complete notes and stats in pdf

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS vs. MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
Saturday, February 8, 2014, 6:05 p.m. PT • Worthington Arena (7,250), Bozeman, MT
 
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
Record/Big Sky: 11-9, 6-5
Head Coach: Tyler Geving (63-79/5th year)
 
MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
Record/Big Sky: 10-12, 5-6
Head Coach: Brad Huse (93-113/7th year)
 
Live Video Stream: www.WatchBigSky.com
Live Audio Stream: www.GoViks.com • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Pregame Show: 5:45 p.m.
Live Stats: vikslive.statb.us, viksmobile.com
 
THE OPENING TIP
Portland State will try to earn a road split this Saturday night when it plays at Montana State in a Big Sky Conference game. The Vikings lost 82-76 in overtime at Montana on Thursday night, ending a four-game winning streak. But PSU can salvage a split on their Montana two-step if they can beat the Bobcats in Bozeman.
     
It won't be easy as the Vikings are 3-15 all-time in Worthington Arena in Big Sky Conference games. However, PSU has played well lately, despite Thursday's loss, winning six of their last eight games. The Vikings are 11-9 overall, 6-5 and tied for third place in the Big Sky.
     
Montana State beat PSU in Portland, 79-76, on January 9. Since then the Bobcats have been reeling, losing six of eight, including a 79-50 decision to Eastern Washington on Thursday at home. MSU is now 10-12 on the season, 5-6 in the Big Sky and tied for eighth.
     
PSU got another career game from SR F Kyle Richardson on Thursday as he posted 25 points (10-15 FG), 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. A chance for a game-winning shot by JR G Tim Douglas in the closing seconds went awry though, and Montana was able to pull it out in overtime. The Vikings, uncharacteristically, missed eight second-half free throws that may have made the difference.
     
Portland State is now 2-1 in overtime games this season and 1-6 on the road.
     
Montana State has a 6-4 home record, but has lost its last three home games.
     
Saturday's game tips off at 6:05 p.m. PT. Live video, audio and stats can be found by going to GoViks.com and clicking on the Game Day box.
 
THE BIG SKY RACE GETS CRAZIER        
Thursday night's Big Sky Conference action further muddied the waters in the conference tournament chase. While Weber State now stands comfortably in first at 9-2, second-place Northern Colorado dropped another game to 7-4 - just one game ahead of the Vikings. However, PSU's loss and other results now have the Vikings in a four-way tie for 3rd/4th/5th/6th with Montana, North Dakota and Northern Arizona.
     
Just one game behind that at 5-6 is another four-way tie for 7th/8th/9th/10th among Montana State, Eastern Washington, Idaho State and Sacramento State. Southern Utah is all but out if it at 0-10.
     
So, for the Vikings on Saturday night, a win could mean second place, but a loss could push them at least four spots down in the standings.
     
The top seven teams in the Big Sky Conference will earn berths into the conference tournament, Mar. 13-15, at the home of the regular season champion. The host will have an opening round bye, while quarterfinal games will match 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5.
 
THE SERIES: PORTLAND STATE VS. MONTANA STATE
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Montana State leads 30-19. MSU leads 20-4 in Bozeman.
• BIG SKY SERIES: Montana State leads 23-16. MSU leads 15-3 in Bozeman.
• BIG SKY TOURNAMENT PLAY: Portland State leads 4-0 all-time in Big Sky Tournament games.
• STREAK: Montana State has won three in a row and five of the last six in the series. The Bobcats have won three straight at Worthington Arena.
• LAST MEETING, JAN. 9 IN PORTLAND - MSU 79, PSU 76: There were 14 ties and 14 lead changes over the first 28 minutes of the game. An 11-2 MSU run then gave the Bobcats the edge they needed. Neither team led by as many as 10 in the game... Vikings shot .545 from the field, but Montana State shot .563... DaShaun Wiggins scored 20 for the Vikings. Marcus Hall added 19 points and five assists... Antonio Biglow scored 15 for the Bobcats. Paul Egwuonwu added 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
• Viking Coach Tyler Geving is 3-8 all-time against Montana. MSU's Brad Huse is 9-7 all-time against the Vikings.
 
MONTANA STATE BOBCATS: Montana State, an original member of the Big Sky, have won four regular season titles, two tournament titles and made three all-time appearances in the NCAA Tournament. MSU last won the regular season title in 2002 and the tournament title in 1996... Montana State is 10-12 on the season, 5-6 in Big Sky play. MSU has lost six of its last eight games, and its last three home games... forward Flavien Davis leads the Bobcats in scoring at 12.0 per game... center Paul Egwuonwu averaged 9.0 points and 6.8 rebounds... guard Paul Colbert averages 9.2 points and a team-leading 3.3 assists.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 11-9 this season, 10-3 at home, 1-6 on the road.
• PSU has won six of the last eight overall.
• The Vikings are 6-5 in the Big Sky Conference, 5-1 at home and 1-4 on the road.
• With 11 wins this season, PSU has already bettered last year's win total (8-20) and conference win total (5).
• PSU is 6-3 in close games (four points or less or OT).
• The Vikings have come back to win five games this season when trailing at halftime.
• Portland State is 46-21 at home in five seasons under Tyler Geving.
 
HOT SHOTS:
• Portland State has shot .541 as a team over the last four games.
• JR G Gary Winston has averaged 15.7 points in his last eight games, making 43-78 shots (.551)... Winston is leading the Big Sky in three-point percentage for the second year in a row (26-51, .510).
• SR F Kyle Richardson has scored in double figures in four straight games, averaging 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds. He made 28-39 shots (.718)... Richardson had career-highs of 25 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots on Thursday at Montana.
• JR C Brandon Cataldo has 21 points and 17 rebounds in 32 minutes over the last three games. He made 8-11 shots from the field (.727).
 
NOT SO HOT:
• Portland State is last in opponent field goal percentage (.492), and second to last in scoring defense (74.4 ppg allowed) in Big Sky Conference games.
• The Vikings are 1-6 on the road this season.
 
HOME/ROAD DIFFERENTIAL:
• Portland State is 10-3 at home this season, 1-6 on the road.
• PSU has shot .416 from the field, .313 from distance and .649 at the line on the road this year, averaging 12.2 turnovers.
• At home, PSU shoots .496/.407/.752 and averages 11.8 turnovers.
• The Vikings average 63.7 points on the road and 78.2 at home.
 
SHOOT IT WELL, WIN A GAME: Portland State shot .526, .547 and a season-high .614 from the field last week, out-shooting all three opponents and getting three victories. That comes as no surprise as the Vikings are 8-0 this season when they shoot a higher percentage than their opponents.
 
THE GUARDS ARE GOOD, BUT THE POSTS CAN PLAY TOO: Portland State's two wins against Southern Utah and Eastern Washington were inspired when Head Coach Tyler Geving went with five-guard lineups in both contests. Geving didn't resort to five guards in either of the last two wins though. Why? Because he got outstanding performances from his two posts in both games. SR F Kyle Richardson (16 pts, 8 reb) and JR C Brandon Cataldo (9 pts, 9 reb) combined to score 25 points (11-15 FG, 3-5 FT), grab 16 rebounds and block two shots in 39 minutes of play against Northern Colorado. Then Richardson and Cataldo combined for 20 points (9-13 FG, 2-3 FT) and 11 rebounds in 40 minutes against North Dakota... Richardson played so well at Montana (2/6), that Cataldo only played seven minutes (3 pts, 3 reb). Richardson posted career-highs of 25 points (10-15 FGs), 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
KEEP SHOOTING, GARY: JR G Gary Winston has proven to be Portland State's best shooter the past two years. And he has been on a hot streak lately, averaging 15.7 points, 3.3 assists and shooting 54% from the field in the last eight games. Over that span, he has posted a career-high scoring high (21) and career-high assists (6, twice)... Winston led the Big Sky Conference in three-point percentage last season (.470), so it is no surprise he leads again this year (.510). Moreover, he hit clutch threes in two Viking wins. Winston made the game-winner with 2.6 seconds remaining in the third overtime of an 81-78 win against Montana (1/11). Then, with the Vikings clinging to a 61-58 lead against Sacramento State (1/16) in overtime and less than a minute to play, Winston rose up and buried a trey to make it 64-58 with 42 seconds to go. That shot essentially sealed the win for the Vikings.
• Winston is the Portland State career leader in three-point percentage (.459).
• Winston scored a career-high 21 points with five assists and hit a game-winning three-point field goal in triple-overtime against Montana (1/11).
• Posted 19 points (7-12 FG, 2-4 3-pt, 3-3 FT) with five rebounds and tied a career-high with six assists in a win over Northern Colorado (1/30).
• Had 19 points (7-8 FG, 3-3 3-pt, 2-2 FT), two assists and two steals in the win over North Dakota (2/1).
 
POST PRESENCE: SR F Kyle Richardson is playing his best basketball of the season. Over the last four games, he has averaged 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds, while making 28-39 shots from the field (.718)... Richardson saw limited action in three seasons at Long Beach State. After graduating and transferring to Portland State for his final season this year, Big Rich has stepped up his role and his game. Richardson, along with JR G Tim Douglas (who was also a high school teammate), are the only Vikings to start every game. In 25 minutes per night, Richardson averages 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds - both career highs.
• Richardson scored 16 points (7-9 FG) with eight rebounds against Northern Colorado (1/30).
• Had a career night with 25 points (10-15 FG), 12 rebounds and three blocked shots at Montana (2/6).
• Richardson has led the Vikings in rebounding six times this season.
• Ranks seventh in the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.558).