complete notes and stats in pdf

PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (11-11, 5-7) vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES (19-5, 10-1)
Saturday, February 14, 2:05 p.m. • Reese Court (5,000), Cheney, WA

Live Video Stream: www.WatchBigSky.com
Live Audio Stream: www.GoViks.com • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt • Pregame Show: 1:45 p.m.
Live Stats: www.vikslive.com, www.viksmobile.com
 
THE OPENING TIP
The going has gotten tough for the Portland State Vikings the past two weeks, and it only gets tougher this Saturday when they take on Big Sky Conference-leading Eastern Washington in Cheney.
     
Portland State has lost four of its last five games, including an 87-76 defeat at Idaho on Thursday night. That loss dropped the Vikings (11-11, 5-7) into a tie for seventh place in the Big Sky with six games remaining in the league schedule.
     
Meanwhile, Eastern Washington picked up the signature win of the season on Thursday, beating then first-place Sacramento State, 64-61. The Eagles are now perched atop the Big Sky at 10-1, 19-5 overall.
     
Making it all the tougher for the Vikings on Saturday afternoon, Eastern Washington maintains the longest current winning streak in the league (six games) and the best home-court record (12-0).
     
Portland State does have some positive recent history at Reese Court though, winning there last year, 87-76, and three years ago, 78-76 in overtime. In addition, the Eagles have missed Tyler Harvey, the Big Sky's and the nation's leading scorer at 23.4 points per game, the past three games due to a quad injury. Harvey's status for Saturday is unknown.
     
Either way, the Vikings will have to avoid a sluggish offensive start against the Big Sky's top offensive team. It has been something that has plagued PSU in numerous games this season (including a 1-17 shooting start to open the game at Idaho). Eastern Washington leads the league in scoring (81.2) and three-point field goals made (10.1).
     
Saturday's contest is also a Dam Cup game (see DAM CUP below) featuring the rivalry between Portland State and Eastern Washington. The Eagles lead 8-5 in the multi-sport competition, and a win by either the men's or women's basketball team on Saturday will seal the Cup for Eastern Washington. PSU has won the Dam Cup three of the previous four seasons.
     
This Saturday's game tips off at 2:05 p.m. 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.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE VS. EASTERN WASHINGTON
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 23-20. The Eagles lead 13-8 in Cheney.
• BIG SKY CONFERENCE SERIES: The Vikings lead the Big Sky series, 20-19. Eastern Washington leads 12-7 in Cheney. The teams have split a pair of Big Sky Tournament games (1999 and 2006).
• STREAK: Prior to Eastern Washington's win on Jan. 15, PSU had won three in a row and 11 of 13.
• LAST MEETING: Jan. 15 at PSU: Eastern Washington 92, Portland State 85: PSU missed its first eight shots and trailed by double digits at halftime. The Eagles' largest lead was 17 before the Vikings cut it to five in the late-going. EWU shot .500 from the field, making 13-28 from three-point range and 15-18 at the free throw line. Tyler Harvey led Eastern Washington with 23 points and Parker Kelly scored 19. Venky Jois went down with an ankle injury nine minutes into the game. Gary Winston (25 points) and Tim Douglas (20 points, 7 assists) each had season-highs for the Vikings.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (80-96, 6th season) is 8-3 all-time against the Eagles. Eastern Washington Coach Jim Hayford (59-59, 4th season) is 2-5 all-time against Portland State.
 
SCOUTING THE EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES
• Eastern Washington was 15-16 last season, 10-10 in the Big Sky Conference to tie for seventh in league play.
• EWU joined the Big Sky in 1987. The Eagles have won one Big Sky regular season and tournament title (2004), appearing in the NCAA Tournament that season.
• The Eagles have been the hottest team in the Big Sky this season with a 19-5 record and a 10-1 Big Sky mark. They have won six straight games and hold onto first place in the Big Sky after beating Sacramento State (10-2) on Thursday. The Eagles are 12-0 at home this season.
• Eastern Washington leads the Big Sky Conference in scoring (81.2), scoring margin (+7.9) and three-point field goals made (10.1 pg). The Eagles also rank second in field goal percentage (.488) and three-point percentage (.419).
• Junior guard Tyler Harvey leads the Big Sky Conference and the nation in scoring (23.4) and three-pointers made per game (4.3). Harvey shoots .505 from the field, .476 from long distance and .861 at the line.
• Junior forward Venky Jois averages 16.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocked shots and shoots .590 from the field for the Eagles. His numbers have dipped a little as he has recently come back from an ankle injury suffered against the Vikings on Jan. 15. 
• Senior guard Drew Brandon has been the most versatile player on the team, averaging 10.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
 
THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE RACE
Portland State lost a key game to Idaho in the Big Sky Conference race on Thursday night. And though the Vikings dropped into a tie for seventh place in the 12-team standings, they got a lot of help as well. The only team between fourth and ninth place to win on Thursday was Idaho.
     
Still, at 5-7 and tied with Weber State, the Vikings are just one game ahead of ninth-place North Dakota. Eight teams will qualify for the Big Sky Conference Tournament, which takes place Mar. 12-14 at the home of the regular season champion.
     
Eastern Washington is the current league leader at 10-1. If the tournament started today, the Vikings would play second-place Sacramento State (10-2) in a quarterfinal round game. PSU would be the seventh seed, winning a tie-breaker over Weber State due to a win against the Wildcats in their only game (69-63 on Jan. 22).
Portland State is one-half game behind sixth-place Idaho (5-6) and two behind fifth-place Northern Colorado (7-5).
     
Since eight of 12 teams get into the Big Sky Tourney it appears eight wins (8-10) would be needed to make the post-season. Nine wins (9-9) would seem to be a sure thing.
     
The Vikings' remaining schedule includes three at home and three on the road: Feb. 14 @ EWU (10-1), Feb. 19 vs. UND (4-8), Feb. 21 vs. UNC (7-5), Feb. 28 vs. SAC (10-2), Mar. 5 at NAU (7-4), Mar. 7 at SUU (3-8).
 
THE DAM CUP
The Portland State Vikings and Eastern Washington Eagles are in the fifth year of a five-sport rivalry cup called The Dam Cup. The Dam Cup celebrates the friendly rivalry between the states of Oregon and Washington within the Big Sky Conference. This week's basketball game is worth two points in the Dam Cup series. PSU's women and EWU's women will be playing a Dam Cup game in Cheney simultaneous to the men's game. Eastern Washington currently leads the competition, 8-5.
     
The so-named rivalry refers to the four dams linking Oregon and Washington that one passes on the 339-mile drive from the Portland State campus to the Eastern Washington campus. Located along the Columbia River, they are Bonneville Dam, The Dalles Dam, The John Day Dam and the McNary Dam. 
     
The five sports competing for the cup are football, women's soccer, women's volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball. The purpose of the Dam Cup is to create a rivalry between Portland State University and Eastern Washington University and provide a sense of pride between alumni in the Portland and Spokane areas. Other goals include increasing attendance at events between both schools and building school spirit among each institutions' student body. The winner of the Dam Cup will possess The Dam Trophy acknowledging the achievement for the following year.
     
The Dam Cup is based on a point system.  Each game played in the five sports between the two schools has a point value. Points are only rewarded for regular season contests. The annual football game is worth four points, the women's soccer match is worth three points, each women's volleyball match is worth two points for a total of four points possible, and each men's and women's basketball game is worth two points for a total of four points possible in each sport. New for the 2013-14 season a fan interaction platform at www.DamCup.com that will be worth 2 points.  The total points possible are 17 which means that to win the cup a school would need to win at least 11 points.
 
The 2014-15 Dam Cup Series
Soccer - Oct. 3 - @ PSU 3, EWU 1 - PSU leads 3-0
Volleyball - Oct. 11 - @ PSU 3, EWU 0 - PSU leads 5-0
Football - Nov. 21 - EWU 56, @ PSU 34 - PSU leads 5-4
Women's Basketball - Jan. 15 @ EWU 101, PSU 54 - EWU leads 6-5
Men's Basketball - Jan. 15 - EWU 92, @ PSU 85 - EWU leads 8-5
Women's Basketball - Feb. 14 @ PSU
Men's Basketball - Feb. 14 @ EWU
 
Previous Dam Cup Champions
2010-11: PSU 9-8              
2011-12: PSU 15-2            
2012-13: EWU 10-7           
2013-14: PSU 13-8            
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 11-11 this season, 7-3 at home, 4-8 on the road.
• PSU has lost two in a row and four of the last five games.
• The Vikings are 5-7 in the Big Sky Conference, 3-3 at home, 2-4 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.
• PSU has not won or lost more than two games in a row since Dec. 6.
 
HOT SHOTS
• In the last three games SR F Tiegbe Bamba has scored 41 points (13.7), grabbed 20 rebounds (6.7) had five steals and five assists. He has made 16-23 (.696) from the field and 9-12 at the line (.750). Ironically, his surge has come since he moved from the starting lineup to a sixth man role. Bamba has averaged 31 minutes in those three games.
• SR G Gary Winston had 23 points and four assists at Idaho. He is averaging 14.2 points and 4.4 assists per game in conference play, after averaging 9.6 points and 3.2 assists in non-conference games.
• JR C Collin Spickerman has blocked at least one shot in 13 straight games, and 19 of 22 overall. He ranks second in the Big Sky Conference (1.9). Spickerman has 42 blocks on the season, which ranks fifth all-time in a season at Portland State - eighth all-time for a career.
• SR G DaShaun Wiggins has scored in double figures in 20 of 22 games this season.
• SR G Douglas is shooting .854 at the line this season currently ranking 10th-best in school history.
 
NOT SO HOT
• The Vikings have lost four of their last five games.
• SO G Bryce White will miss the remainder of the season due to low back problems.
• JR C Dorian Cason will miss the remainder of the season due to plantar fasciitis.
• Portland State has allowed opponents to shoot .400 from three-point range, ranking 342nd in the nation (of 355).
• Portland State's -2.9 rebounding margin ranks 11th in the Big Sky Conference.
 
1,000 WATCH: SR G Gary Winston is just 13 points shy of 1,000 for his career. When he hits that milestone, he will be only the 18th player in Portland State basketball history to score 1,000 points. The magic number could come on Saturday on Eastern Washington. The last Viking to reach 1,000 career points was guard Charles Odum in 2012 (1,033 career). Seven of the 17 have come during PSU's Big Sky Conference era (1996-present)... Winston is a fourth-year player in the Viking program and a rare player to compete in 100 career games. Here is where Gary stands on some of PSU's all-time lists:
Games Played: 106, t8th
Career Points: 987 (17 players have 1,000 career points and Winston is on pace to reach that total)
Assists: 276, 8th
Steals: 67
3-pt FGs: 160, 4th
3-pt FGAs: 377, 7th
3-pt FG%: .424, 5th
 
CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT: Portland State opened the season with four straight wins, followed by three straight losses. Since that time, PSU has gone 15 games without winning or losing more than two in a row. The string looks like this: W, L, W, W, L, L, W, L, W, W, L, L, W, L, L (7-8).
 
BEST OFF THE BENCH: Here are Portland State's top performances by players off the bench this season:
• SR G DaShaun Wiggins scored a career-high 32 points (12-18 FG, 3-4 3-pt, 5-10 FT) in 36 minutes off the bench in an overtime win against Southern Illinois Edwardsville (11/24).
• FR G Iziahiah Sweeney was 5-5 from the field for 10 points in 14 minutes at Portland (12/3).
• SR C Brandon Cataldo had career-highs of 16 points (8-9 FG) and 13 rebounds in a win over Walla Walla (12/22).
• SR G Tim Douglas posted 20 points (9-12 FG, 2-3 3-pt), seven assists and three steals in 31 minutes off the bench against Eastern Washington (1/15).
• SO G Zach Gengler had nine points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 25 minutes off the bench in a win over Idaho (1/17).
• Douglas tallied 17 points (5-8 FG, 3-3 3-pt, 4-4 FT) with a game-high five assists in 29 minutes off the bench in a win over Montana State (1/31).
• SR F Tiegbe Bamba was a perfect 5-5 from the field, scoring 13 points and grabbing a game-high seven rebounds in 27 minutes at Sacramento State (2/7).
• Bamba had 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-6 FT), seven rebounds and two steals in 34 minutes against Idaho (2/12).
 
MORE GUARD STUFF: Portland State has excellent depth at guard. Although SR G Tim Douglas no longer starts for the Vikings, he has had his moments. And, SO G Zach Gengler has moved into the starting lineup due to the injury to SO G Bryce White. Here is some more guard stuff:
• SR G Tim Douglas ranks 10th-best in school history for a season in free throw percentage (.854).
• SO G Zach Gengler saw little playing time earlier in the season, but has averaged 25.8 minutes, 6.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals and made only five turnovers over the last seven games.
• SR G DaShaun Wiggins' .443 three-point percentage currently ranks fifth-best for a season in school history.
• FR G Iziahiah Sweeney has been pressed into more playing time due to the injury to SO G Bryce White. He has responded, scoring nine points with five rebounds in 13 minutes at Idaho (2/12).
• Gengler and Sweeney have combined to play 450 minutes this season. The tandem has only 15 turnovers combined - or one per 30 minutes of play.
 
GARY HAS WARMED UP: SR G Gary Winston started the season slow offensively, but has turned it on, raising his scoring average to 12.2. Winston also leads the Vikings with 3.9 assists and 32.3 minutes per game.
• In Big Sky Conference play, Winston averages 14.2 points and 4.4 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).
• Scored 23 points (9-19 FG, 4-11 3-pt, 1-2 FT) with four assists and three rebounds at Idaho (2/12).
• Winston has led the team in scoring five times and assists 14 times this season.
 
SPICKERMAN PROVES REJECTION CAN BE A GOOD THING: JR F Collin Spickerman has provided a defensive presence for the Vikings this season. He has 42 blocked shots through 22 games, already ranking fifth for a season in PSU history and eighth for a career.
• Though he is averaging only 18.8 minutes per game, Spickerman ranks second in the Big Sky Conference in blocks (1.9).
• Spickerman tied a school record with six blocked shots in a win over CSU Bakersfield (12/23) set three times previously (Scott Morrison twice, Seth Scott once).
• He swatted four shots in a win at Weber State (1/22).
• Spickerman has blocked at least one shot in 13 straight games and 19 of 22 overall.
 
X-FACTOR: The extent of SO F Braxton Tucker's contributions this season may be a bit of a surprise. Tucker earned a starting job in preseason practice and has fluorished as a Viking post with a deadly mid-range jump shot. Tucker averages 11.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
• 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).
• Had 18 points (8-18 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and two blocks at Sacramento State (2/7).
• Tucker ranks 12th in the Big Sky in rebounding (5.6) and 13th in field goal percentage (.495).
• Has led the team in scoring five times and rebounding six times this year.
 
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 15.2 per game which ninth in the Big Sky Conference.
• He shoots .443 from three-point range to lead the team and rank sixth in the Big Sky.
• Leads the team with 37 steals, ranking fourth 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 20 games this season and led the team in scoring 11 times.
 
BAMBA's BOARDS: SR F Tiegbe Bamba has become the Vikings top rebounder with a stretch of excellent play in recent games. Bamba had back-to-back double-doubles on the road (1/22 and 1/24) and has averaged nearly eight rebounds over the last nine games.
• Bamba is averaging 10.7 points, a team-high 6.2 rebounds and shoots a team-high .566 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 double-doubles at Weber State (1/22) and at Idaho State (1/24).
• Scored 18 points with seven rebounds and two steals at Idaho (2/12).
• Has led the team in scoring three times and rebounding 11 times this season.
• Bamba ranks fifth in the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.566) and 11th in rebounding (6.1).
 
WHITE, CASON WILL MISS REMAINDER OF THE SEASON: SO G Bryce White will sit out the remainder of the 2014-15 season due to back issues. White has played in 13 games, starting 10 for the Vikings, since transferring in from Chemeketa CC. He was averaging 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 26 minutes per game... JR  C Dorian Cason will also sit out the rest of the season due to plantar fasciitis. Cason never really got his season started as he battled injuries early on and plantar fasciitis most of the way. He played in three games, averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds.
 
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.