Cheney, WA - Charles Odum hit a 12-footer in the lane under pressure with two seconds left in overtime, giving the Vikings a 78-76 Big Sky Conference win over Eastern Washington at Reese Court.

The pressure jumper ended a long, grueling and tightly fought game between the Vikings and the Eagles. It also validated a clutch three-pointer by PSU's Lateef McMullan to tie the game late in regulation. 

Odum's jumper capped a 20-point night for the senior guard. 

"That was a big shot. He came up huge," said Viking Coach Tyler Geving. "Charles was huge down the stretch. We just  ran a four-low for him and he made a big play."

The win improved the Vikings to 10-9 on the season, 4-3 in the Big Sky Conference. It also lifted PSU to fourth place alone in the Big Sky standings with third-place Montana State (5-2) coming to the Stott Center next Thursday.

PSU has won four of its last five games and its last two on the road.

The Vikings had to overcome 11 missed free throws in the second half that might have got them the win in regulation. In the end though, free throw shooting made the difference. PSU put pressure on the Eagles all night, getting to the line for 43 attempts and making 29. 

"We got them in foul trouble, we got to their bench. That helped us. It was tough for any team to lose that game," said Geving.

It was a close contest all night with the Vikings' biggest lead being seven points midway through the first half. The Eagles led once by six points in the second half.

Eastern Washington had a three-point lead in the closing seconds. Tremayne Johnson made a contested shot in traffic against the shot clock with 23 seconds to play in regulation, putting the Eagles up 63-60. 

Odum made one of two free throws with 19.9 seconds to play, closing it to 63-61.

The Vikings were reduced to fouling and sent Collin Chiverton to the line. Chiverton made one of two with 16 seconds left and the Eagles again led by three.

PSU raced up court and got a clutch play from McMullan. The Viking point guard hit a fading three-pointer with 10.5 seconds left and was fouled on the play. The shot tied the game at 64-64, but McMullan missed the free throw. 

The Eagles pushed the ball up court and Johnson took Chehales Tapscott inside, getting a shot near the left-side post. Tapscott blocked the shot and time expired, seeding the game to overtime.

The teams traded scores early in overtime. Then Michael Harthun came up with a ball tipped away by Tapscott on defense. Harthun made a big play driving for a fast break layin and drew a foul. His free throw put PSU ahead, 74-71, with 56 seconds to play.

The Eagles answered with a score, but with 40 seconds left, McMullan hit a pair of free throws to keep the lead at three, 76-73.

After an Eagle timeout, Chiverton banked in a three-pointer from the wing with 31 seconds left to tie the game at 76-76. 

"When he made that it was like 'c'mon on!'", said Geving of Chiverton's shot. "But, we had the last shot, the last possession. We were able to make it, so it was good. It was a gutsy performance."

Chiverton's shot set up the final play for Odum, who ran the clock down, then drove and pulled up for the game winner.

In overtime, the Vikings made 4-5 from the field and 6-7 at the line top produce the win.

Tapscott had a big game with 16 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. McMullan scored 18 points with five assists.

The Vikings shot 46.0% for the game and 67.4% at the line.

The Eagles were at 40.0% from the field and 58.3% at the line. Perhaps most important, the Vikings held EWU to just 6-25 from three-point range. Eastern entered the game at second in the nation with 10 threes made per contest.

Chiverton led all scorers with 22 points. Johnson added 20 points and 10 rebounds.

GAME NOTES: It was Portland State's first overtime game in two seasons, and first overtime win in three seasons… Tapscott's double-double was his seventh of the season… it was Odum's eighth 20-point game of the season, with seven coming on the road... the Vikings are 5-3 when Odum scores 20... the Vikings have won seven of the last eight meeting with Eastern Washington… Portland State hosts Montana State on Thursday night at the Stott Center. Tip-off is at 7:05 p.m. The game airs on Freedom 970 AM and www.freedom970.com. A live video stream is also available on www.b2tv.com.