Complete game notes (PDF)

UP NEXT: After a convincing win over Weber State on Thursday night, Portland State (12-9, 4-5 Big Sky) looks to start another winning streak when they host Northern Arizona (7-15, 2-8 Big Sky) on Saturday at 2 p.m.

GAME NO. 22
vs. Northern Arizona (7-15, 2-8 Big Sky)
Saturday, Feb. 4  •  2 p.m.
Portland, OR  •  Stott Center

COVERAGE
Audio/Video: Big Sky TV
Play-by-Play: Teri Mariani
Live Stats: GoViks.com
TV: Comcast SportsNet (Tape-Delayed; Feb. 4: 7 p.m.; Feb. 5: 12:30 p.m.;  Feb. 6: 7 a.m.)
Play-by-Play: Bob Akamian
Color: Ann Schatz

SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time: NAU leads 18-15
Big Sky: NAU leads 17-14
At PSU: PSU leads 10-6
At PSU Big Sky: PSU leads 9-6
Streak: PSU 4
Last PSU Win: PSU 84, NAU 74; 1/5/12 @ NAU
Last NAU Win: NAU 86, PSU 80; 1/16/10 @ NAU

PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA STORYLINES
• The Vikings have won the last four games and nine of the last 10 in the series. They are 8-1 against the Lumberjacks under Sherri Murrell, including 4-0 at the Stott Center.
• Of Portland State's eight wins against NAU in the Sherri Murrell era, seven have come by double digits. PSU has won those games by an average of 19.6 points.
• PSU has held the Lumberjacks to under 60 points in six of the last nine games, including each of the past three in Portland.
• 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.
• Earlier this year, PSU earned a 84-74 victory in Flagstaff as they shot a season-high 54.5 percent. They shot 65.4% in the opening period. The Vikings led by 20 points at halftime, but had to make free throws down the stretch to hold off the Lumberjacks for what was their first league victory. The game started as a back-and-forth affair as the teams traded the lead four times over the first five-plus minutes. A 3-pointer by Portland State's Eryn Jones at the 14:06 mark broke a tie and put the Vikings up for good, 15-12. Jones' three-pointer started a 11-0 run that helped the Vikings establish control. Kate Lanz recorded her fifth-straight double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds. Aubrey Davis and Trinidee Trice paced Northern Arizona with 15 points apiece.
• Both teams rank in the top 100 nationally in 3-point field goal percentage. Portland State is 31st, shooting 34.9%, while Northern Arizona is 90th, shooting 32.2%. The Lumberjacks rank near the bottom in 3-point field goal defense, though, allowing opponents to shoot 34.3% to rank 307th. The Vikings shot 50% (7-14) on Jan. 5.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE VIKINGS THIS WEEKEND: Saturday's game will be broadcast through Big Sky TV 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.

VIKINGS ON THE TUBE: Saturday's game against Northern Arizona will air three times on Comcast SportsNet. The game will be tape delayed broadcast that evening at 7 p.m. It will also air on Feb. 5 at 12:30 p.m., and on Feb. 6 at 7 a.m. Long-time Portland-area broadcasters Bob Akamian (play-by-play) and Ann Schatz (color analyst) will call the action.

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED: After several weeks of subpar play, and a four-game losing streak, the Vikings got a much-needed victory on Thursday against Weber State. They shot better than 50 percent for much of the evening and played a full 40 minutes for the first time in several weeks. It all added up to their first victory since Jan. 12. Head Coach Sherri Murrell called it a “confidence-boosting victory.” Portland State opened the game by making seven of its first eight field goal attempts and led the entire way. Four of their starters – Eryn Jones, Karley Lampman, Kate Lanz and Courtney VanBrocklin – reached double-digits in scoring and combined to shoot 58.8% from the field. PSU ended the night shooting 49.1%, its second best mark of the year. They also played aggressive defense, limiting the Wildcats to 38.9% shooting, and outrebounded WSU, 40-30, including 23-10 in the first half.

COMING HOME: Thursday's game against Weber State kicked off a four-game homestand for the Vikings. Following their game against Northern Arizona on Saturday, PSU will play host to Seattle on Feb. 9 in a non-conference title, and first-place Idaho State on Feb. 11. The Vikings returned home just when they needed to the most. During their four-game losing streak, PSU dropped three road contests. After a stretch of playing five of seven games on the road, the Viks close the season by playing six of nine at home.

WINNING VERSUS LOSING: There are some glaring differences when you compare the Vikings' statistics from games they've won and lost. PSU is shooting 43.7% overall and 41% from 3-point range in wins, but just 34.4% overall and 28.9% from behind the arc in their nine losses. They also have a +3.3 rebounding margin in their victories, but a -4.3 margin in their defeats. Finally, they have a +2.2 turnover margin when winning and a -1.6 margin when losing.

GOOD THINGS TO COME IN FEBRUARY?: During Sherri Murrell's time at PSU, the month of February has been a successful one for the Vikings. Minus the 2009-10 season, Portland State has posted a winning record during that month every year since Murrell took over in 2007-08. Including Thursday's win over Weber State, the Viks are 20-7 overall and 12-2 at the Stott during February with Murrell as the head coach. They went 4-2 her first season, 6-0 the next year, 3-4 in 2009-10 and then 6-1 last season. They have gone undefeated at home in every season except 2009-10.

MILESTONES FOR MURRELL: Fifth-year Head Coach Sherri Murrell has reached several milestones this year and is closing in on another one. Most recently she earned her 50th Big Sky victory when PSU defeated Weber State, 76-63, on Thursday night. Also, the Vikings' game against Northern Colorado on Jan. 12 was the 400th that she has coached at the NCAA DI level. Overall it was her 485th game as a head coach. Murrell is also approaching win number 100 on the Park Blocks, as she currently has 95.

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 Feb. 2), while the Vikings as a team rank in the top 100 of eight categories. Jones is ranked 31st in 3-point FGs made per game (2.6), 44th in 3-point FG percentage (37.8), 60th in assist/turnover ratio (1.59) and 88th in assists (4.2 apg), VanBrocklin is fifth in FT percentage (91.2), and Lanz is 36th in FT percentage (85.9), 61st in FG percentage (48.8) and 75th in scoring (16.7 ppg). As a team, PSU is third in FT percentage (80.9), 31st in 3-point FG percentage (34.9), 45th in 3-point FG defense (27.3%), 55th in scoring offense (69.9 ppg), 60th in fewest turnovers per game (15.5), 73rd in assist/turnover ratio (0.87), 93rd in assists per game (13.6) and 94th in fewest personal fouls per game (15.4).

CELEBRATING TITLE IX: This year marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX and the Portland State Athletic Department will host a weekend of events to celebrate and honor the impact that the legendary amendment has had on women, on sport and on its own department. The Title IX weekend of events will aim to recognize the successes that our womens teams and women student-athletes have experienced pre and post Title IX. This Saturday, PSU will host free clinics for softball, women's soccer and women's tennis from 12:30-1:30 p.m., as well as a volleyball meet and greet and alumni social from 1-2 p.m. Tickets to the women's basketball game at 2 p.m. against Northern Arizona are just $5, and a postgame Title IX celebration will start at 4 p.m. During the postgame celebration, which will be held in the small gym of the Stott Center, several people with ties to PSU Athletics will speak. Current Viking basketball player Shauneice Samms, and former players Julie Forest (soccer) and Teri Jo Schlatter (volleyball) will be there, as will Teri Mariani, a three-sport star for the Vikings in the 70s who later went on to coach the PSU softball team for 29 years. For more information, contact Beth Connell in the PSU Athletics Ticket Office at 503-725-5627.