Complete Release in PDF Format

Portland State vs. Idaho State
Thursday, January 2, 2014 • 7:00 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR

Idaho State: 2-7 • 0-0 BSC • 2-0 Home
Portland State: 3-7 • 1-0 BSC • 2-4 Home
All-Time Series (Streak): ISU leads 25-22 (ISU W5)
Last Meeting: ISU 61-54 at PSU

Portland State vs. Weber State
Saturday, January 4, 2014 • 2:00 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR

Weber State: 4-5 • 0-0 BSC • 4-1 Home
Portland State: 3-7 • 1-0 BSC • 2-4 Home
All-Time Series (Streak): WSU leads 23-22 (PSU W5)
Last Meeting: PSU 79-73 (OT) at PSU

Live Audio Stream: http://208.67.186.169/psuwbb
Live Video Stream: WatchBigSky.com
     Play-by-Play: Teri Mariani
Live Stats: http://vikslive.statb.us/

OPENING TIP
     The Portland State Vikings (3-7 overall, 1-0 Big Sky Conference) open their Big Sky home slate this week by hosting Idaho State (2-7, 0-0) and Weber State (4-5, 0-0) at the Peter W. Stott Center. The Vikings and Bengals square-off Thursday, Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. The Vikings then welcome the Wildcats Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m.
     Both games will be broadcast live online at WatchBigSky.com. There will also be an audio broadcast online at GoViks.com with Teri Mariani calling the action. A pregame show will start approximately 15 minutes prior to tip-off. The game will also be available via live stats at GoViks.com.
     Portland State opened Big Sky Conference play last week with its best game of the season defeating Dam Cup rival Eastern Washington 86-74 in Cheney, Wash. The Vikings were led to a season-high 86 points by a pair of 20-point performances coming from Kate Lanz (22 points) and Allie Brock (20 points). Lanz had a career day, posting her first triple-double adding 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists to her 22 points. Lanz went 5-for-19 from the floor but 11-for-12 from the free-throw line. Brock posted her third 20-point game of the season, fourth of her career, going 9-for-13 from the floor. She added eight rebounds in 32 minutes. Emily Easom scored 14 points for the Vikings with two of the team's four three-pointers. PSU shot a season-high .500 from the floor against the Eagles. 

• The Teams: Portland State is 3-7 overall this season and 1-0 in Big Sky Conference play. The Vikings are averaging 66.1 points  per game while allowing 83.8. PSU is shooting .380 from the floor and .296 from three-point range.
     Idaho State is 2-7 overall and will be playing in it's first Big Sky game against Portland State. The Bengals won their first two games of the season before dropping the next seven, all on the road. They are averaging 58.4 points per game this season while allowing 68.3. ISU is shooting .331 from the floor and .222 from three-point range.
     Weber State enters the week 4-5 overall, losers of its last two, and will play its conference opener at Eastern Washington Thursday night. The Wildcats are outscoring their opponents this season 72.2-to-63.8, the best scoring margin in the Big Sky. They are shooting .418 from the floor and .271 from distance. WSU averages 2.9 three-pointers per game, last in the league.

• The Coaches: Portland State head coach Sherri Murrell is in her seventh year at Portland State. She is 113-84 overall and 60-41 in Big Sky play while at PSU. She is 260-277 in 18 years as a head coach. Seaton Sobolewski is 86-69 overall and 53-31 in Big Sky play in six seasons at Idaho State. Weber State's Bethann Ord is 6-61 in three seasons at the helm. Ord is 0-36 in Big Sky games.

• The Series: Idaho State leads the all-time season series with Portland State 25-22 dating back ot the 1980-81 season. The Bengals lead the Big Sky series 20-14 and have won the last five meetings. PSU is 14-8 overall and 9-8 in conference action at home in the series. Weber State leads the all-time series with Portland State 23-22 while Portland State leads the Big Sky series 19-15. PSU is 15-8 overall and 12-5 in conference play at home and has won the last five overall.

• The Bengals: ISU is 2-7 having lost its last seven games, all on the road. The Bengals are averaging 58.4 points per game while allowing 68.3. They are shooting .331 from the floor and .222 from distance having thrown up 207 three-pointers. Lindsey Reed leads the team with 14.2 points per game while shooting .347 from the floor. She leads the team with 30 assists and is averaging 5.1 rebounds per game. Jessica Tingey is the only other Bengal scoring in double digits with 11.3 points per game. Tingey also averages a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game.

• Last Season vs. ISU: Idaho State took the first and last conference games of the season against the Vikings a year ago. ISU opened league play with a 63-50 win in Pocatello, Idaho. ISU outshot PSU .489-to-.345 in the contest and scored 23 points off 23 PSU turnovers. Mikaela Rivard led the Vikings with 11 points while Angela Misa and Courtney VanBrocklin each added 10 points.
     The Bengals ended the season with a 61-54 win in Portland. Neither team shot over .400 from the floor in the game. Senior G Karley Lampman led the Vikings with 13 points in her final game as a Viking. Allie Brock added 10 points for the Vikings. ISU had four players in double figures.

• The Wildcats: WSU holds the best scoring advantage in the Big Sky Conference (+8.4) but is 4-5 overall this season and loser of its last two games. The Wildcats are shooting .418 from the floor and .271 from distance. Desiree Ramos leads the team with 13.4 points per game this season while shooting .433. Ramos is the team leader with 41 assists is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game. Amanda Hughes is averaging 11.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Regina Okoye (11.3 ppg) and Jalen Carpenter (11.2 ppg) both average double digits.

• Last Season vs. WSU: Portland State took both games against Weber State a year ago but at a cost. PSU took the first game, 74-60, in Ogden, Utah but lost Kate Lanz for the season with a knee injury. Lanz had 11 points and five assists in 31 minutes before going down with the injury. Angela Misa posted a career-high 24 points to lead the Vikings while adding 10 rebounds for a double-double. Mikaela Rivard (15 points) and Allison Greene (14) both scored in double-figures. PSU shot .509 from the floor and .462 (6-for-13) from three-point range.
     PSU picked up its final win of the season, 79-73 in overtime, on March 7 at the Peter W. Stott Center. With the score tied at 65-65, WSU's Desiree Ramos missed the front-end of a one-and-one with three seconds left in the game sending it into overtime. It would have been Weber State's first win of the season. Portland State outscored Weber State 14-to-8 in the overtime period to take the game. Courtney VanBrocklin led the Vikings with a game-high 22 points, which included four three-pointers. Emily Easom added 17 points for PSU.

COMING UP
The Vikings continue Big Sky play next week when they travel to the Big Sky state to take on Montana State and Montana. The Vikings and Bobcats square-off Thursday, Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. PT in Bozeman before the Vikings take on The Lady Griz Saturday, Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. PT.

NEWS & NOTES
Big Sky Openers
The Vikings are now 8-10 all-time in Big Sky openers and 4-3 under Head Coach Sherri Murrell after the Vikings' 86-74 win over Eastern Washington (12.29). Portland State is 1-3 in openers against Eastern Washington with three of four coming in Cheney, WA.

Lanz's Triple-Double
Senior G Kate Lanz posted her first career triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists at Eastern Washington (12/29). She went 5-for-19 from the floor with a three-pointer while going 11-for-12 at the free-throw line. She also picked up a block in 36 minutes played.

Historic Triple-Double
Senior G Kate Lanz's triple-double at Eastern Washington (12/29) was the first of her career and the first by a Viking since Claire Faucher posted 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 steals at Montana State on March 5, 2009. Faucher posted three triple-doubles during her career. Kim Manifesto posted the only other recorded triple-double for the Vikings in 1994.

Player of the Week Honors For Lanz
Senior G Kate Lanz's triple-double at Eastern Washington (12/29) propelled her to her first Big Sky Player of the Week honor this season and third of her career. It was the first Big Sky POTW award by a Viking since Courtney VanBrocklin on Nov. 20, 2012. Lanz was also named the CollegeSportsMadness.com Mid-Major Player of the week as well as the College Sports Madness Big Sky Player of the Week.

"I Love It When a Plan Comes Together"
The Vikings were clicking on all cylinders in their 86-74 win at Eastern Washington (12/29) to start Big Sky play. PSU shot a season-high .500 from the floor including going 17-for-30 (.567) in the second half. The Vikings scored 52 points in the second half, a season high, while scoring a season-high 86 points. Kate Lanz (22 points) and Allie Brock (20) each scored over 20-points in the game. It was the first time this season that PSU had two players with 20-plus points.

Leading the Way
Senior G Kate Lanz leads the Vikings with 13.4 points per game this season, tied for ninth in the Big Sky. Lanz is third in the league with 4.9 assists per game and eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.367) and free throw percentage (818).

Powell Stepping Up
Junior G Lariel Powell has increased her scoring average to 7.3 points per game this season after averaging 10.0 ppg over the past three contests. Powell Posted 10 points at Georgia Tech (12/17) and then 11 points against Portland (12/21). It was the first time Powell scored in double digits in back-to-back games. Powell also posted a career-high five steals against the Pilots. She then posted nine points on 4-of-6 shooting at Eastern Washington (12/29).

At Home
The Vikings have excelled at the Peter W. Stott Center under seventh-year head coach Sherri Murrell. Portland State is 67-26 (.720) overall and 35-15 (.700) in Big Sky Conference play under Murrell. PSU has had four double-digit home win seasons since she took over before the 2007-08 season. PSU is 2-4 at home this season.

Feeling Fine
Senior F Angela Misa has eased her way back into form after having a season-ending knee injury a year ago.  She is averaging 9.0 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game this season in just under 21 minutes per game. She has tallied three double-doubles this season.

Brock Going Big
Allie Block led the Vikings with 20 points in their loss at Oregon (12/14). Brock went 8-for-14 in the game, which tied her season-high in field goals made. She also went 4-for-8 at the free-throw line and pulled down five rebounds. It was Brock's fifth double-digit scoring performance of the season and the second time that she surpassed the 20-point mark. Brock is averaging a career-high 12.3 points per game so far this season while averaging 5.7 rebounds per game, also a career high.

Getting Back into Form
Senior G Kate Lanz scored a game-high 21 points with eight rebounds in the Vikings' season opening loss to Saint Mary's (CA) (11/10). It was Lanz's first appearance since having her season cut short last year with a season-ending knee injury. After posting back-to-back 20-point performances to start the season, Lanz posted her third with 20 points against Columbia (12/1). She also posted 10 rebounds and a career-high nine assists for a near triple-double. She is averaging 13.4 points per game this season to lead the Vikings.

Powell's Performance
Junior G Lariel Powell posted a career-high 16 points against Columbia (12/1). She went 5-for-11 from the floor and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. She added a career-high two three-pointers.

Bring on Brock
Senior F Allie Brock posted her first double-double of the season, second of her career, with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Seattle University (11/22). She went 6-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Brock has scored in double-digits in five of the eight games this season. Her double-double was the first by a Viking this season.

Brock's Big Day
Senior F Allie Brock posted a career-high 23 points in 30 minutes against Corban (11/26). She went 8-for-16 from the floor including 4-for-5 from three-point range. She entered the game just 1-for-11 all-time from distance. She went 3-for-4 from the free-throw line while adding five rebounds. Her 23 points is the most this season by a Viking.

Hot from the Line
Portland State went 24-for-27 from the free throw line against Seattle University (11/22). Three Vikings went 4-for-4 from the line while Kate Lanz went 6-for-7 against the Redhawks.

HOT SHOTS
• SR G Kate Lanz posted her first career triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists at Eastern Washington (12/29).
• SR G Kate Lanz is averaging 13.4 points per game to lead the Vikings. She has three four-point games this season. She leads the team with an .818 free-throw percentage (34-43).
• SR F Angela Misa has posted three double-doubles this season. She is shooting .413 from the floor.
• SR F Allie Brock has scored in double-figures six times this season and score 20-plus three times. She is averaging a career-high 12.3 points per game.
• JR G Lariel Powell is averaging 10.0 points over the last three games. 

NOT SO HOT
• Portland State is giving up 83.8 points per game while opponents are shooting .459 from the floor.
• Opponents are shooting .455 this season.
• Senior F Angela Misa has fouled out three times this season, twice in the last three games. 

QUICK NOTES FOR 2013-14
• Portland State returns eight letterwinners and three starters from a year ago. The Vikings add six newcomers to the roster including four freshmen, a junior transfer, and a Portland State volleyball player.

• Portland State lost a pair of starters at the end of the season. The Vikings lost Courtney VanBrocklin who led the team in points 14 times last year and finished with a team-high 14.7 ppg. She finished her career as the 16th member of the Portland State 1,000-point club.

• In her six seasons at Portland State, head coach Sherri Murrell ranks second all-time in wins with 110. She led the Vikings to their only 20-win seasons at the DI level (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2010-11). Under Murrell, the Vikings have gone 65-22 overall and 35-15 in the Big Sky at the Peter W. Stott Center.

• Murrell has a knack for bringing in talented transfers. Over the past three seasons, Murrell has brought in three players that went on to be named the Big Sky's Top Newcomer. Courtney VanBrocklin (2010-11), Kate Lanz (2011-12), and Angela Misa (2012-13) all earned Top Newcomer honors under Murrell.

• Head Coach Sherri Murrell has announced the signing of Shelbi Sanders and Alicia Carline to National Letters of Intent for the 2014-15 season.
     Sanders, a 6-foot-2 forward from Hermiston High School, averaged seven points and nine rebounds per game last year. She helped her team to a first place finish at the Nike Interstate Shootout and a third place finish at the 5A OSAA State Tournament. Sanders is an athletic, physical player, who possesses good basketball fundamentals.
     Carline, a 6-foot-3 post player from Feilding, New Zealand, is in the middle of her sophomore season at Gillette College in Gillette, WY. She has helped her team to a 1-1 record to start this season and is averaging 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals while shooting .540 from the floor and .780 from the free-throw line.