Box Score
Boxscore

Denver, CO - Center Nate Lozeau scored a career-high 19 points, but the Portland State Vikings were otherwise stagnant on offense, losing their season-opener at Denver, 69-61.

Chehales Tapscott added 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Vikings. Denver's Brian Stafford scored a career-high 32 points for the Pioneers.

PSU was a chilly 2-13 to start the game, with the only buckets by Lozeau. The Vikings trailed 10-4 early.

Stafford hit four of five three-pointers in the first 12 minutes of the game, staking Denver to a 23-16 lead.

Lozeau, who had a big first half, gave the Vikings their first lead at 27-26 on a basket inside at the 5:42 mark. It was his third straight basket and brought PSU all the way back from a seven-point deficit.

Denver went into the halftime locker room with a 34-31 lead. The Pioneers hit 8-16 three-pointers, including 6-7 by Stafford who had 18 points.

PSU's inside game kept it in the contest as Lozeau and Tapscott combined for 24 points and 12 rebounds in the half. The Vikings outrebounded Denver, 23-9, but shot only .419 and made one three-pointer.

Both teams struggled to score in the second half until Denver mounted an 11-2 run to take the largest lead of the game at 49-37 with 9:52 to play. Portland State never drew closer than seven until the final minute.

The Vikings couldn't get a perimeter game going against a Denver team that had great size at all positions. PSU's trio of starting guards combined to hit just four of 27 field goals.

"Their length does bother you," said Geving. "They closed out on us well and we were always shooting a contested shot. And when we drove they did a good job of collapsing and stopping us."

Denver shot 24-50 from the field (.480), while Portland State was only 22-60 (.367). PSU made just one of eight from three-point range. The Vikings won the rebounding battle, 42-26.

Lozeau finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, hitting 8-12 shot from the field. Tapscott had 18 points on 6-14 shooting and 6-9 free throws. Charles Odum added 13 points.

"We executed what we wanted to do inside, Lozeau with 19, Tapscott with 18, but we couldn't make anything happen outside," said Viking Coach Tyler Geving.

GAME NOTES: It was a first-ever meeting between the Vikings and the University of Denver, members of the Sun Belt Conference… Tapscott's double-double was his seventh in 25 career games… PSU played without junior forward Martin Whitmore, who is recovering from an elbow injury suffered in the exhibition win over Western Oregon. He is out indefinitely… junior forward Renado Parker will be eligible to compete at the end of fall term… freshman guard Gary Winston is still seeking clearance to play from the NCAA due to his transfer status… Portland State opens its home schedule on Tuesday when Seattle University comes to the Stott Center. Tip-off is 7:05 p.m.