complete notes and stats in pdf

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (10-7, 4-3) vs. IDAHO STATE BENGALS (4-15, 1-6)
Saturday, January 24, 6:05 p.m. PT • Holt Arena (8,000), Pocatello, ID
 
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: www.vikslive.com, www.viksmobile.com
 
THE OPENING TIP
When the Portland State Vikings invade Pocatello, ID on Saturday night they will try to do something that has only happened once in PSU's 19-year tenure in the Big Sky Conference: sweep the Weber State-Idaho State road trip.
 
The Vikings pillaged the Wildcats on Thursday night, 69-63, in Ogden for only the second Big Sky win ever over WSU in Dee Events Center. If Portland State can pick up a win over Idaho State on Saturday it will be the first sweep of a 'Cat-Bengal weekend since 2006 and only the second ever.
     
The Vikings (10-7, 4-3) appear to be finding their form with wins in their last two games as well as their last two road games. Thursday's victory over Weber State was a solid performance in which the Vikings led for more than 34 minutes, shot it well (.500), defended well (WSU shot .361), rebounded well (37-35) and took care of the ball (only nine turnovers). That followed a similar outing last Saturday in a 12-point win over Idaho.
     
Now, the Vikings take on a Bengal team (4-15, 1-6) that is reeling after a 62-59 loss at home to Sacramento State on Thursday. ISU has lost four straight games and been struggling offensively, scoring as many as 70 points only once in their last 10 games - nine of which have been losses.
     
With the win at Weber State, PSU is 4-5 on the road this season. The Vikings are 9-9 all-time in Big Sky Conference games in Pocatello. The Bengals are 3-4 at home this season, including 1-2 in Big Sky games.
           
The game at Idaho State will be the only meeting with the Bengals this year as the Big Sky Conference has gone to an 18-game unbalanced schedule. Saturday's game tips off at 6:05 p.m. PT.
     
A live video stream is available at www.WatchBigSky.com. Links to live video, audio and statistics can be found at GoViks.com by clicking on the Game Day box.
 
THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE
Times are changing in the Big Sky Conference. After tying for seventh in the Big Sky Conference last season, Sacramento State stands in first place this season at 6-1. Eastern Washington missed the Big Sky Tournament last year, but is a half-game back at 5-1 and has the best overall record at 14-5. Defending Big Sky champion Weber State is now in seventh place at 8-10/3-4.
     
The Vikings (4-3) are two games behind Sacramento State and in fifth place - the same spot they finished last season (11-9). The top eight teams in the 12-team league will advance to the Big Sky Tournament, Mar. 12-14, at the home of the regular season champion.
 
COMING UP
Next week, Portland State returns home to host Montana (Jan. 29) and Montana State (Jan. 31). Both games tip off at 7:05 p.m. at the Peter W. Stott Center.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE VS. IDAHO STATE
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 29-17. Idaho State leads 12-9 in Pocatello.
• BIG SKY CONFERENCE SERIES: Portland State has a 25-13 advantage in Big Sky games. PSU is 9-9 in games played in Pocatello. PSU is also 2-0 in Big Sky Tournament games, both semifinals, against Idaho State.
• STREAK: Idaho State has won the last two meetings in Pocatello.
• LAST SEASON: Jan. 2, 2014 at ISU: Idaho State 87, Portland State 76: Idaho State won the Big Sky Conference opener by shooting .565 against the Vikings, including 12-18 in the second half, Chris Hansen was one of three Bengals to score 20+ points, with 27. Five Vikings scored in double figures led by 13 points each from DaShaun Wiggins and Andre Winston. Mar. 8, 2014 at PSU: Portland State 78, Idaho State 74 (ot): The Vikings took the regular season finale in overtime behind brilliant play from Kyle Richardson. The Viking big man had career-highs of 28 points and 14 rebounds, including eight points and seven rebounds in overtime. Tomas Sanchez scored 22 points for the Bengals.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (79-92, 6th season) is 6-3 all-time against Idaho State. Bengals Coach Bill Evans (21-57/3rd year/230-279/18th year) is 2-2 all-time against the Vikings.
 
IDAHO STATE BENGALS
• Idaho State, an original member of the Big Sky Conference, was 11-18 last season, 8-12 and 10th in the Big Sky Conference. Two starters and six letterwinners return from that team.
• Bengals teams have won two Big Sky regular season titles and two Big Sky Tournament titles. ISU has made 11 all-time appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including eight straight from 1953-60.
• The Bengals are 4-15 this season, 1-6 in the Big Sky Conference. ISU is 3-4 at home, 1-2 in Big Sky Conference home games. They have lost four straight and nine of their last 10 overall.
• Idaho State ranks last in the Big Sky Conference in scoring at 61.4 points per game, but second in scoring defense at 66.7 points per game.
• The Bengals are also last in three-point percentage (.302), free throw percentage (.634) and three-pointers made (4.4).
• Senior guard Chris Hansen is the team's top scorer at 16.6 points per game, ranking sixth in the Big Sky Conference. He has made 49 three-point field goals and shoots .840 at the free throw line.
• Senior forward Jeffrey Solarin averages 12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Solarin ranks second in the Big Sky in rebounding and sixth in field goal percentage (.575).
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 10-7 this season, 6-2 at home, 4-5 on the road.
• The Vikings are 4-3 in the Big Sky Conference, 2-2 at home, 2-1 on the road.
• PSU has won two in a row and two straight on the road.
• The Vikings opened the season with a four-game winning streak, matching the best streak of last season accomplished on three occasions.
 
HOT SHOTS
• SO F Braxton Tucker made 9-12 field goals on his way to a career-high 21 points at Weber State. He is averaging 15.7 points in Big Sky games after averaging 10.1 points in non-conference games.
• SR G Gary Winston handed out seven assists at Weber State for the second straight games. He is averaging 16.0 points and 5.1 assists per game in conference play, after averaging 9.6  points and 3.2 assists in non-conference games.
• JR C Collin Spickerman blocked four more shots at Weber State. Spickerman has 32 blocks on the season, which already ranks in a tie for ninth all-time in a season at Portland State. Spickerman ranks second in the Big Sky in blocks (1.9)... in the last five games, Spickerman is 11-16 from the field (.688).
• SR F Tiegbe Bamba had his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Weber State. In the last four games, he has averaged 9.5 rebounds per game.
• The Vikings held Weber State to .361 field goal shooting - the second-lowest total by a Division I opponent this season.
• The Vikings have averaged only 7.3 turnovers in their last three games.
• PSU ranks 16th in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (10.5).
 
NOT SO HOT
• SO G Bryce White was unable to play at Weber State due to low back pain. He will also sit out the Idaho State game. White has missed four games this season with injury.
• Portland State's -3.5 rebounding margin ranks 11th in the Big Sky Conference.
 
SHOOTING IMPROVES, SCORING IMPROVES: After an abysmal stretch of nine games in which PSU shot only .387 percentage from the field, the Vikings have improved over the last five games, shooting .488. The result has been four games of scoring over 80 points and three wins in the last four games... for the season, PSU shoots .434 from the field, .372 from three-point range, .733 at the free throw line and averages 73.0 points per game.
 
STRONG INDICATORS: A few numbers through 17 games are strong indicators of winning and losing:
• PSU is 10-0 when leading at halftime, 0-7 when trailing at halftime.
• The Vikings are 6-0 when they out-rebound opponents.
• The Vikings are 6-1 when shooting a higher percentage than opponents.
• Portland State is 7-2 in games decided by eight points or less.
 
LINEUP SOLIDIFIES: Head Coach Tyler Geving has used eight different starting lineups this season. The constant change was the result of numerous nagging injuries to different players and certainly affected team continuity. But the relative good health of the team in recent weeks has settled the starting lineup and rotation for the Vikings... however, the Vikings were without SO G Bryce White (low back pain) and started another new lineup at Weber State, replacing White with SO G Zach Gengler.
• The most common starting unit has been SR G Gary Winston, SR G DaShaun Wiggins, SO G Bryce White, SO F Braxton Tucker and SR F Tiegbe Bamba. That group has eight starts and a 5-3 record.
• 10 different players have started games this season, none have started every game and only three players have competed in every game.
 
GARY IS GETTING HOT: SR G Gary Winston started the season slow offensively, but has turned it on over the last 11 games, scoring in double figures eight times and raising his scoring average to 12.4. Winston also leads the Vikings with 4.1 assists and 33.2 minutes per game.
• In Big Sky Conference play, Winston averages 16.7 points and 5.1 assists as compared to 9.6 points and 3.2 assists in non-conference games.
• Winston scored 18 points with five rebounds and four assists in a win over Southern Utah (1/1).
• He had a season-high 19 points and career-high eight assists at Northern Colorado (1/8).
• Posted a season-high 25 points (9-16 FG, 5-9 3-pt, 2-2 FT) with five assists and four rebounds against Eastern Washington (1/15).
• Winston has led the team in scoring four times and assists 11 times this season.
 
WINSTON HITS 100, AND SOON WILL HIT 1,000: SR G Gary Winston is a fourth-year player in the Viking program and is a rare player to compete in 100 career games. He reached that mark against Idaho and will soon be in PSU's all-time top 10 for games played... with 929 career points, Winston needs to average only 6.5 points over the next 11 conference games to reach 1,000. He would be only the 18th Viking in history to reach that mark... here is where Gary stands on some of PSU's all-time lists.
Games Played: 101, 11th
Career Points: 929 (17 players have 1,000 career points and Winston is on pace to reach that total)
Assists: 259, 8th
Steals: 63
3-pt FGs: 149, 5th
3-pt FGAs: 352, 7th
3-pt FG%: .423, 5th
 
BENCH PLAY: Portland State has had some excellent play off the bench in recent games:
• SR G Tim Douglas had season-highs of 20 points (9-12 FG, 2-3 3-pt) and seven assists against Eastern Washington (1/15).
• SO G Zach Gengler and JR C Collin Spickerman came up big in the win over Idaho (1/17), playing key roles in a 21-8 first-half run that gave Portland State control of the game. Gengler played a career-high 25 minutes and had his best game of the season with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Spickerman made all three of his field goals for six points, grabbed four rebounds, blocked two shots, had a steal and made several deflections.
• Spickerman came back with four blocked shots to go with four points and three rebounds in 16 minutes of a win over Weber State (1/22).
 
X-FACTOR: When SO F Braxton Tucker was signed in the off-season, it was expected he may play a backup role in his first year as a Viking. But Tucker went out and earned a starting job in preseason practice and has fluorished in his role. He averages 12.7 points and 5.8 rebounds.
• Tucker has averaged 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds, shooting .566 in Big Sky games.
• Tucker had 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-6 FT), with four rebounds and two blocks against CSU Bakersfield (12/13).
• Posted 20 points (10-15 FG) in a win at North Dakota (1/10). Hit key shot with 39.4 seconds left to seal win.
• Scored 19 points (9-16 FG, 1-1 FT) with seven rebounds and a block in a win over Idaho (1/17).
• Tallied season-high 21 points (9-12 FG, 3-5 FT) with six rebounds in win at Weber State (1/22).
• Tucker ranks 12th in the Big Sky in rebounding (5.8).
• Has led the team in scoring four times and rebounding five times this year.
• Tucker shoots .523 from the field and .729 at the line.
 
SIXTH-MAN SENSATION NO MORE: SR G DaShaun Wiggins was Portland State's leading scorer last season despite not being a starter. He averaged 12.9 points per game in 22.9 minutes per night, earning Big Sky Conference co-6th Man of the Year honors... in 2014-15, Wiggins has moved into the starting lineup and improved on that scoring average.
• Wiggins leads the team in scoring at 15.4 per game, and ranks eighth in the Big Sky Conference.
• He shoots .451 from three-point range to lead the team and rank sixth in the Big Sky.
• Leads the team with 28 steals, ranking third in the Big Sky.
• Wiggins posted a career-high 32 points (12-18 FG, 3-4 3-pt, 5-10 FT) in a 90-87 overtime win against SIUE (11/24).
• Wiggins had 23 points (8-15 FG, 1-4 3-pt, 6-8 FT), five steals, four rebounds and three assists in a win over Walla Walla (12/22).
• Wiggins has scored in double figures in 15 games this season and led the team in scoring eight times.
 
HE'S THE BAMBA: Portland State had to wait a year for SR F Tiegbe Bamba to recover from a junior college achilles injury, but the native of Sarcelles, France has been worth the wait. Starting 14 of 15 games, Bamba is averaging 10.4 points, a team-high 6.0 rebounds and shoots .528 from the field.
• Bamba was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week following a 19-point, six-rebound, four-steal, two-assist performance in a win at USC on Nov. 15. Bamba made 8-11 FGs and 3-3 3-pt FGs in the game.
• Grabbed a team season-best 14 rebounds in a win at North Dakota (1/10).
• Posted a double-double with 10 points (5-10 FG) and 11 rebounds in the win at Weber State (1/22).
• Has led the team in scoring three times and rebounding seven times this season.
• Bamba ranks 10th in the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.528) and rebounding (6.0).
 
A BIG HAND FOR COLLIN: JR F Collin Spickerman had a big hand in the faces of CSU Bakersfield (12/23), blocking six shots and tying a school record set three times previously (Scott Morrison twice, Seth Scott once). Spickerman had a slow start to the season due to an ankle injury in preseason camp. However, he is seeing his minutes and impact grow, especially on defense.
• Spickerman had his best game of the season with eight points, six rebounds, two blocks and two assists in the win over North Dakota (1/1).
• Swatted four shots in a win at Weber State (1/22).
• With 32 blocked shots this season, he is tied for ninth on PSU's all-time season list.
• Though he is averaging only 18 minutes per game, Spickerman ranks second in the Big Sky Conference in blocks (1.9).
 
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.