PSU Game Notes | Live Video | Live Stats

Portland State (11-16, 5-13) vs. Weber State (0-27, 0-18)
Thursday, March 7, 2013, • 7:30 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500) • Portland, OR
All-Time Series: WSU leads 23-20; PSU leads 14-8 in Portland
Big Sky Series: PSU leads 18-15; PSU leads 11-5 in Portland
Last Meeting: PSU 74-60 (12/22/12) at WSU

Portland State (11-16, 5-13) vs. Idaho State (17-10, 12-6)
Saturday, March 9, 2013, • 2:00 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500) • Portland, OR
All-Time Series: ISU leads 24-22; PSU leads 14-7 in Portland
Big Sky Series: ISU leads 19-14; PSU leads 9-7 in Portland
Last Meeting: ISU 63-50 (12/20/12) at ISU

OPENING TIP
THIS WEEK: The Vikings conclude the 2012-13 season this week at home. Portland State hosts Weber State Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 before welcoming Idaho State to the Peter W. Stott Center Saturday, March 9 at 2 p.m. Thursday night will be the Vikings' Dunk Alzheimer's game in association with the Alzheimer's Association Oregon Chapter. Saturday will be Senior Day.

COVERAGE: Both games this week can be seen live online at www.BigSkyTV.org with Teri Mariani calling the action. Pregame show starts approximately 15 minutes prior to tipoff. Live Stats can be found on the Women's Basketball schedule page at GoViks.com.

LAST TIME OUT: Portland State is coming off a 63-48 loss to Northern Colorado last Saturday in Greeley, Colo. Allison Greene led the Vikings with a team-high 16 points, six rebounds, four steals, and two assists. The Bears led wire to wire and led by as much as 30 points in the second half before the Vikings went on a late run to cut the gap to 15. D'shara Strange scored a game-high 28 points for UNC.

THE COACHES: Portland State Head Coach Sherri Murrell is 109-76 overall and 58-40 in Big Sky play in her six seasons at Portland State. Murrell is 9-2 all-time against Weber State and 7-5 against Idaho State. Head Coach Bethann Ord is 2-54 in two seasons at Weber State. Seton Sobolewsky is 82-65 in four seasons at Idaho State.
 
THE WILDCATS: Weber State comes into play this week with the worst record in the conference at 0-27 overall and 0-18 in Big Sky play. Weber State averages 52.1 points while it gives up 73.9 points per game, both worst in the league. The Wildcats do not have a scorer in the top 30 in the conference. Jalen Carpenter leads the team in scoring with 8.0 points per game. Carpenter also leads the team in rebounding with 6.4 per game.

SERIES WITH WEBER STATE: Weber State holds the all-time series advantage at 23-21 dating back to the 1982-83 season. Weber State won the first four meetings in the series but Portland State has won the last four and eight of the last ten. The Vikings swept the season series last year with a 66-56 win in Ogden (1/7/12) followed by a 76-63 win at the Peter W. Stott Center (2/2/12). Portland State holds the Big Sky series advantage at 17-15 and is 11-5 in Portland.

LAST GAME vs. WSU: The Vikings picked up their first Big Sky win of the season with a 74-60 win over the Wildcats on Dec. 22 in Ogden, Utah. Angela Misa recorded a career-high 24 points while pulling down 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the conference season. Three other Vikings, Mikaela Rivard (15), Allison Greene (14) and Kate Lanz (11) scored in double-figures. PSU shot a then-season-high 50.9-percent form the floor while holding WSU to under 40-percent.

THE BENGALS: Idaho State enters the week with a 17-10 overall record and a 12-6 conference record having secured a Big Sky Tournament bid. The Bengals average 61.7 points per game while allowing a league-best 54.0 points per game. Opponents are shooting just .347 against the Bengals, which leads the league. Ashleigh Vella leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 12.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Kaela Oakes (11.3) and Lindsey Reed (10.3) each average double-digits. Oakes' 2.7 assists per game is eighth in the league.

SERIES WITH IDAHO STATE: The Bengals hold a slight 24-22 all-time series lead, which dates back 32 years to the 1980-81 season. Idaho State took the first meeting with a double-overtime win 84-82. Portland State then won five of the next six contests from 1982-83 to 1984-85. The Bengals largest winning streak in the series is four, while the Vikings went on a five-game winning streak from 2008-10. ISU has won the last four meetings with a season sweep last year.

LAST GAME vs. ISU: Idaho State defeated Portland State 63-50 on Dec. 20, 2013 in Pocatello, Idaho to open Big Sky Conference play. Each team had three players in double-figure scoring. Mikaela Rivard led the Vikings with 11 points while Courtney VanBrocklin added 10 points. Angela Misa posted 10 points and 11 rebounds in the game for her first Big Sky double-double. Kaela Oakes scored a game-high 16 points for Idaho State. Portland State held a slight 28-22 lead in the paint but ISU turned 23 Vikings' turnovers into 23 points.

NEWS & NOTES
DUNK ALZHEIMER'S: Thursday's game against Weber State will be the Vikings Dunk Alzheimer's game in association with the Alzheimer's Association Oregon Chapter to help promote Alzheimer's awareness. There will be an information table in the lobby. To learn more, visit www.alz.org/oregon.

SENIOR DAY: Saturday's game against Idaho State will be the final game for two Viking players as seniors Karley Lampman and Courtney VanBrocklin will be playing in their final game at the Peter W. Stott Center. Lampman has been a contributor for the Vikings since arriving on the Park Blocks four years ago. VanBrocklin became the 16th member of the Portland State 1,000-point club earlier this season and will leave as one of the top scorers in program history.

AROUND THE SKY: Six teams have already punched their ticket for the 2012-13 Big Sky Tournament. Two things remain in the air for the tournament. Who will win the regular season and host the tournament? And who will claim the seventh and final tournament bid? Montana is in first place at 15-3 with two games to play while Northern Colorado is second at 15-4 with one game to play. Montana can claim the regular season title with two wins. If Montana splits the weekend and Northern Colorado wins its final game, the two would share the regular season title with the honor of hosting the tournament decided by tiebreakers. Southern Utah and Northern Arizona are tied for the seventh and final tournament spot at 7-11 with two games each to play.

EMERGING EASOM: FR G Emily Easom has only seen her playing time and production improve after being thrust into the starting lineup on Jan. 14 against Southern Utah. Easom scored a then-career-high 12 points against the Thunderbirds with five rebounds and five steals. Easom bested her career mark with 25 points against Sacramento State, which included six three-pointers. Since entering the starting lineup she is averaging 10.1 points per game and is shooting .324 from the field and .306 from behind the arc. 

GOING GREENE: SO G Allison Greene has been a solid contributor for the Vikings averaging 11.6 points per game over the last five games. She is averaging 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 30.0 minutes per game over the span. She scored a career-high 23 points against Northern Arizona (2/7) going 10-for-18 from the floor. She has scored in double figures five of the last six games and nine of the last 11.

COURT'S COURT: SR G Courtney VanBrocklin has been a bright spot for the Vikings this season. She has led the team in scoring nearly the entire season and is currently averaging 14.7 ppg, second best in the conference. She is second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage shooting .425 from distance. She has paced the team in scoring in 13 of the Vikings' 27 games this season. She has started every game except one that she missed due to injury and is averaging a team-best 33.7 minutes per game.

LIGHTNING STRIKES … AGAIN: For the second time this season the Vikings have lost a starter to a knee injury. Junior forward Angela Misa sustained a season-ending knee injury against Sacramento State on Feb. 9. Misa was averaging 10.8 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Vikings. She had eight double-doubles this season to lead the team.

CHASING HISTORY: SR G Courtney VanBrocklin has scored 1,182 points in her three-year career at Portland State. She is currently 55 points out of 10th all-time at PSU behind Michelle Hughes (1987-91) who scored 1, 237 during her career.

VANBROCKLIN HITS 1,000: SR G Courtney VanBrocklin scored 14 points at Sacramento State becoming the 16th Viking to reach the 1,000-point milestone for her Portland State career. She is the fifth Viking to finish their career with over 1,000 points in the last five years.  She currently has 1,182 career points and is eighth on the Big Sky's active career leaders list. 

Player (Years) - Career Points
Kelsey Kahle (2005-09) - 2,049
Claire Fauche (2006-10) - 1,399
Kelli Valentine (2007-11) - 1,298
Eryn Jones (2008-12) - 1,350
Courtney VanBrocklin (2010-13) - 1,182

ROLLER COASTER SHOOTING: PSU's shooting has been a roller coaster ride this season. The Vikings have shot as low as .250 at North Dakota (2/23/13) and as high as .542 against Montana State (2/2/13). Over the past six seasons the Vikings have shot over .400 as a team from the field. This season they are shooting .371. PSU has shot over .400 eight times this season and is 6-2 in those contests.

SCORING IS DOWN: With the Vikings shooting a lower percentage from the field this year, their scoring average has dropped. The Vikings are averaging 62.5 points per game this season, sixth in the conference. PSU has reached the 70-point mark seven times going 5-2. The Vikings averaged 70 points per game over the past five seasons under Head Coach Sherri Murrell.

OPPONENT SCORING: Opponents are scoring an average of 67.1 points per game against the Vikings this season. During non-conference play the Vikings only gave up 59.3 points per game. In conference play however, opponents are averaging 71.0 points per game. PSU has given up 70 or more points nine times, including six of the last eight. PSU has given up 80 or more points four times this season. 

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y: Portland State seems to like playing on Saturdays. The Vikings are 6-4 on Saturdays this season and are 5-12 on all other days of the week. The only other day on which they have multiple wins is Thursday where they are 2-8.

DOUBLE-DOUBLES: A Viking has recorded a double-double (points and rebounds) 12 times this season. JR F Angela Misa has eight in her first season with the Vikings, which is second most in the Big Sky. SR G Courtney VanBrocklin has two double-doubles this season. JR G Kate Lanz and VanBrocklin both posted double-doubles at Oregon (11/15). Misa and VanBrocklin each had a double-doubles at Sacramento State (1/10). Allie Brock recorded her first career double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds at Eastern Washington (2/21)

DOMINANT AT THE STOTT CENTER: The Vikings have dominated the competition at the Peter W. Stott Center under sixth year Head Coach Sherri Murrell. The Vikings have posted a 64-21 (.753) overall record and 34-14 (.708) Big Sky mark inside the Stott Center. The Vikings have won 39 contests by double-digits, including 16 victories by at least 20 points. This year, however, PSU has struggled, going 5-7 at home overall and 1-5 at home in conference.

SHOWDOWN ON THE BOARDS PART DEUX: Portland State's game against Sacramento State on Feb. 9 was the second meeting of the season between the Big Sky Conference's top two rebounders, Sacramento State's Kylie Kuhns and Portland State's Angela Misa. In the first meeting on Jan. 10 in Sacramento the two recorded 12 rebounds apiece. Kuhns recorded six offensive and nine defensive rebounds while Misa recorded six on both ends of the court. Both Kuhns and Misa lead the league with seven double-doubles. Misa came out on top in the second meeting on Feb. 9 with 17 rebounds to Kuhns' five.

DOMINATING THE SKY: JR F Angela Misa has been a dominant force for the Vikings in Big Sky play. She averaged 10.8 ppg and 10.2 rpg including eight double-doubles before suffering a season-ending knee injury. She tallied a season-high 24 points at Weber State (12/22/12) while adding 10 rebounds. Misa scored a game-high 20 points at Sacramento State (1/10/13) with 12 rebounds.

LANZ OUT: JR G Kate Lanz will miss the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury at Weber State on Dec. 22. Lanz suffered the knee injury with less than four minutes remaining in the Vikings' win. Lanz was leading the Vikings averaging 3.4 assists per game. She also averaged 8.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game after being moved back to her natural position of point guard this season.

QUICK TO 500: JR G Kate Lanz reached the 500-point mark with 11 points at Weber State on Dec. 22, 2012. She reached the milestone in 37 games tying teammate Courtney VanBrocklin for fourth fastest to 500 points. VanBrocklin reached the mark last year against Nevada on Dec. 3, 2011. Only Kelsey Kahle (2005-09), Sheri Stemple (1991-92), and Laurie Northrop (1988-92) have done it faster.

Player (Years) - # of Games 
Kelsey Kahle (2005-09) - 29 Games
Sheri Stemple (1991-92) - 30 Games
Laurie Northrop (1988-92) - 35 Games
Courtney VanBrocklin (2010-Pres.) - 37 Games
Kate Lanz (2011-Pres.) - 37 Games

MISA CRASHING THE GLASS: JR F Angela Misa pulled down a career-high 21 boards against Butler (11/24) at the Saint Mary's Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic. Her 21 rebounds were two shy of the Portland State record of 23 set by Linda McLellan against San Jose State in 1980. It was the first time a Viking recorded 20-plus rebounds since McLellan recorded 20 against Montana State in 1981.

KEYS TO A VICTORY: A key to victory for the Vikings since 2005-06 has been winning the shooting percentage battle. Over the past six-plus seasons, Portland State is 93-11 (.894) when outshooting its opponent, including 81-8 (.910) under Head Coach Sherri Murrell. PSU went 11-3 in 2009-10, 17-1 in 2008-09 and 17-2 in 2007-08. In 2010-11 they went 17-1, with the lone loss coming in the Big Sky tourney title game against Montana. The Vikings outshot the Lady Griz, .382-to-.375, but fell 62-58. PSU was 12-0 last season and is 7-1 this season.

BUZZER BEATER: At Oregon, SR G Courtney VanBrocklin laid it in as time expired giving the Vikings an 87-85 double-overtime victory over the Ducks (11/15). The final bucket matched her career high in points with 26. She had previously hit the 26-point mark almost a year ago to the day against UC Irvine (11/11/11)

GOING BACK A WAYS: The Vikings 87-85 victory in double-overtime Nov. 15 in Eugene, was just the first time since January of 1985 that the Vikings have defeated the Ducks. That game also went into overtime. Remarkably the Vikings last four wins over the Ducks dating back to 1977 have all come in overtime. PSU is 19-8 all-time in over time games and 9-7 at the Division I level.

NO. 100 FOR MURRELL: Vikings' Head Coach Sherri Murrell reached the 100-win mark at Portland State with the 87-85 double-overtime win over Oregon on Nov. 15. For Murrell it is just one more milestone reached while at the helm for Portland State.

MILESTONES FOR MURRELL: Sixth-year Head Coach Sherri Murrell has reached several coaching milestones over the past couple of seasons:
- Dec. 2, 2012 – Won her 250th career game with a 64-49 win over Portland. 
- Nov. 15, 2012 – Won her 100th game at Portland State at Oregon 87-85 in double overtime.
- Feb. 23, 2012 – Won her 100th league game at the Division I level with a 76-69 win over Eastern Washington.
- Feb. 2, 2012 - Earned her 50th Big Sky victory when PSU defeated Weber State, 76-63.
- Jan. 12, 2012 – Coached her 400th NCAA Division I game, 485th overall, against Northern Colorado.

INSTANT IMPACT: In each of the past three seasons, a transfer player has had an instant impact on the Vikings program. Two years ago, Courtney VanBrocklin and Shauneice Samms both played major roles. Last year it was Kate Lanz, and Angela Misa is poised to do the same this year. Samms and VanBrocklin combined for 48 starts, 10.3 points and 5.0 rebounds two years ago. VanBrocklin led PSU in scoring nine times and in rebounding eight times, while Samms led the team in blocks 13 times and in rebounding five times. Lanz led all players in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles, and led the Vikings in scoring in 14 of the 27 games she appeared in last season. Both VanBrocklin and Lanz earned Big Sky Top Newcomer honors their first year with the Vikings. 

PSU SIGNS THREE TO NLIs: Portland State women's basketball coach Sherri Murrell has announced the signing of three players to National Letters of Intent for the 2013-14 season. The 2013-14 recruiting class consists of Lauren Holt (San Jose, Calif./Leigh HS), Jackie Lanz (Vancouver, Wash./St. Mary's Academy), and Yaremi Mejia (Medford, Ore./South Medford).
• Holt, a 5-11 guard out of San Jose attends Leigh High School and as a junior last season was an All-Central Coast second team selection. She was voted team MVP after leading the team in scoring with 16.5 ppg, in rebounding (11.2 rpg), and in assists (2.5 apg).
• Lanz, a 5-8 guard from Vancouver, Wash. played at Prairie High School for her first three years and last year led the team to a 27-1 record and a Washington State 3A Championship. She was named to the State All-Tournament first team. Prairie had made it to the championship game in each of the previous two seasons and finished as runner up. After a coaching change at Prairie HS, Lanz decided to transfer and play her senior season at Portland's St. Mary's Academy. Lanz is the younger sister of current Viking Kate Lanz.
• Mejia is a 5-7 point guard out of South Medford High School. She led her team to a 30-0 record and the OSAA 6A Championship last season. Mejia was named the Player of the Game after leading the team with 16 points. She was also an All-State second team selection.

POTW FOR VANBROCKLIN: SR G Courtney VanBrocklin was named the Big Sky Conference's Women's Basketball Player of the Week for Nov. 13-19. The award is the first for VanBrocklin and the Vikings this season, and the second of her career. VanBrocklin scored the final two points for the Vikings to defeat the Oregon Ducks 87-85 as time expired in double-overtime last week. Her final bucket tied her career high in points with 26. She also recorded a team-best 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the 2012-13 season, while adding three assists and three steals. She scored her 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the line. Her 10 field goals made was also a career best.