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Portland State vs. Southern Utah
Saturday, March 7, 2015 • 7:00 p.m. PT • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500) • Portland, OR

THE OPENING TIP
The Vikings (3-25 overall, 1-16 Big Sky Conference) play their final game of the season this Saturday, March 7 against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds (13-14, 6-11) on Senior Day. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
     Portland State dropped its last game to Northern Arizona, 79-62, Thursday night at the Peter W. Stott Center. The Lumberjacks dominated in the paint out-scoring the Vikings 56-32. Northern Arizona also out-rebounded the Vikings 46-25. Two 'Jacks posted 20-point games. The Vikings had four players in double figures led by Lauren Holt's 17 points. Holt went 8-for-19 from the floor in 31 minutes. Lariel Powell added 15 points for the Vikings while Cici West and Emily Easom each added 10. The Vikings kept the game close in the first half and trailed 36-31 at the break. An early second half run by the Lumberjacks put the game out of reach for the Vikings. 
     Portland State Interim Head Coach Jennifer Mountain fell to 0-4 overall and 0-4 in Big Sky play in her first year at PSU.   

SOUTHERN UTAH
The Thunderbirds come into the final day of the season 13-14 overall and 6-11 in Big Sky Conference play. Southern Utah fell at Sacramento State, 107-73, Thursday night to be eliminated from the Big Sky Tournament held next week in Missoula, Mont. The Thunderbirds are now 3-8 on the road this season. 
     Southern Utah opened the season 6-1 before dropping its final two games of 2014. It opened the new year with a win over Portland State to open conference play. After a loss to Sacramento State, Southern Utah won four of the next five games, including a non-conference game against Utah Valley. The Thunderbirds then dropped five-straight games before defeating Idaho State by one, 76-75, at home. They then lost three more before defeating North Dakota at home last Saturday. The T-Birds then lost at Sacramento State Thursday. 
     Southern Utah averages 65.1 points per game this season while opponents are averaging 71.2 ppg. They are shooting .389 from the floor, .304 from three-point range, and .677 from the line. The Thunderbirds are fifth in the Big Sky in blocks with 4.0 bpg, fourth in assists (15.0), and third in steals (8.4).
     Haley Mandelko averaged 15.1 ppg over the first 11 games before suffering an injury that has held her out for the remainder of the season. Desiree Jackson averages 12.2 ppg this season and has led the team in scoring eight times. Brenna Gates averages 10.9 ppg and has led the team in scoring each of the last four games. She a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game for the Thunderbirds. Gates is shooting a team-high .537 from the floor. Marquelle Funk is averaging 9.5 ppg and 1.5 three-pointers made per game.  

LAST MEETING: Jan. 1, 2015 at SUU: Southern Utah 86, Portland State 74: The Vikings had four players in double-figures led by Mikaela Rivard's 24 points but it was not enough to overcome a pair of 20-point performances from the Thunderbirds. Rivard went 9-for-21 from the floor with a pair of three pointers in 35 minutes played. Southern Utah out-rebounded Portland State 52-to-38 in the game and knocked down 12 three-pointers, compared to four by the Vikings. Marquelle Funk scored a game-high 28 points for the T-Birds while Hailey Mandelko added 23.