The Vikings are 2-14 against nationally-ranked teams since reinstating the program and joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97. That includes wins each of the last two years over ranked teams (Gonzaga in 2008-09, Portland in 2009-10).

FIRST OPENER AT HOME IN EIGHT YEARS: Playing its opening at home for the first time in eight years, the Vikings came up with a thrilling finish, beating Pepperdine, 83-81, on a Paul Guede three-pointer with five seconds left... the last time PSU played an opener at home, in 2002, the Vikings came back from a 20-point deficit to beat Cal State Northridge, 69-65.

WEST COAST KILLERS: With the Vikings' 83-81 win over Pepperdine of the West Coast Conference, Portland State is now 3-1 against WCC teams in Tyler Gevings' two seasons as Head Coach. PSU is 6-1 against the WCC dating to the start of the 2007-08 season, including 3-0 vs. Portland, 2-0 vs. Pepperdine, 1-0 vs. Gonzaga and 0-1 vs. Saint Mary's. Wins over #7 Gonzaga (2008-09) and #25 Portland (2009-10) came against nationally-ranked teams... the Vikings have another chance against the WCC when they play Portland again on Dec. 18 in the Stott Center.

PHIL'S FOOT: For the second time since last January, SR F Phil Nelson has suffered a broken left foot. The loss is a big one for the Vikings, as Nelson was the top returning scorer at 12.9 points and 48 three-point field goals through 20 games last year when he suffered the injury the first time. Nelson reinjured the foot on Nov. 8. It is anticipated he can return in six to eight weeks... PSU is now 6-7 in the 13 games Nelson has missed since Jan. 30... Nelson has started all 53 games he has played in as a Viking. PSU is 31-22 in those games. The Vikings also lose much-needed size on the floor as Nelson stands 6-8.

KEEPING UP WITH MELVIN JONES: With the loss of Phil Nelson for the time being, the play and leadership of SR G Melvin Jones becomes all the more important for the Vikings. In game one, Melvin did not disappoint. He staked the Vikings to an early 11-point lead, hitting three straight three-pointers in the first half. Then, when the Vikings fell behind by 11 in the second half, Jones' back-to-back threes ignited the team as it came back to win. He also got the assist in the closing seconds after driving the lane and dishing off to Paul Guede for the game-winning three-pointer... Jones finished with a game-high 23 points, hitting 6-11 FGs, 5-9 3-pt FGs, 6-6 FTs. Jones added five assists and two rebounds... Jones, who averaged 11.8 ppg last year, now has six career 20-point games.

CAREER GAMES: In addition to SR F Paul Guede's heroics against Pepperdine, some other Vikings had big games... SO G Chris Harriel scored a career-high 16 points. He also grabbed six rebounds, made two steals and blocked a shot in 37 minutes of action. Harriel's previous career-high was 13 points against Seattle on Mar. 2, 2010... SR F Tree Thomas had a career-high 13 points, including 9-12 at the free throw line. His previous career high of 12 points was also against Seattle last Mar. 2.

NEWCOMERS HAVE AN IMPACT: Two new players on the roster started their first games as Vikings against Pepperdine. JR F Chehales Tapscott had a solid effort with 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes. JR C Nate Lozeau added four points, four rebounds and a block in 23 minutes... other newcomers playing in their first games were JR Gs Terry Coleman and Charles Odum. Coleman, who has nursed a bum ankle in the preseason, played nine minutes without scoring. Odum scored two points with one assist in 13 minutes. Those two are expected to see more action as the season progresses.

BEATING THE ODDS: Portland State trailed by seven at halftime, and was outshot and outrebounded in the game, but still beat Pepperdine. How did they get it done? The Vikings forced 19 turnovers and shot a nifty 31-38 at the free throw line (.816).

VIKINGS ADD THREE EARLY SIGNEES FOR 2011-12
Portland State Basketball Coach Tyler Geving has signed three student-athletes during the early signing period for the 2011-12 academic year.

Signing National Letters of Intent are Kidus Ephrem from Portland's Central Catholic High School and Jerron Smith from Decatur High School in Federal Way, WA. Signing an Aid Agreement with the Viking program is Gary Winston, who is currently attending Walla Walla Community College.
   
Ephrem, a 6-7 forward, comes from a Central Catholic program that was 16-10 last season, 11-3 in the Mt. Hood Conference.
   
“Kidus has a great upside and should mature into a great player,” said Geving. “He can post up. He can step outside and shoot the three. The thing I think I like about him most is he is just starting to realize how good he can be. He has a long way to go in terms of reaching his potential.
   
“It is nice to get a good local kid who wants to stay home. He comes from a good program and is well-coached.”
   
Smith is a 6-4 guard who led his Decatur High School team to the state playoffs as a junior.
   
“Jerron is an athletic wing who is a great scorer. He has put up big numbers ever since his freshman year in high school when he was on the varsity,” said Geving.” He has good bloodlines too. His dad, Wayne, played here, and his brother (Terrell) starts at the University of the Pacific. It is a basketball family and he is another kid who really knows how to score. As he gets stronger, his game will mature, but he definitely knows how to put the ball in the basket.”
   
In fact, Jerron's father, Wayne, was Portland State's leading rebounder in 1975-76, averaging 9.3 boards per game.
   
Winston is a 6-1, 185-pound guard who graduated from Walla Walla High School in 2010 and originally committed to Idaho. He changed his mind and currently is attending Walla Walla Community College. Winston was a two-time All-League performer at WWHS who was named the Cascade Division Player of the Year as a senior. Winston led the Blue Devils to the Big 9 District championship and a berth in the Washington 4A playoffs.
   
“Gary was a great high school guard. He is a guy who is physically ready to step right in and play at our level. He can shoot it extremely well, has a great handle and great strength,” said Geving. “He has a great feel on the offensive end, so I am really excited we have signed him.”