Complete notes and statistics in pdf

Portland State plays its final home game on Saturday night against Montana State and will honor five seniors prior to the game. The Vikings and Bobcats meet in a 7:05 p.m. contest at the Stott Center. It will be carried on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am. and is available via live video stream at www.b2tv.com.
   
PSU lost a thriller on Thursday night to first-place Montana, 85-84. The Vikings scored 14 points in the final 59 seconds to nearly overcome a 10-point deficit. The loss leaves PSU at 12-15 on the season, 4-10 in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings are 9-5 at home this year.
   
Montana State ended a nine-game losing streak on Thursday, beating Eastern Washington, 60-56. The win improved the Bobcats to 12-16 on the season, 6-8 in the Big Sky Conference. MSU improved to 2-12 on the road. The Bobcats are now fifth in the race for the Big Sky Tournament.

FIVE VIKINGS PLAY IN THEIR FINAL HOME GAME
Portland State has five seniors on its 2010-11 roster that will play in their final home game on Saturday night. They are: guards Melvin Jones and Alonzo Brandon and forwards Phil Nelson, Tree Thomas and Paul Guede.
   
Nelson and Guede are third-year players for the Vikings. Each has played a significant amount of time for Portland State and each were also members of the 2008-09 NCAA Tournament team. Both Nelson and Guede have also lost significant playing time to foot injuries. Nelson will play in his 67th game as a Viking on Saturday, and Guede will play in his 62nd game. Nelson ranks ninth all-time at PSU with 129 three-point field goals made and has averaged double figures in his career. Guede has been the Vikings top defender the past two years.
   
Tree Thomas has come on average nearly 10 points per game as a senior, starting the majority of the season. Thomas has been an effective offensive player shooting .500 from the field and .781 at the line in more than 50 career games.
   
Melvin Jones has had two solid seasons at Portland State. He will play in his 60th career game on Saturday night. Jones has averaged nearly 12 points per game in his career. He ranks fourth in career three-pointers made (146) and 10th in career three-point percentage (.399) in his Portland State career.
   
Alonzo Brandon has played in 40 games during his two-season career at Portland State. He has hit 24 three-pointers in a role as backup shooting guard.

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (12-15, 4-10) vs. MONTANA STATE BOBCATS (12-16, 6-8)
Saturday, February 26, 2011, 7:05 p.m. @ Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR
Television: None
Radio: Freedom 970 AM, www.970.am • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Pregame Show: 6:30 p.m.
Live Video Stream: www.b2tv.com • Live Stats: www.GoViks.com
All-Time Series: MSU leads 25-17 • PSU in Portland: 11-7
Big Sky Series: MSU leads 19-14 • PSU in Portland: 10-5

STORYLINES
• The series: Montana State leads the all-time series, 25-17 and the Big Sky series, 19-14... PSU has won all three meetings between the teams in Big Sky Tournament games - including the title game in 2008-09 in Ogden, UT... PSU is 11-7 all-time against MSU in Portland, 10-5 in Big Sky games... the Vikings are also 3-0 all-time in overtime games between the schools... with a 74-65 win in Bozeman on Jan. 13, the Bobcats have won three of the last four in the series, including a 79-71 win in Portland last year.
• Jan. 13: The Vikings lost 74-65 in Bozeman... PSU was outrebounded 42-33 in the loss, giving up 19 offensive boards... PSU led by four in the first half, but trailed for the final 27:31 of the game.. MSU's largest lead was 13 in the late-going... MSU overcame a 6-22 performance at the free throw line... with 16 points, Erik Rush led four Bobcats in double figures. Bobby Howard added 15 points and 12 rebounds... Chris Harriel had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Vikings. Charles Odum added 14 points.
• Big Bad Bobby: Montana State SR F Bobby Howard has been a thorn in the Vikings' side the past two seasons, totalling 72 points and 32 rebounds in the four meetings (18.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg), hitting 27-50 FGs and 12-16 FTs. Howard was a first team All-Big Sky Conference selection last year... SR F Erik Rush has 61 points and 25 rebounds in the four games (15.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg).
• The Bobcats: Montana State was 15-14 last season, 10-6 and third in the Big Sky Conference... two starters and four letterwinners return from that team... fifth year Head Coach Brad Huse leads the Bobcats. He has a 76-78 record on MSU, including 4-7 against the Vikings... in 13 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Huse is 260-148.
• This year: Montana State is 12-16 overall, 6-8 in the Big Sky and in fifth place in the Big Sky playoff picture... the Bobcats are 2-12 on the road... the Bobcats shoot only .408 from the field, which ranks seventh in the conference... Erik Rush is third in the Big Sky with a 15.1 scoring average... Bobby Howard ranks fifth at 14.7 points per game. Howard is fourth in rebounding at 7.1 per contest.

VIKING BASKETBALL TAKES PART IN FOOD DRIVE MONTH
February is the annual Governor's State Employees Food Drive Month, and Portland State University is participating by placing food barrels throughout the campus during the entire month. The drive kicked off Monday, Jan. 31, and will run through Monday, Feb. 28.
   
Any fan bringing a food item for donation to the Food Drive at the Saturday game will receive a discounted $7 ticket.

Non-perishable food items especially needed are canned foods, canned and boxed meals, peanut butter (plastic jars only please), pasta, rice, cereal, powdered milk and fruit juices. Monetary donations are also needed. Checks should be made payable to the Oregon Food Bank and will be collected by Amy Ross, Executive Assistant, President's Office (341 Cramer Hall).

GAME WEEK ACTIVITIES
VIKINGS ON RADIO: All Portland State basketball games can be heard on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am. The Viking Pregame Show begins one-half hour prior to tipoff with Tom Hewitt calling all the action.
INTERNET STREAMING: Live streaming video of all Portland State home and Big Sky Conference games can be seen free at www.b2TV.com. Live stats for Portland State home games are at www.GoViks.com.
TICKETS: Portland State Basketball tickets are priced from $10-$15 for adults and $7-$10 for juniors and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com. They are also available to the Portland State ticket office, or at the Stott Center beginning 90 minutes prior to the game. The Portland State Ticket Office is located Smith Memorial Union, 1825 SW Broadway on the Portland State campus or call 888-VIK-TIKS/503-725-3307.

5 x 10: Portland State has four players averaging 10 or more points this year (JR G Charles Odum, 14.5; SO G Chris Harriel 13.1; JR F Chehales Tapscott 12.2; SR G Melvin Jones, 11.1), with SR F Tree Thomas knocking on the door at 9.7 points per game... in Big Sky games, those five all average 10 points or better, led by 16.0 ppg by Odom.

STILL SHOOTING: The Vikings had struggled with their shooting in recent weeks, but have gotten it going again in the last two games. PSU scored 84 points in a win over Loyola Marymount and 84 points in a loss to Montana. In those two games, the team shot 65-126 (.516) from the field. The only drawback has been a 24-45 effort at the free throw line (.533)... PSU shot a season-high .548 against Montana.

TAP IS BACK: In his first two starts since returning from knee injury, JR F Chehales Tapscott has played brilliantly. Tapscott had 13 points and 10 rebounds in last Saturday's win over Loyola Marymount. Despite losing to Montana, Tapscott posted a career-high 28 points (12-16 FG, 1-1 3-pt , 3-7 FT) with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals... to carry the value of top rebounder Tapscott a step further, the Vikings are 11-9 when he starts, 1-6 when he doesn't start.