complete notes in pdf

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS vs. UNLV RUNNIN' REBELS
Friday, November 8, 2013, 7:30 p.m. • Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

2012-13 records
PORTLAND STATE: 8-20 • Big Sky: 5-15 • Home: 8-6 • Road: 0-14
UNLV: 25-10 • MWC: 10-6 • Home: 19-3 • Road: 6-7

Live Video Stream: www.UNLVRebels.com
Live Audio Stream: www.GoViks.com
Play-by-play: Ken Thomson • Pregame Show: 7 p.m.
Live Stats: http://unlvrebels.com/gametracker

All-Time Series: UNLV leads 7-1 • PSU in Las Vegas: 6-1

THE OPENING TIP
Portland State opens its season at UNLV on Friday night, facing the Runnin' Rebels for only the second time in the last 35 years. Tip-off for the game is 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas and Mack Center.

The game will have a live video stream at UNLVRebels.com. It will also be available via live audio at www.GoViks.com.

Portland State defeated Northwest Christian, 85-73, in an exhibition on Friday night at the Stott Center. The Vikings played without three returning letterwinners and two returning starters that were nursing minor injuries. JC transfer DaShaun Wiggins led five players in double figures with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

SR F Aaron Moore (back), who led the Vikings in scoring, rebounds and blocked shots last season, did not play against Northwest Christian. He is expected to return for the UNLV game. JR G Gary Winston (hernia), who led the Big Sky in three-point percentage in 2012-13, also did not play and is not expected to play for at least another week. Also questionable is SR C Lamont Prosser (knee). JR F Tiegbe Bamba (achilles) is not likely to be available until December. 

In a bit of a surprise, UNLV lost its exhibition game to Dixie State, 71-70, last Friday. The Runnin' Rebels shot only 35% from the field, 53% at the line and had 20 turnovers. UNLV will play another exhibition on Tuesday against Adams State.

Although it is a new season, Portland State goes into Friday's game having lost 16 straight road games dating to the 2010-11 season. PSU was 0-14 on the road last year.

HISTORY: Portland State starts its 18th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference and Division I. PSU played basketball from 1946-1981 before discontinuing the program. Basketball was reinstated for the 1996-97 season and since that time:
• Portland State is 8-9 in season-opening games, 6-0 at home, 2-9 on the road.
• The Vikings are 13-4 in home openers.

THE COACHES: 
• Portland State Head Coach Tyler Geving has a 52-70 record in his fifth season. Geving has never faced UNLV. He is 0-1 all-time against Mountain West opponents (Boise State).
• UNLV Head Coach Dave Rice starts his third year with the Runnin' Rebels and has a 51-19 record. 

UNLV RUNNIN' REBELS: UNLV is a member of the Mountain West Conference and comes off a 25-10 season in 2012-13. The Runnin' Rebels were 10-6 and placed third in the MWC... UNLV reached the NCAA Tournament, losing to California, 64-61, in its opening game.... UNLV won a national championship in 1990... two starters and six letterwinners return from last year's squad... junior guard Bryce Dejean-Jones is the top returning player after averaging 10.3 points and 4.4 rebounds last season... junior forward  Khem Birch averaged 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds... UNLV won with stifling defense, holding opponents to .389 shooting from the field and out-rebounding them by more than six per game.

VIKINGS VS. THE MOUNTAIN WEST: Portland State is 19-43 all-time against current members of the Mountain West Conference. PSU is 1-7 against UNLV. The Vikings will also face Boise State of the MWC this season and are 10-13 all-time against the Broncos.

WORTH NOTING:
• UNLV Assistant Coach Heath Schroyer was Portland State's Head Coach from 2002-05. Schroyer had a 35-47 career record with the Vikings, leading them to the 2004-05 Big Sky Conference regular season title (19-9, 11-3).
• Portland State and UNLV have not met since Nov. 24, 2002, a 69-54 UNLV win in Las Vegas. At that time, Schroyer was Portland State's head coach.
• UNLV is one of two Mountain West Conference opponents for the Vikings this season (Boise State).
• UNLV's 129-114 win over the Vikings on Jan. 15, 1976 is the highest scoring game in PSU history (two teams).

COMING UP
Portland State's preseason schedule includes two games on the road and seven at home. The Vikings have their home opener on Nov. 13 against Pacific Lutheran at 7:05 p.m.

Also on the schedule this preseason will be a three-day Portland State Tournament as the Vikings host Loyola (IL), SIU-Edwardsville and UC Davis on Nov. 22-24. The 20-game Big Sky Conference schedule begins Jan. 2. The 17 home games this season is the most ever for a PSU regular season schedule.

PRE-SEASON COMMENTS FROM COACH GEVING IN THE OCT. 31 BIG SKY MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL
On preparation for the coming season: "We've had five scholarship guys sitting on the sidelines hurt. For us, it is a matter of getting them back healthy and working a few guys back into it. It has slowed our progress down a little bit."

On improving the team defense: "Sometimes our offense leads to bad defense. If you turn the ball over or are not executing offensively, that leads to easy transition baskets the other way. If you are taking bad shots on the offensive end it can lead to transition. We are giving up way too high of a field goal percentage. When teams shoot 48-49% against you, your offense has to be really, really good every night. It is more determination, attitude, playing harder and having a little more depth (that will make us improve). We need guys to focus in and trust in each other on the defensive end."

On hosting a preseason tournament (Nov. 22-24): "We put the tournament together and tried to get (mid-major) teams similar to us, and get them some neutral court games… We sold it to teams that everybody has a chance to win every game. We are all like-opponents, so it is good for all four of us."

On who will join Aaron Moore in the frontcourt: "Kyle Richardson, the transfer from Long Beach State, is a fifth-year guy with a degree, who is really mature and has been in a good program the last four years. He is going to be a good complement to Aaron inside. I think Brandon Cataldo is another guy that is going to give us some really good minutes. Tiegbe Bamba had an achilles injury last year at Midland JC. it seems like every time he gets close to getting out there it flares up on him a little bit. I don't think he is really going to be ready until mid-December. But by the time we get to league play, we should get him. He was kind of the prize recruit of our recruiting class. We need to get him healthy and get him out there. We can play (he and Aaron) together and have really good athleticism, good rebounding and have some matchup problems for some people."

SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE QUICK NOTES

WINNING LINES
• Portland State was 8-20 in 2012-13. The Vikings were 8-6 at home, 0-14 on the road.
• PSU has won 12 of 18 at home dating to the 2011-12 season.
• The Vikings have lost their last 16 road games dating to the 2011-12 season.

Stott Stuff
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 73-23 at home, including 43-19 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• PSU has gone 129-47 in 176 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 160-62 at home over the past 18 seasons.
• Portland State has lost only four non-conference home games since the start of the 2006-07 season (30-4). PSU is 18-4 against Division I schools, and 12-0 against lower division schools over that span.

Big Sky Battles
• Portland State is 137-145 all-time in all Big Sky Conference games, including the tournament (8-8).
• PSU is 93-44 in home games, 41-97 in road games and 3-4 in neutral site games.
• PSU is 52-48 in Big Sky games since the start of the 2007-08 season, 58-50 including tournament games.

And The Trivial
• Portland State is 23-23 all-time in overtime. Coach Tyler Geving is 1-3 all-time in overtime.
• PSU is 2-15 against nationally-ranked opponents since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97.
• Head Coach Tyler Geving is 1-2 all-time against ranked opponents.
• Portland State is 17-39 in games televised in the Portland area since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97. That includes a 9-7 home record and 8-32 road record.

HOT SHOTS: 
• JR G Gary Winston led the Big Sky Conference in three-point shooting last season (.470, 39-83).
• SR F Aaron Moore led the Vikings in scoring (13.2), rebounds (7.1) and blocks (26) last season and had seven double-doubles. He was an honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference selection.
• The Vikings shot .496 from the field, .441 from three-point range, and .772 at the line in the Stott Center, averaging 75.1 points.

NOT SO HOT: 
• Portland State was 0-14 on the road in 2012-13 and has lost 16 straight road games overall. 

TASTY TIDBITS: 
• They are both from the state of Washington, had All-State credentials on their respective high school teams, and share the same last name. But JR Gs Gary Winston and Andre Winston Jr. are not related - it's just a happy coincidence.
• JR G Sebastian Suarez will redshirt this season due to complications with his transfer status. He needs to establish a year of residency and will be eligible to compete in the 2014-15 season.
• The Viking basketball program has graduated 16 of 17 players who have completed their eligibility under Head Coach Tyler Geving.
• Speaking of tasty, Portland State basketball fans will have the opportunity to Get Stuffed this winter at the Stott Center. Any fan purchasing a ticket for a seat at the Peter W. Stott Center will receive free concessions. That's right, all the food you can eat from the concession stand. Portland State students, with student tickets, will also take advantage of this promotion. It's just that simple. Buy your ticket and you eat for free.  To get your tickets, call the Portland State box office at (503) 725-3307 or go to www.GoViks.com.

VIKING ONE-LINERS (and sometimes two)
• Portland State has two players from foreign countries on its roster; Tiegbe Bamba (France) and Sebastian Suarez (Chile). Since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97, Portland State has had players from England and Canada (3), Nigeria and Lithuania.
• PSU has three players that competed for other Division I schools: Andre Winston, Jr. (Washington State), Tim Douglas (Portland) and Kyle Richardson (Long Beach State).
• FR G Zach Gengler was the Oregon 5A High School Player of the Year in 2012-13.
• SR F Kyle Richardson has already earned a degree in Communication Studies from Long Beach State. He has entered graduate school at Portland State and has one year of eligibility remaining.
• SR F Aaron Moore has a son, Aaiden, who turned six years old in October.
• Head Coach Tyler Geving and Associate Head Coach Jeff Hironaka were both assistant coaches on the 2000-01 Seattle Pacific basketball staff.
Spurs.
• Julius Thomas, who holds Portland State records for games played (121), field goal percentage in a season and career (.671/.663), and career wins (78) is now the starting tight end for the Denver Broncos. Thomas played on two Big Sky Conference Championship/NCAA Tournament teams (2007-08, 2008-09) at PSU.
• Another former Viking, Chehales Tapscott, was drafted by the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League on Nov. 1. He was a first team All-Big Sky selection for the Vikings in 2011-12, averaging 14.1 points and leading the Big Sky in rebounding (9.3) and blocked shots (43).
• By the end the first of March, 14 of the 17 Vikings will be 22 or older. Only FR Zach Gengler and Kyle Benton are under 21 (both 18).

RECENT GAME, Nov. 1: Portland State 85, Northwest Christian 73
Portland, OR - Some fresh faces brought new excitement to the Stott Center as Portland State defeated Northwest Christian, 85-73, in an exhibition game.

With four returning letterwinners sitting out with minor injuries, newcomers Tim Douglas, Zach Gengler, DaShaun Wiggins and Kyle Richardson sparked the Vikings to the win. Those four all scored in double figures and combined for 66 of the Vikings' 85 points.

"DaShaun did a great job. He has a reputation for scoring and he showed it," said Viking Coach Tyler Geving. "Tim did a great job scoring and distributing and had only one turnover. Zach had a good game for a freshman. it was pretty impressive what he was able to do. And, Kyle Richardson was a great inside presence with 14 points and 11 rebounds."

Richardson, a transfer from Long Beach State who started in the post, hit three early shots, but the rest of the Vikings were only 2-12 through the first eight minutes. 

The game was tied 11-11 with 11:40 to go in the first half. Coming out of a timeout, Wiggins and Gengler sparked a 17-0 run over the next four minutes. Wiggins hit a pair of threes, a short jumper and a fast break layin, while Gengler hit two shots and had two assists in the flurry. Wiggins and Gengler each had two steals in the run as well.

When Richardson hit a pair of free throws with just under six minutes left in the half, the run had stretched to 24-2 and PSU led 35-13.

Portland State was up 46-23 by halftime. The Vikings forced Northwest Christian into 33% shooting and 17 first-half turnovers, making 12 steals. Wiggins had four steals and Gengler made three.

"That first half was about as good as you can play defensively and energy-wise," said Geving.

The Beacons made a run late in the second half. A Coleton Baker three-point play cut the Viking lead to 65-51 with 6:40 remaining. Douglas answered back with a pair of jump shots to put the PSU lead to 18.

The closest Northwest Christian came in the second half was the final score.

Wiggins led Portland State with 20 points and grabbed six rebounds along with four assists and four steals. Douglas scored 18 points, while Richardson posted a double-double. Gengler scored 14 points with five rebounds and four steals in 25 minutes off the bench.

Also in double figures for the Vikings was junior center Brandon Cataldo, who had 10 points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench.

PSU shot 43% for the game, 82% at the line, and out-rebounded Northwest Christian 44-40.

The Beacons got 35 points from Coleton Baker, but shot 38% from the field and committed 22 turnovers. Spencer Coleman added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

GAME NOTES: The Vikings were short on personnel as a number players sat out while recovering from injuries, including Aaron Moore, Gary Winston, Lamont Prosser and Tiegbe Bamba. All will return in the preseason… the Vikings started Tim Douglas, Andre Winston, Marcus Hall, DaShaun Wiggins and Kyle Richardson…  the 6-foot-7 Richardson added three assists, four steals and a blocked shot to his double-double.

2013-14 QUICK PREVIEW
The Portland State Vikings will enter the 2013-14 campaign with expectations for a bounce-back season. The Vikings were 17-15 in 2011-12, 10-6 and third place in the Big Sky Conference, reaching the league tournament semifinals. However, they stumbled to an 8-20 record last season, just 5-15 in the expanded Big Sky Conference.

Unquestionably, the Vikings missed first team All-Big Sky performers Chehales Tapscott and Charles Odum, who graduated after the '11-'12 season.  While PSU still had talent, it struggled to get the right blend on the floor playing consistently.

Fifth-year Head Coach Tyler Geving will make the adjustments in 2013-14, combining a solid returning group with possibly his deepest recruiting class to date.

The Vikings have eight returning players, two of whom were starters, as well as one redshirt returning. A signing class of six that includes two much-heralded freshmen, three junior college transfers and one four-year transfer has Portland State bigger, faster, stronger and deeper than last year.

Frankly, depth should be the team's strength this season. Other than a few obvious starters - likely SR F Aaron Moore and JR PG Tim Douglas - there will be real competition for starting roles and back-up playing time.

RETURNING PLAYERS
Aaron Moore (SR, F, 6-8) should be a focal point for the Vikings this year. Moore was a pleasant surprise last season as he led the Vikings in scoring (13.2), rebounding (7.1), blocked shots (26) and shot 52% from the field. He mixed his athleticism with good inside play and a silky jump shot to make opponents struggle to guard him. Moore was an honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference selection.

On the outside, Gary Winston (JR, G, 6-0) led the Vikings and the Big Sky Conference with a .470 shooting percentage from three-point range. Winston hit 39 threes while averaging 7.9 points per game. He expects to see more shots in 2013-14 and Coach Geving would like to see him convert twice as many from three-point range to fill PSU's outside shooting needs.

Andre Winston, Jr. (JR, G, 6-1, no relation to Gary) started 12 games for the Vikings before getting comfortable in the role of the team's sixth man. He was a key defender while averaging 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 24 minutes a game. He is likely to bring energy off the bench again this season.

The Vikings never really got to see what Marcus Hall (SR, G, 6-4) could do last year. Hall was injured early in the year, ending his season. He will petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility after this one. Hall did have a 16-point effort in a loss to Loyola Marymount before going down. His length and defensive ability also make him valuable on the perimeter.

Big men Brandon Cataldo (JR, C, 6-10) and Lamont Prosser (SR, C, 6-8) will have a big opportunity to play bigger minutes with the graduation of Renado Parker. Both Cataldo and Prosser had their moments last year, but neither broke through for consistent playing time. Cataldo made three starts, shot 57% and showed excellent shot-blocking ability. He has good hands and feet for his size. Prosser shot 52% but only got into 20 games because of injuries and inconsistency. Both players have the size inside to be a factor in the Big Sky Conference.

Alyx Foster (SR, G, 6-3) and Joel King (JR, G, 6-3) are a pair of walk-on guards who saw limited minutes during the 2012-13 season. 

NEWCOMERS
The key that will start the Vikings' ignition in 2013-14 should be redshirt Tim Douglas (JR, G, 5-10). After transferring over from the University of Portland and sitting out last year, Douglas is expected to earn the starting job at the point with his skills and leadership ability. Douglas started 24 games in two seasons at Portland and averaged over eight points per game. He was twice named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week, and once scored 26 points against nationally-ranked St. Mary's.

Among the newcomers are three more guards in DaShaun Wiggins (JR, G, 6-2), Sebastian Suarez (JR, G, 6-4) and Zach Gengler (FR, G, 6-2). 

Wiggins, most recently from Howard (TX) Junior College can do a little of everything, including score, handle the ball, and defend. Gengler, from Silverton (OR) High School, was the Oregon 5A Player of the Year. He can play point or off the ball, and is a talented scorer with surprising athleticism. Suarez comes in from Western Nebraska Junior College as a talented long-range shooter. His three-point prowess will be a key to the Vikings' success, but he will have to sit out one year due to NCAA eligibility requirements.

Three forwards join the Vikings in 2013-14. Kyle Benton (FR, F, 6-6) had a stellar prep career, graduating from St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, CA. He is a physically mature player who brings excellent rebounding ability.

Tiegbe Bamba (tig-BEE BOM-buh, JR, F, 6-6) has the kind of athleticism that is rare in the Big Sky Conference. He played at Midland (TX) Junior College last season.

Kyle Richardson (GR, F, 6-7), a transfer from Long Beach State, has already earned his degree and will attend graduate school. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Two walk-on guards have joined this roster this fall - Kyler Shula (JR, G, 5-10) from Centralia CC and Jacob Begin (JR, G, 6-1) from Chemeketa CC.

NEW STAFF
Portland State Head Coach Tyler Geving has added two new assistants to his staff for 2013-14. Jeff Hironaka, a long-time collegiate coach in the Pacific Northwest, has joined the Vikings. Most recently, he was an assistant coach at Washington State. Hironaka was an assistant coach and then head coach at Seattle Pacific from 1991-2009. He will be associate head coach for the Vikings.

Also joining the staff is Jase Coburn, a former assistant coach at Howard (TX) JC. Coburn has been a successful high school and junior college coach over the past decade.

THE SCHEDULE
Portland State men's basketball team will host an unprecedented 17 home games in the 2013-14 season. The Vikings have seven pre-season home games including their own three-day tournament, Nov. 22-24. PSU has 10 Big Sky Conference home games for a total of 17 in the Peter W. Stott Center. The Vikings also play 12 road games in 2013-14 for a total of 29 leading up to the Big Sky Conference Tournament, Mar. 13-15.

The Vikings will open the season with a road game at UNLV on Nov. 8. PSU returns home to host Pacific Lutheran on Nov. 13, then prepares for a three-day, four-team round robin tournament on Nov. 22-24. UC Davis of the Big West, Loyola (IL) from the Missouri Valley Conference and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville of the Ohio Valley Conference will all take part. PSU plays Loyola on Nov. 22, SIUE on Nov. 23 and UC Davis on Nov. 24.

Next up will be a contest at Boise State on Nov. 29. It will be PSU's first meeting with the Mountain West Conference school in four seasons. 

The Vikings final three non-conference games will be at home. PSU hosts the cross-town rivalry game with University of Portland on Dec. 7. The University of Idaho, a future member of the Big Sky (2014-15), comes to PSU on Dec. 14. Evergreen is the final non-conference opponent on Dec. 23.

Portland State's Big Sky Conference schedule opens on Jan. 2 at Idaho State. The Vikings' Big Sky home opener is Jan. 9 against Montana State at the Stott Center. PSU plays five Saturday games, four Thursday games and one Monday game among the 10 home league contests.

PSU plays home-and-home with the other 10 Big Sky schools: ISU, Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota, Northern Colorado, Northern Arizona, Sacramento State, Southern Utah and Weber State.

The Vikings' 20-game league schedule culminates with the Big Sky Conference Tournament, Mar. 13-15, at the home of the regular season champion.

Seven of the league's 11 teams will get into the Big Sky Tournament. The league champion will have a first round bye while the other six teams will meet on Mar. 13 (2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5). The semifinals will pit the host against the lowest remaining seed, with the other two remaining teams meeting on Mar. 14. The Big Sky Conference Championship will take place on Mar. 15 and be televised on ESPN2.