complete notes and stats in pdf

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (7-4, 1-0) vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS (5-9, 0-1)
Saturday, January 3, 7:05 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR
 
Live Video Stream: www.WatchBigSky.com
Live Audio Stream: www.GoViks.com • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Pregame Show: 6:45 p.m.
Live Stats: www.vikslive.com, www.viksmobile.com
 
THE OPENING TIP
Portland State started the new year right. Now it just needs to maintain its momentum as Big Sky Conference play rolls on this weekend.
     
The Vikings defeated Southern Utah, 71-68, in their Big Sky opener on New Year's Day. They move on to face Northern Arizona in a Saturday game at the Stott Center.
     
PSU (7-4, 1-0) must continue to take advantage of its home court. The Vikings are 5-0 at home this year and have won seven straight overall at home. With Thursday's win over the Thunderbirds, the Vikings have won two games in a row and three of their last four - with all of the wins at home.
     
Northern Arizona (5-9, 0-1) comes off a narrow 78-73 loss in its conference opener at Sacramento State on Thursday. The Lumberjacks are 2-8 away from home this season. They do carry a three-game winning streak over the Vikings into Saturday night's game.
     
Saturday's game is available via live video stream at www.WatchBigSky.com. Links to live video, audio and statistics can be found at GoViks.com by clicking on the Game Day box.
 
GOOD STARTS
• At 7-4, Portland State has its best record through 11 games since the 2008-09 season. That year, the Vikings started 8-3 on the way to a 23-10 season, a Big Sky Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
• The Vikings are going for a 2-0 Big Sky Conference start on Saturday. The last time PSU was 2-0 to start conference play was the 2009-10 season.
 
GRACE UNDER PRESSURE
Portland State shot the ball poorly against Southern Utah (.373/.294/.718) on Thursday, but came away with a win anyway, 71-68. The three-point victory means the Vikings are 5-0 in close games this season (decided by eight points or less) and 1-0 in overtime. That continues a trend started last season when PSU was 10-6 in close games, and 3-1 in overtime.
 
COMING UP
Next week, Portland State embarks on one of the toughest road trips in the Big Sky Conference and perhaps the country. The Vikings play on Thursday, Jan. 8, at Northern Colorado, before traveling for a Saturday, Jan. 10 game at North Dakota. PSU split last year's trip, losing at North Dakota, then winning at Northern Colorado.
 
THE SERIES AND GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series with Northern Arizona, 22-20. The Vikings lead the Big Sky Conference series, 20-19, though NAU has won two of three Big Sky Tournament meetings... Portland State is 15-5 against Northern Arizona all-time in Portland.
• STREAK: The Lumberjacks swept the season series last year, have won three straight overall and seven of the last 10 games in the series.
• LAST SEASON: Jan. 18, 2014 at NAU: Northern Arizona 77, Portland State 56: Northern Arizona hit 14 of its first 18 shots in the second half, mounting a 29-4 run, and breaking open a tie game. The Lumberjacks shot .589 from the field and out-rebounded PSU, 36-21. Max Jacobsen scored 19 points and Kris Yanku added 17.  Gary Winston led the Vikings with 13 points. Feb. 13, 2014 at PSU: Northern Arizona 65, Portland State 63: Kris Yanku hit a put-back lay-in with 0.4 seconds left to win the game. NAU made a steal in the closing seconds but Gaellan Bewernick had missed a fastbreak lay-in. Neither team led by more than six points in a hard-fought game. Quinton Upshur scored 16 points to lead the 'Jacks. DaShaun Wiggins came off the bench to score 19 for the Vikings.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (76-89, 6th season) is 3-7 all-time against Northern Arizona. Lumberjacks Coach Jack Murphy (31-47, 3rd season) is 3-1 all-time against the Vikings.
 
THE NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS
• Northern Arizona comes off a 15-17 season in 2013-14. The Lumberjacks were 12-8 in Big Sky Conference play and tied for second place. Four starters and eight letterwinners return from that team.
• A member of the Big Sky Conference since 1970, NAU has won four Big Sky Conference regular season titles in its history, and two Big Sky Tournament titles. The 'Jacks have made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• Northern Arizona is 5-9 on the season, 0-1 in Big Sky Conference play. The Lumberjacks have lost three of their last four games, with all of the losses coming on the road.
• Marquee wins this season have come at home over Fresno State (73-52) and on the road at St. Mary's (73-71).
• NAU ranks 11th in the Big Sky in field goal percentage at .397 on the season. The 'Jacks excel in three-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a league-best .306 mark.
• Senior guard Quinton Upshur leads Northern Arizona in scoring at 13.8 points per game.
• Aaseem Dixon, also a senior guard, averages 13.0 points per game.
• Upshur and Dixon have combined to make 62 three-point field goals this season at a .345 clip.
• Junior forward Jordyn Martin is the team leader in rebounds (6.7), while sophomore guard Kris Yanku averages a team-best 3.3 assists.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 7-4 this season, 5-0 at home, 2-4 on the road.
• The Vikings have won seven straight home games dating to last season.
• Portland State has won three of its last four games.
• PSU has lost four straight games on the road after winning its first two.
• The Vikings opened the season with a four-game winning streak, matching the best streak of last season accomplished on three occasions.
Stott Stuff
• PSU has gone 146-52 in 198 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 177-67 at home over the past 19 seasons.
• Portland State is 53-23 at home in six seasons under Tyler Geving.
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 90-26 at home, including 51-22 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• Portland State has lost only six non-conference home games in the last nine seasons (39-6). PSU is 23-6 against Division I schools, and 16-0 against lower division schools over that span.
Big Sky Battles
• Portland State is 150-155 all-time in all Big Sky Conference games, including the Big Sky Tournament (9-9).
• PSU is 101-47 in home games, 45-103 in road games and 4-5 in neutral site games.
• PSU is 64-58 in Big Sky games since the start of the 2007-08 season, 71-61 including tournament games.
 
HOT SHOTS
• SR G Gary Winston scored a season-high 18 points with five rebounds and four assists against Southern Utah. He made two free throws with 11 seconds left in the 71-68 win over the Thunderbirds.
• JR C Collin Spickerman has blocked 19 shots in the last eight games. With 21 on the season, he now ranks second in the Big Sky Conference.
• SR G DaShaun Wiggins has scored in double figures in every game this season. He currently ranks sixth in scoring (15.9) in the Big Sky Conference. Wiggins posted a career-high 32 points against Southern Illinois Edwardsville  (11/24).
• Portland State ranks first in the Big Sky Conference in steals (7.7) and turnover margin (+3.8).
 
NOT SO HOT
• Portland State is last in the Big Sky Conference in rebounding margin (-5.5).
• The Vikings shot under 40% for the fourth time this season in the win over Southern Utah (.373).
• SR G DaShaun Wiggins was just 1-10 from the field in the win over SUU.
• JR C Dorian Cason (plantar fasciitis) missed his second straight game. He is expected to be out for at least another week.
 
NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS: Where Portland State stands in the NCAA statistical rankings through games of Jan. 1 (top 30 rankings):
• 23rd in the nation in free throw percentage (.745).
• 21st in turnover margin (+3.8).
 
HOME-ROAD DIFFERENTIAL: Portland State is 5-0 at home this season, 2-4 on the road.
• PSU averages 80.8 points at home, shooting .489 from the field, .410 from three-point range and .752 at the line.
• The Vikings average 61.8 points on the road, shooting .348/.313/739.
• PSU has out-rebounded opponents by 2.4 per game at home, but has been out-rebounded by 12.0 per game on the road.
• Opponents shoot .401 from the field and .685 at the line in the Stott Center. They shoot .496/.739 in their own arenas against the Vikings.
 
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT YOUR HEALTH: ... what have you got? Portland State came out relatively healthy for the first time in weeks in the Big Sky Conference opener against Southern Utah. SO F Braxton Tucker, SO G Bryce White and SR F Tiegbe Bamba all were available to play after missing recent games. Only JR C Dorian Cason (plantar fasciitis) was unable to go. The Vikings have lost 13 player games to injury so far this season, including 10 in the last four games. And, JR C Collin Spickerman saw limited minutes in the first few games as he was returning from a preseason ankle sprain.
 
THE EVER-CHANGING LINEUP: Head Coach Tyler Geving has gone seven different starting lineups in 11 games this season. The constant change has been the result of numerous nagging injuries to different players and certainly affected team continuity.
• On Thursday, he started the unit of SR G Gary Winston, SR G DaShaun Wiggins, SO F Braxton Tucker, SR F Tiegbe Bamba and JR C Collin Spickerman for the second time this season. PSU is 2-0 when that group starts.
• Nine different players have started games this season, none have started all 11 games and only four players have competed in all 11 games.
 
CHARITY WORK: Once again this season, Portland State is a team adept at drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line. The Vikings are 196-263 this year (.745), ranking 23rd in the nation in percentage.
• PSU has also made more charity shots (196) than its opponents have attempted (186).
• SR G DaShaun Wiggins averages 7.7 free throw attempts per game. SO G Bryce White averages six attempts per game.
• The Vikings average 23.9 free throw attempts per game. Opponents average only 16.9.
 
5x10: Portland State has five players averaging double figures this season: SR G DaShaun Wiggins (15.9), SO F Braxton Tucker (10.8), SR F Tiegbe Bamba (10.8), SO G Bryce White (10.5), and SR G Gary Winston (10.4). SR G Tim Douglas also comes close at 8.9 points per game.
 
THE TYLER GEVING BASKETBALL SHOW: The Tyler Geving Basketball Show is available on Blog Talk Radio. The show takes place each Wednesday night, 10:30-11:00 pm, PDT. The link to listen changes each week, but the weekly link can be found at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tylergevingshow. Geving, a 10-year veteran of the Viking basketball program, is in his sixth season as head coach. He will talk Viking basketball, Big Sky basketball and review and preview games. Greg Crawford hosts the show.
 
2014-15 PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS TEAM NOTES
• PRESEASON SUMMARY: Portland State went 6-4 in its 10 preseason games for its first winning preseason record since 2010-11. The Vikings had road wins at USC and Cal State Northridge in the midst of a season-opening four-game winning streak. After three straight losses on the road (Oregon, Portland, UC Riverside), the Vikings won two of their last three. PSU was 4-0 at home in the preseason, 2-4 on the road.
• BEATING THE PAC-12: It doesn't happen often for the Vikings or members of the Big Sky Conference, but it happened on Nov. 15 when Portland State beat USC for the first time in its history, 76-68. It was PSU's fifth all-time win over a Pac-12 school. Head Coach Tyler Geving inserted three new starters into his lineup for the opener at USC, and the results couldn't have been much better. SR F Tiegbe Bamba, SO G Bryce White and SO F Braxton Tucker were playing their first game as Vikings and they combined for 49 points (16-32 FG, 4-7 3-pt, 13-17 FT), 14 rebounds, four assists and six steals with only two turnovers.
• LATE-GAME HEROICS: With an overtime win against Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Nov. 24, the Vikings continue a trend that began last year with late-game heroics. The Vikings never led in the last four minutes of regulation against SIUE, but got a tieing basket from SO F Braxton Tucker with 8.8 seconds left to play. In overtime, DaShaun Wiggins gave the Vikings their first lead with 1:21 to play on a driving three-point play... with the overtime win PSU is now 4-1 in overtime games since the start of the 2013-14 season... this season PSU is 5-0 in games decided by eight points or less and 1-0 in overtime... last year, Portland State proved to be a team that performed well under pressure, going 10-6 in close games (seven points or less) and 3-1 in overtime... the Vikings came back to win seven games when trailing at halftime - the most by any team in the Big Sky Conference.
• EARLY SIGNING: Portland State signed Torrian Epps to a National Letter of Intent for the 2015-16 academic year on Nov. 19. Epps, a 6-4 guard, is the first signee for next year's Viking class. He currently plays at Central Arizona College where he is averaging 17.7 points per game and shooting .561 from the field through the end of December. As a freshman, he played at Howard College in Texas, averaging 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and shooting 52% from the field. Epps is from Holbrook, AZ where he played for Holbrook High School, leading the team to a 34-4 record as a senior. Holbrook finished in the final four of the Arizona Division 3 State Tournament. Epps averaged 18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, shot 58% from the field and 44% from three-point range.