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OPENING TIP Â Â Â
   Portland State opens the 2016-17 season on the road this Friday, Nov. 11 against the CSUN Matadors in Northridge, Calif. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. PT at the Matadome.Â
   The Vikings have a new-look roster in Head Coach
Lynn Kennedy's second season leading the program. Portland State returns seven starters, including all five starters, from a year ago but add a trio of redshirt sophomores who will make an immediate impact on the team. PSU adds five freshmen to the mix for the 2016-17 season.Â
   Despite having seven letterwinners returning, the Vikings will rely heavily on their tremendously young squad. There are just three upperclassmen on this year's active roster. Conversely, there are 12 underclassmen: seven sophomores and five true freshmen. Â
   The Vikings had a successful preseason, going 2-0 in exhibition games. Portland State took its first exhibition game, 100-96 in overtime, against Western Oregon before defeating Lewis & Clark College, 96-69.Â
   Portland State outscored its opponents 98.0-to-82.5 (+15.5 scoring margin). The Vikings shot .456 from the floor, while holding opponents to a .385 shooting mark. PSU shot .300 from three-point range and .828 (48-for-58) from the line.Â
   Redshirt sophomores
Ashley Bolston and
Sidney Rielly led the Vikings during preseason play with 26.0 and 23.5 points per game respectively. Bolston shot .548 from the floor (17-for-31) and .583 (7-for-12) from three-point range. Rielly shot .531 (17-for-31) from the floor and went 10-for-12 at the line.
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#RoadToReno: For the second year in a row the Big Sky Conference tournament will consist of all 12 conference teams and will be held at a neutral site. The tournament will take place at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nev. The women's tournament will begin on Monday, March 6 with the men's tournament beginning the next day, Tuesday, March 7. For more information visit RoadtoReno.com.
TEAM NOTES: Here are some quick-hitters about 2015-16 Portland State Vikings:
• The Vikings went 4-26 overall and 2-16 in Big Sky Play. They went 3-12 at home, 1-13 on the road, and 0-1 at a neutral site.Â
• Portland State broke a 21-game road losing streak with its win over Northern Arizona on March 2, 2016. The Vikings had lost 17-straight Big Sky road games.Â
• Portland State averaged 66.9 points per game, while opponents scored 85.4 ppg.
• Portland State shot .358 from the floor, .300 from three-point range, and .693 from the free-throw line for the season. PSU averaged 5.6 three-pointers per game and 15.7 free throws made per game.
• Portland State went 4-1 when leading at the half. The Vikings were also 4-1 when scoring over 80 points.Â
BY THE NUMBERS
PORTLAND STATEÂ
• PSU went 4-26 overall and 2-16 in Big Sky play last season.
• PSU went 3-12 at home, 1-13 on the road, and 0-1 at a neutral site.Â
• PSU went 1-4 in its last five games and 1-9 in its last 10 games of 2015-16.
CSUN
• CSUN went 7-24 overall and 5-11 in Big West play last season.
• CSUN went 4-9 at home, 3-14 on the road, and 0-1 at a neutral site.Â
• CSUN went 1-4 in its last five games and 2-8 in its last 10 games of 2015-16.
BIG SKY BATTLES
• PSU is 136-186 all-time in Big Sky Conference games.
• PSU is 85-76 in home games and 51-110 in road games.
• PSU is 6-7 all-time at the Big Sky Tournament.
CSUN QUICK HITS
• Head Coach Jason Flowers is 85-105 overall and 52-46 in Big West Confernce play in his six previous seasons leading the Matadors.Â
• CSUN went 7-24 overall and 5-11 in Big West play in 2015-16. The Matadors averaged 62.4 points per game while allowing 74.1 ppg (-11.8 scoring margin).Â
• CSUN shot .381 from the floor, .291 from three-point range, and .662 at the line.Â
• CSUN averaged 38.5 rebounds per game while allowing 39.0 rpg.Â
• Sophomore C Channon Fluker led the Matadors with 13.8 pionts and 9.9 rebounds per game last season. She shot .497 from the floor. She also led the team with 35 blocks.Â
• Fluker missed the game last season against the Vikings.Â
ALL-TIME vs. CSUN: Portland State is 11-10 all-time against CSUN, dating back to the 1979-80 season. The Vikings have won five of the last six meetings, including each of the last two. Portland State took the last meeting, 83-77, last season in Portland. The Vikings shot .438 from the floor and .444 from three-point range. The Vikings went 9-for-12 (.750) from three-point range in the second half.
Michaela Kay led the Vikings with 21 points, her second 20-point game of the season. She went 6-for-11 from the floor and 4-for-7 from distance.
Kian McNair added 18 points with four three-pointers of her own.
Cici West added 11 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double in the win.Â
#0 | ASHLEY BOLSTON: Here are some quick hitters about
Ashley Bolston, a redshirt sophomore guard from Medford, Ore.Â
• She sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules
• She averaged 26.0 points 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting .548 (17-for-31) from the floor in the Vikings' two exhibition matches. Â
#1 | CAROLINE WICH: Here are some quick hitters about
Caroline Wich (Care-oh-line | Vick), a freshman Forward from Aarhus, Denmark.Â
• She averaged 8.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, while shooting .533 from the floor in the Vikings' two exhibition games.Â
• She averaged 8.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for Denmark at the 2014 U18 European Championships.Â
#2 | SIDNEY RIELLY: Here are some quick hitters about
Sidney Rielly, a redshirt sophomore guard from Everett, Wash.Â
• She sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules
• She averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting .531 (17-for-32) from the floor in the Vikings' two exhibition games.Â
#4 | PIA JURHAR: Here are some quick hitters about
Pia Jurhar (Pea-uh | Jur-har), a sophomore forward from Vienna, Austria.Â
• She played in 30 games, making 25 starts, as a true freshman in 2015-16. She averaged 5.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.Â
• She averaged 7.0 rebounds per game in the Vikings' two exhibition games this season.
#5 | KIAN MCNAIR: Here are some quick hitters about
Kian McNair (Key-oh), a sophomore guard from Vallejo, Calif.Â
• She led the Vikings with 11.3 points per game as a true freshman in 2015-16. She shot .329 from the floor, .309 from three-point range, and .697 at the line.Â
• She averaged 22.0 points, 2.5 rbeounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in the Vikings' two exhibition games.Â
#10 | COURTNEY WEST: Here are some quick hitters about
Courtney West, a reshirt sophomore forward from Sidney, Australia.Â
• She sat out the 2015-16 season due to NCAA Transfer Rules.
• She averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while shooting .533 (8-for-15) from the floor in the Vikings' two exhibition games.Â
#11 | CICIÂ WEST: Here are some quick hitters about
Cici West, a junior guard from Sattle, Wash.Â
• She averaged 10.0 points and a Big Sky leading 9.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2015-16.Â
• She set the Portland State single-season rebounding record with 286 in 2015-16.Â
• She averaged 4.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the Vikings' two exhibition games.
2016-17 SEASON NOTES
• Portland State went 4-26 overall and 2-16 in Big Sky Conference play in 2015-16, its first year under Head Coach
Lynn Kennedy.Â
• Portland State returns seven letterwinners, including all five starters, from last year's squad. The Vikings also return their top five scorers and their top four rebounders.Â
• Portland State will play 12 home games in 2016-17 and 18 games away from the Peter W. Stott Center. The Vikings will play eight straight away from home.Â
• Portland State adds three redshirts and five true freshmen to the mix in 2016-17.Â
• Portland State had gotten significantly taller in just one season. The average high of the Vikings' anticipated opening day roster in nearly two inches taller than a year ago. In 2015-16 PSU had just three eligible players on the opening day roster listed as 6-foot or above, in 2016-17 there will be eight.Â
• Portland State returns junior G
Cici West who led the Big Sky in rebounding with 9.5 rebounds per game. West also set the Portland State single season record with 286 rebounds.Â
• Portland State brings back sophomore G
Corey James who averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a true freshman a year ago. She also led the league in free throw percentage with an .893 mark.Â
IN THE RECORD BOOKS: The Vikings have made an impact on the record books in 2016-15 both as a team and as individuals, especially in rebounding.Â
• Portland State's 42.5 rebounds per game is fourth best in program history.Â
• Portland State's 1,275 rebounds is sixth best in program history.Â
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Cici West's 286 rebounds is the most by a Viking in a single-season.Â
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Cici West's 9.5 rebounds per game is eighth best in program history.Â
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Cici West's 18 rebounds against Portland (11/25/15) and against Idaho (1/30/16) are tied for the fifth most in program history and are the most by a Viking at the Peter W. Stott Center.Â
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Corey James' .893 (67-for-75) free-throw percentage is third best all-time in a single-season.Â
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Pia Jurhar's 45 blocks are sixth most all-time in a single-season.Â
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