Boxscore

Portland, OR - Trailing by 10 with nine minutes to go, Portland State found a way to salvage Senior Night at the Stott Center, beating Montana State, 69-64.

If ever there was a basketball game of ebb and flow, this one was it. Most important to the Vikings though, was the flow of a 26-11 run in the closing minutes to capture the win. PSU improved to 13-15 on the season - matching its win total of 2009-10 - and went to 5-10 in the Big Sky Conference.

Portland's frigid temperatures outside drifted into the Stott Center for the first 10 minutes of the contest. PSU hit three of its first 14 shots, while MSU made only three of its first 17 shots.
 
Trailing 10-8 midway through the first half, the Vikings went on a 22-6 run. PSU scored 11 points off Bobcat turnovers in the rally and led 30-16 with 2:38 left in the half. Montana State came back to score the last seven points of the half and close PSU's advantage to 30-23.

The Bobcats made just 9-30 shots (.300) in the half, while PSU was 12-32 (.375). The difference was turnovers as MSU had seven for 11 Viking points while PSU had just three giveaways for three points.

Danny Piepoli led the Bobcat rush as it continued in the second half. After a 10-2 opening run by MSU, the Vikings had given back all of their big lead. Once Montana State got the lead, it grew. Piepoli scored 14 points over a span of 12 minutes. MSU made 12 of its first 17 shots in the half (.708) and built a 10-point lead.

A Piepoli three-pointer made it 53-43 Bobcats with 9:01 to play. But PSU's defense and strong second-half rebounding turned the tide. MSU would make just 2-11 shots the rest of the way.

A pair of fast break baskets by Charles Odum sparked a 9-0 Viking run and the Vikings finally took back the lead at 58-57 with 2:52 to play. Another jumper by Piepoli gave the Bobcats a brief advantage at the 2:29 mark, then it was all PSU the rest of the way.

Portland State made 9-10 free throws in the last two minutes. The Vikings also got a big jump shot from Tree Thomas at the 54-second mark to close out the win.

"That was a big shot (by Thomas), and the great thing about that is he is a senior. His parents were here tonight from Oakland and this was the first time they have been up to see him play," said Viking Coach Tyler Geving.

Odum led Portland State with 16 points, including a pair of three-pointers in the second-half comeback. Thomas scored 14 points with seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Vikings shot just 41% for the game, but clamped down on defense when they needed to, and held a 22-12 rebound advantage in the second half. Chehales Tapscott grabbed a game-high 11 boards for the Vikings.

Piepoli had 19 to lead Montana State, who shot 40% for the game. Bobby Howard added 15 points and seven rebounds.

The Bobcats dropped to 12-17 on the season, 6-9 in the Big Sky.

GAME NOTES: PSU lost the first meeting between the teams, 74-65, at Bozeman… the Vikings finished their home schedule at 10-5… Portland State travels to Northern Arizona for a Big Sky Conference game next Wednesday. Tip off is 5:35 p.m. PT. The game can be heard on Freedom 970 AM and www.970.am. It is also available on www.b2tv.com.