THIS WEEK: Portland State (8-5, 0-1 Big Sky) heads out for a pair of Big Sky Conference road games this week, starting with a 5:35 p.m. PT, tip against Northern Arizona (5-9, 0-2 Big Sky) on Thursday. Two days later, the Vikings take on Weber State (2-12, 0-1 Big Sky) in Ogden at 1 p.m. PT.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE VIKINGS THIS WEEK: Both games this week will broadcast through Big Sky TV. Additionally, an internet audio broadcast will be available through GoViks.com with Teri Mariani calling the action. Live stats will also be available. Links for everything can be found by visiting GoViks.com, then clicking on the LIVE EVENTS tab. Under there you will find the LIVE AUDIO/VIDEO and the LIVE STATS pages.

GAME NO. 14
at Northern Arizona (5-9, 0-2 Big Sky)
Thursday, Jan. 5  •  5:35 p.m. PT
Flagstaff, AZ  •  Rolle Activity Center (1,066)

COVERAGE
Internet Audio: GoViks.com
Play-by-Play: Teri Mariani
Video: Big Sky TV
Live Stats: NAUAthletics.com

SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time: NAU leads 18-14
Big Sky: NAU leads 17-13
At NAU: NAU leads 12-4
At NAU Big Sky: NAU leads 11-4
Streak: PSU 3
Last PSU Win: PSU 76, NAU 55; 2/19/11 @ PSU
Last NAU Win: NAU 86, PSU 80; 1/16/10 @ NAU

PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA STORYLINES
• The Vikings have won the last three games and eight of the last nine in the series. They are now 7-1 against the Lumberjacks under Sherri Murrell, including 3-1 in Flagstaff. Of the Vikings' four all-time wins at NAU, three are under Murrell.
• It was a low-scoring affair in Flagstaff last season (PSU won 56-48), with the Vikings leading 30-20 at the break. Just one player from each team scored in double-figures, Eryn Jones for the Viks and Amy Patton for NAU. Both teams struggled from the floor with PSU shooting 32.8% and NAU shooting 27.5%. The victory snapped an eight-game road losing streak for the Vikings.
• Of Portland State's seven wins against NAU in the Sherri Murrell era, six have come by double digits. PSU has won those six games by an average of 20.2 points. Overall, PSU is winning by an average of 18.4 points over seven victories.
• PSU has held the Lumberjacks to under 60 points in six of the last eight games.
• The Vikings clinched a spot in the Big Sky tourney last season with their 76-55 win over Northern Arizona at home on Feb. 19.
• Both teams are averaging 5.8 three-point field goals per game, which ranks the Vikings 92nd nationally and NAU 94th.
• Northern Arizona is ranked 28th nationally in steals per game, averaging 12.3, but the Vikings are 30th in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game (14.6).
• The Vikings lead the Big Sky in 3-point field goal percentage with a 35.9% mark, while NAU is last in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to make 36.2% of their shots from behind the arc.

GAME NO. 15
at Weber State (2-12, 0-1 Big Sky)
Saturday, Jan. 7  •  1 p.m. PT
Ogden, UT  •  Dee Events Center (12,000)

COVERAGE
Internet Audio: GoViks.com
Play-by-Play: Teri Mariani
Video: Big Sky TV
Live Stats: WeberStateSports.com

SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time: WSU leads 23-18
Big Sky: Tied 15-15
At WSU: WSU leads 14-5
At WSU Big Sky: WSU leads 10-5
Streak: PSU 1
Last PSU Win: PSU 68, WSU 60; 2/17/11 @ PSU
Last WSU Win: WSU 65, PSU 62; 1/20/11 @ WSU

PORTLAND STATE vs. WEBER STATE STORYLINES
• The teams split the series last year, but Weber State snapped a four-game losing streak to the Vikings with a 65-62 victory in Ogden last Jan. 20. 
• Portland State is 6-2 against the Wildcats under Sherri Murrell, but just 2-2 at the Dee Events Center. 
• The Vikings' six wins have come by an average of 12.8 points.
• Four of the Vikings' victories against Weber State under Murrell have been by double-digits, but only one has come in Ogden.
• The past three games have all been relatively low scoring affair, with PSU averaging 65 points and Weber State averaging 62.3 points.
• PSU controlled the Big Sky series early, winning six of the first eight, before Weber State won 11 of the next 14 regular season games. The Wildcats also knocked off the Viks in the 2006-07 Big Sky Tourney.
• Weber State is ranked 55th nationally in 3-point field goals per game (6.4). Portland State is ranked 92nd (5.8).
• Both squads are amongst the nation's best in 3-point field goal percentage defense. Portland State is eighth, holding opponents to a 22.7% mark, while the Wildcats are 42nd, limiting teams to 26.0%.
• They are also neck-and-neck in assists per game, with Weber State ranking 90th (13.9) and PSU ranking 97th (13.8).
• Portland State's top four scorers all rank in the top 17 of the league. Weber State's top four rank between 21st and 29th.

BIG SKY OPENERS: The Vikings are 3-2 in Big Sky openers under Sherri Murrell, winning their first three before falling at Eastern Washington last season and losing at home to Montana State this year. They are 7-9 in 16 seasons as a member of the Big Sky. In Big Sky road openers under Murrell they are 3-1. 

SUCCESS IN THE PRESEASON: PSU entered Big Sky play with a winning record for the fourth time in five tries under Sherri Murrell. The only time they were below .500 was in 2009-10. Their 8-4 record this season is second only to the 10-3 mark they took into league action in 2007-08.

BACK ON TRACK: Despite their 95-83 setback to Montana State on Dec. 31, the Vikings have still won six of their past eight games to get back on track. After starting 2-0, they lost their next three, all on the road, before winning three straight. They are winning by an average of 16.5 points over their past six victories, with four of those coming by double-digits. 

MAKING THEIR FREE THROWS: The Vikings upped their season free-throw percentage to a Big Sky leading 80.9% after a stellar performance in Hawai`i. PSU shot 86% (49-57) over three games, as Courtney VanBrocklin (18-18) and Eryn Jones (10-10) made every single one of their shots at the charity stripe. On Dec. 13 against Western Oregon, PSU made 21 of 22 for a 95.4 percentage. PSU is now shooting 80.6 percent to lead the league and rank fourth in the country. Courtney VanBrocklin has been the biggest reason behind the high ranking as she is fifth at 92.2%. Kate Lanz is ranked 79th at 83.3%. Also, Eryn Jones is shooting 89.3% at the line, but doesn't have enough attempts to qualify for the rankings.

MORE ON THE FREE THROWS: Courtney VanBrocklin became the 10th player in PSU history to go perfect at the line with a minimum of 10 attempts when she made all 10 against UC Davis on Dec. 19. VanBrocklin made 23-straight until missing her first attempt against Montana State on Dec. 31. For the year, she has missed just five (59-64).

FIVE OVER TEN: For the first time this year, PSU had five players score in double-figures against Corban on Dec. 28. Karley Lampman led the way with 18 points, Courtney VanBrocklin had 16, Kate Lanz 15, Allison Greene 11 and Lariel Powell 10. The very next game, three nights later against Montana State, the Vikings did it again. Lanz had 27, Eryn Jones 13, Lampman 12, VanBrocklin 11 and Keaton McFadden 10.

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE: Portland State has won the turnover battle in nine of 13 games this season and has a +3.5 turnover margin, good for second best in the Big Sky and 55th nationally. They have forced 20 or more turnovers six times, and the 26 turnovers committed by Nevada and 29 by Western Oregon account for two of the five highest totals by a PSU opponent in the Sherri Murrell era. The most by a PSU opponent over the past four-plus seasons is 31 by Lewis & Clark on Nov. 23, 2010. On Dec. 21, 2009 L&C had 30 turnovers, and on Dec. 20, 2007, Hawai`i committed 27 turnovers. 

STELLAR “D” BEHIND THE ARC: Four times this season the Vikings have held an opposing team to below 10 percent shooting from 3-point range, doing so against Portland, Gonzaga, LMU and Corban. Those four squads have combined for a .063 mark, going 3 of 48. On the year, opponents are shooting just 22.7%, which easily leads the league and ranks them eighth nationally.

SEEING DOUBLE: Portland State players have tallied seven double-doubles on the season, led by Kate Lanz' five. The Vikings finally had a player record a double-double when both Lanz and Courtney VanBrocklin did so at Loyola Marymount on Dec. 10. VanBrocklin almost had one in the first half with nine points and eight boards, while Lanz tallied one in the second half alone with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Lanz ended up with 18 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, while VanBrocklin had 13 points and matched her career-high with 12 boards. It was her third career double-double. In Hawai`i, Lanz recorded two more double-doubles, against UC Davis and Denver, while Shauneice Samms registered the third of her career against Denver. Lanz has a streak of four straight heading into the NAU game on Thursday.

PSU IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS: Three PSU players – Eryn Jones, Kate Lanz and Courtney VanBrocklin – are ranked in the top 100 in the NCAA in different statistical categories (as of Jan. 1), while the Vikings as a team rank in the top 100 of nine categories. Jones is ranked 25th in 3-point FGs made per game (2.8) and 47th in 3-point FG percentage (38.7), VanBrocklin is fifth in FT percentage (92.2), and Lanz is 44th in scoring (18.0 ppg), 54th in FG percentage (51.0) and 79th in FT percentage (83.3). As a team, PSU is fourth FT percentage (80.6), eighth in 3-point FG defense (22.7%) and  30th in fewest turnovers per game (14.6), 32nd in 3-point FG percentage (35.9), 42nd in assist/turnover ratio (0.95), 44th in scoring offense (72.6 ppg), 55th in turnover margin (+3.46), 94th in 3-pointers made per game (5.8) and 97th in assists per game (13.8).

SHAKING OFF THE RUST: Sophomore transfer Kate Lanz finally got the chance to take the court at Oregon on Nov. 20. In her first appearance as a Viking, Lanz added 11 points off the bench, including several key baskets late to help PSU rally from a 14-point second half deficit. After missing several of her first shots, Lanz settled into a groove and finished 5 of 9 from the floor, while chipping in five assists, four rebounds, one block and one steal. It was her first game since March 2010, when she played at Oregon State. Last year she redshirted due to NCAA transfer regulations. Since the Oregon game, Lanz has started nine straight and has led PSU in scoring six times. She has posted four double-doubles over the past six contests (and three straight), and leads the team in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage.

A SECOND HALF MONSTER: Kate Lanz has been a monster during the second half of games this season, scoring double-figures in that period eight times. She is averaging 11.6 points and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 61 percent over the final 20 minutes.

THE BIG FOUR: With the addition of Kate Lanz to the lineup, the Vikings now have four players that are scoring the bulk of the teams' points. Lanz, Eryn Jones, Karley Lampman and Courtney VanBrocklin are accounting for 74.6 percent of the team's offense, while shooting 85.4 percent (135-158) at the line. They have also made 92 percent of the team's 3-pointers and 69.2 percent of the team's free throws. Three of them rank amongst the top nine in the league in scoring (as of Jan. 2) as Lanz is second, VanBrocklin is sixth and Jones is ninth. Lampman is tied for 17th, making the Vikings the only squad to have four players in the top 20.

MAKING THE MOST OF AN OPPORTUNITY: Sophomore Keaton McFadden earned the first start of her career against Nevada on Dec. 3, and responded with career-highs of eight points and five boards. McFadden's eight points were almost as many as she scored (10) in her first 13 appearances as a Viking, including last year. She has seen her role steadily increase the past few weeks. After not playing in the first two games, McFadden has seen action in the past 11 and started eight straight. PSU is 6-2 with McFadden in the starting lineup and she is averaging 4.0 ppg and 5.6 rpg over that span.