WEBER STATE AT PORTLAND STATE
Saturday, December 22, 7:35 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR

PORTLAND STATE: 3-5 • Big Sky: 1-0 • Home: 3-1 • Road: 0-4
WEBER STATE: 5-3 • Big Sky: 1-0 • Home: 3-1 • Road: 2-2

Television: None
Radio: Freedom 970 AM, www.freedom970.com • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Pregame Show: 7 p.m.
Live Video: www.BigSkyTV.org • Live Stats: http://vikslive.statb.us

All-Time Series: WSU leads 30-11 • PSU 10-9 in Portland
Big Sky Series: WSU leads 26-11 • PSU 10-7 in Portland
Last Year: WSU 88-81 at PSU; WSU 92-79 at WSU; WSU 69-63 at Missoula

THE OPENING TIP
Portland State continues the early stages of its Big Sky Conference schedule with perennial powerhouse Weber State. The Vikings will go after a third straight win when they host the Wildcats on Saturday night in a 7:35 p.m. game.

PSU opened Big Sky play with a convincing 63-49 victory over Idaho State on Thursday night at Stott. Lateef McMullan posted a career-high 20 points with four assists and four steals to lead the win. That has the Vikings at 3-5 on the season, 1-0 in Big Sky play. 

Portland State is now 3-1 at home and has won two in a row.

Weber State comes off a decisive 74-53 win at Eastern Washington on Thursday. The Wildcats out-shot the Eagles across the board and held a 41-28 rebound margin as well. WSU is now 5-3 on the season and 1-0 in the Big Sky.

The Wildcats were tabbed to place second in the 11-team Big Sky Conference pre-season polls, while the Vikings were picked for fifth.

PSU's game with Weber State marks the end of a four-game homestand for the Vikings. The Vikings will have the week of Christmas off, then continue its' Big Sky schedule when it travels to Montana State (Jan. 3) and Montana (Jan. 5) following the new year.

PSU AND THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE: Portland State has begun its 17th season as a Big Sky Conference member. The Vikings are 133-130 all-time in Big Sky games, including 8-8 in Big Sky Tournament games. The Vikings won Big Sky regular season titles in 2005 and 2008, and Big Sky tournament titles in 2008 and 2009. 

NEMESIS, THY NAME IS WEBER STATE: While Idaho State has been a relatively easy mark for the Vikings throughout their Big Sky history, Weber State has been just the opposite. The Wildcats have the best record against the Vikings of any Big Sky school. WSU leads the all-time series, 30-11, and the Big Sky series, 26-11. PSU is 1-18 all-time in Ogden, with a modest 10-7 record against the Wildcats in Portland. 

Weber State has won four straight against the Vikings overall, eight of 10 and 12 of the last 15.

THE COACHES: Portland State Head Coach Tyler Geving has a 47-55 record in his fourth season. Geving has a 25-28 Big Sky Conference record. He is 2-5 against the Wildcats, 2-1 in the Stott Center... Head Coach Randy Rahe is in his seventh season with Weber State. He has compiled a 125-71 record with the Wildcats and is 12-3 all-time against Portland State.

THE WILDCATS: The Wildcat program has a long history of success in the Big Sky Conference, winning 20 regular season championships and eight tournament championships. WSU has competed in the NCAA Tournament 14 times... last season WSU placed second in the Big Sky at 14-2. The Wildcats were 25-7 overall. Big Sky MVP Damian Lillard is gone, but two starters and seven letterwinners return from that team...  this year, WSU leads the Big Sky in scoring defense (60.5), scoring margin (+13.2), field goal defense (.388), and three-point defense (.231)... junior transfer Davion Berry averages 13.6 points and 3.3 assists per game... Scott Bamforth and Kyle Tresnak each average 10.3 points per game... freshman forward Joel Bolomboy is second in the Big Sky Conference with 8.8 rebounds per game, despite not starting... forward Frank Otis leads the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.620).

HE'S ON OUR SIDE NOW... SORT OF: The Vikings are happy to see 2011-12 Big Sky MVP Damian Lillard is gone (he left early for the NBA Draft and was picked by the hometown Portland Trail Blazers). Lillard scored 38, 40 and 22 points in three games against PSU last year. He made 14-21 three-pointers in the two regular season games. Lillard now stars for the Blazers at the Rose Garden, just a mile-and-a-half away from PSU's Stott Center.

LAST YEAR: It was all about Weber State point guard Damian Lillard last season as he averaged 33.3 points in the three meetings. Lillard scored 38 in an 88-81 win in Portland, hitting seven three-point field goals in the first half. He and Scott Bamforth (21 points) led the Wildcats in a comeback from a 15-point deficit in the second half. Chehales Tapscott scored a season-high 26 for the Vikings... Lillard went for 40 points in a wire-to-wire 92-79 win in Ogden, making 13-18 field goals (6-8 3-pt FG). Charles Odum had 26 for the Vikings... a Wildcats' 11-1 run over the last four minutes led a 69-63 come-from-behind win in the Big Sky Tournament semifinals. PSU had led virtually the entire game. Lillard posted 22 points while Odum scored 24 and Tapscott had 19 and 11 rebounds for the Vikings.

FAST BREAKS

WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 3-5 this season and has won two in a row. The Vikings are 3-1 at home, 0-4 on the road.
• PSU has won two straight at home, and seven of eight at home dating to last season.
• The Vikings have lost their last six road games dating to last season.

Stott Stuff
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 68-18 at home, including 39-14 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• PSU has gone 124-42 in 166 games at the Stott Center since the 1996-97 season. Including home games at Memorial Coliseum (12-6) and the Rose Garden (19-9), the Vikings are 154-57 at home over the past 17 seasons. 
• Portland State has lost only four non-conference home games since the start of the 2006-07 season (29-4). PSU is 17-4 against Division I schools, and 12-0 against lower division schools over that span.

Big Sky Battles
• Portland State is 133-130 all-time in all Big Sky Conference games, including the tournament (8-8).
• PSU is 89-39 in home games, 41-87 in road games and 4-4 in neutral site games.
• PSU is 48-33 in Big Sky games since the start of the 2007-08 season, 54-35 including tournament games.
• PSU is now 11-6 all-time in Big Sky Conference home openers, 7-10 in Big Sky Conference openers.
• PSU has beaten Idaho State in five of their last six meetings, and 13 of the last 16.

HOT SHOTS: 

• SR PG Lateef McMullan is averaging 16.7 points and 5.3 assists per game over the last three contests. He tied a career-high with 20 points against Idaho State. McMullan handed out a career-high eight assists to go with 14 points against George Fox.
• SR G Michael Harthun is averaging 14.5 points in his last two games, shooting 10-18 from the field, 5-8 from three-point range and 4-5 at the line. 
• SO G Gary Winston made 4-4 three-point field goals for a season-high 14 points against George Fox.
• JR F Aaron Moore was a perfect 7-7 from the field against Oregon State, scoring 14 points with six rebounds.Moore followed with a season-high nine rebounds in the win over George Fox. In his last three games, Moore has hit 14-19 field goals (.737).
• SR F Renado Parker scored a season-high 16 points against Oregon State, making 8-13 from the field.
• SO C Brandon Cataldo swatted back a career-high four shots against Idaho State.
• Portland State had a season-low seven turnovers against George Fox.
• The Vikings have shot .527 from the field over the last three games and .472 from three-point range the last two games. The Vikings now lead the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage for the season (.468).
• PSU's 49 points allowed to Idaho State were the fewest by an opponent in 34 games.

THE SHOT IS BACK: Portland State shot a season-high .559 from the field in the loss to Oregon State, which was a welcome return to the quality shooting that PSU fans are used to. The Vikings continued that with a .492 shooting mark against George Fox, then .532 against Idaho State... the Vikings are now at .468 on the season, after shooting .527 over the last three outings, and lead the Big Sky Conference... PSU has made 17-36 three-pointers in the last two games to improve that mark to .352 for the season... the Vikings shoot a sturdy .748 at the free throw line... PSU averages 67.8 points per game. That is still below the norm for Viking basketball... traditionally, Portland State has been prolific on offense. PSU led the Big Sky in scoring each season from 2007-08 to 2010-11. Last year, the Vikings were second in scoring at 76.0 points per game, and led the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.483). The Vikings ranked 13th in the nation in field goal percentage and 26th in scoring last season... PSU has not averaged less than 72.0 points per game since the 2003-04 season.

THE DEFENSE SHOULD NOT REST: Head Coach Tyler Geving touted an improved defensive team for 2012-13, and that may come to fruition. A strong effort against Idaho State has the Vikings headed the right way. PSU held Idaho State to 49 points on Thursday, the fewest by an opponent in 34 games. The Bengals shot .468 from the field... still, there is room to improve as the Vikings are allowing opponents to shoot .487 from the field and .364 from three-point range. The 71.0 points allowed is down from last year's 73.3 by opponents... the Vikings are forcing 14.5 turnovers per game, up from 11.4 forced last season.

POINTS ON THE POINT: SR PG Lateef McMullan has found his groove. The 5-11 ball-handler is averaging 16.7 points and 5.3 assists over the last three games (17-28 FG, 7-15 3-pt FG, 9-11 FT). That has his season averages up to 10.0 and 3.1... McMullan had one of his best games as a Viking, tying a career-high with 20 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3-pt FG, 3-5 FT) and adding four assists and four steals in the win over Idaho State... McMullan has 20 assists and just six turnovers in his last four games. He handed out a career-high eight assists with no turnovers in the win over George Fox (12/15). 

MOORE PLAY LIKE THIS PLEASE: JR F Aaron Moore posted a season-high 14 points along with six rebounds against Oregon State (12/12), then followed it with a nine points and a season-high nine rebounds against George Fox (12/15). On Thursday, Moore made 4-5 shots on the way to nine points and seven rebounds. That has him at 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds over the last three games... against Oregon State, Moore shot a remarkable 7-7 from the field, which included four outside jump shots. That 7-7 mark matched the best shooting night by a Viking since the program joined the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97 (Anthony Washington, 7-7 vs. Eastern Washington, Mar. 4, 2006)... Moore, a 6-8 forward, has started all eight games for the Vikings this season, averaging 8.1 points, a team-best 5.9 rebounds, while shooting .553 from the field and .813 at the line... Moore ranks third in the Big Sky in field goal percentage and 10th in rebounding.

THUN-ING UP: Another guy on a strong three-game run is SR G Michael Harthun, who has averaged 13.3 points per game in the last three, hitting 14-29 field goals, 5-13 3-pt FG, and 7-11 FT... one thing the Viking team needed going into the 2012-13 season was a more consistent Harthun. Although he had some big games for Portland State last season, Coach Tyler Geving wanted more consistency in three-point production and scoring. Harthun, who averaged 8.6 points in 2011-12, is now averaging 11.3 points for the Vikings and shooting .462 from the field and .357 from distance.