complete notes and stats in pdf

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (6-4) vs. WALLA WALLA WOLVES (1-10)
Thursday, December 22, 2016, 5:05 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR

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Television: None
Live Streaming Video and Audio: www.GoViks.com/Live • Pregame Show: 4:45 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
 
THE OPENING TIP
The Portland State Vikings will try to step into Christmas this week with a four-game winning streak. The Vikings host Walla Walla University on Thursday for their final game before the holiday. PSU has won three straight, including a big win at cross-town rival Portland on Tuesday night, 77-75.
     
PSU needs to take advantage of a schedule that now swings in its favor, with four straight games at home. Portland State is now 6-4 on the season, but has already played seven road games. The Vikings have been rolling since Nov. 27, winning five of six games, including three on the road. In fact, Portland State has played four West Coast Conference opponents on the road and won three of those games (Pepperdine, San Francisco, Portland) with one loss (Loyola Marymount).
     
Tuesday's win was particularly sweet as the Vikings led for the first 35 minutes before giving up their advantage to the Pilots with 4:25 to play. But big plays down the stretch led PSU to the win. SR G Zach Gengler hit a three-point field goal with 2:10 left to tie the game at 72-72. Then, on a drive and dish play, Gengler found an open SR G Calaen Robinson, who buried a go-ahead three-pointer (75-72) with 19 seconds left. Gengler made a steal on the other end and with 4.3 seconds on the clock made two free throws (77-72). A late three by UP made the final score 77-75.
     
It was a performance typical of the Viking team this season with six players scoring in double figures and good shooting (.484).
     
Now Portland State turns its attention to Walla Walla, an NAIA school from the Cascade Collegiate Conference. PSU figures to be a heavy favorite as the Wolves are only 1-10.
     
Portland State can stretch its winning streak to four, its home court winning streak to seven, and complete the non-conference season at 7-4. If the Vikings can win, they would have their best non-conference record since a 9-5 start in 2010-11.
     
The Vikings will also try to maintain a perfect record against lower division schools (15-0) during Coach Tyler Geving's tenure.
     
Thursday's game is an early start with a 5:05 p.m. tip-off. The game is available via live video and audio stream at www.GoViks.com/Live. Live statistics can be found at www.ViksLive.com.
 
COMING UP
Portland State will open Big Sky Conference play and continue its' longest homestand of the season next week.  The Vikings host North Dakota on Dec. 29 (7:05 p.m.), followed by Northern Colorado on Dec. 31 (2:05 p.m.). PSU then hosts Sacramento State on Jan. 7 (7:05 p.m.).
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. WALLA WALLA
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 2-0, with both games played at the Stott Center (2011 and 2014).
• PORTLAND STATE vs. LOWER DIVISION SCHOOLS: Portland State is 43-1 against lower division schools since reinstating the basketball program in 1996-97. The only loss came on Dec. 3, 2002 to Cascade College... Viking Coach Tyler Geving is 15-0 all-time against lower division schools.
• COMMON OPPONENTS: Portland State and Walla Walla have each played New Hope Christian this season. The Vikings beat the Deacons, 110-79. Walla Walla lost to the Deacons twice on the road, 100-99 in overtime, and 94-87.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (103-121/8th season) is 2-0 all-time against  Walla Walla... Wolves Head Coach James Hill is (97-215) is 0-2 all-time against the Vikings.
 
WALLA WALLA WOLVES
• Walla Walla University is an NAIA member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
• The Wolves were 4-24 last season, 2-18 in conference play.
• This year Walla Walla is 1-10 overall. The Wolves are averaging 74.1 points per game, but give up 91.7. They have been hurt by turnovers, committing 21.6 per game and having a -11.2 turnover margin.
• Junior forward Alec Calloway leads the team with a 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He shoots .542 from the field.
• Dylan Browning, also a junior forward, averages 10.0 points and 6.4 rebounds.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 6-4 this season, 3-0 at home, 3-4 on the road.
• The Vikings have won three in a row and five of their last six games.
• Dating to last season, PSU has won six straight home games.
Stott Stuff
• PSU has gone 161-62 in 223 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 192-77 at home over 21 seasons.
• Portland State is 68-33 at home in seven seasons under Tyler Geving.
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 105-36 at home, including 60-29 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• Portland State has lost only eight non-conference home games in the last 10 seasons (44-8). PSU is 25-8 against Division I schools, and 19-0 against lower division schools over that span.
 
WHO IS HOT?
• The Vikings are shooting .499 from the field and averaging 87.1 points per game - both of which are best in the Big Sky Conference.
• PSU ranks first in the Big Sky in assists (17.0) and steals (9.4) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44).
• The Vikings are forcing 15.1 turnovers per game and have a +3.3 turnover ratio.
• SR G Calaen Robinson tied his career high with 23 points (7-11 FG, 5-7 3-pt, 4-4 FT) in the win at San Francisco. He followed that with the go-ahead three-point field goal (75-72) with 19 seconds left in a 77-75 win at Portland.
• Although he is the Vikings' sixth man, JR G Deontae North is averaging 16.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in his last five games. He has made 28-56 from the field (.500) and 18-22 at the line (.818).
• JR C Traylin Farris is averaging 16.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in the last four games.
• SR F De'Sean Parsons is averaging 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in the last six games, five of which the Vikings have won.
• JR F Brandon Hollins (.643), JR C Traylin Farris (.600) and SR G Zach Gengler (.556) are having great shooting seasons.
 
WCC AFFILIATES?: Portland State had a good run against West Coast Conference teams during the non-conference schedule, especially when you consider all four games were on the road. The Vikings lost to their first WCC opponent, Loyola Marymount (78-62), but went on to pick up wins at Pepperdine (91-85), San Francisco (82-78) and Portland (77-75). That makes the Vikings 3-1 against the WCC this season. PSU had been 0-6 against West Coast Conference teams the past four seasons.
 
STREAKING: Portland State has a modest three-game winning streak going into Thursday's game with Walla Walla. If PSU can win and make it four, that would match last year's longest winning streak. In fact, the Vikings have had seven four-game winning streaks during Head Coach Tyler Geving's previous seven seasons, but never more than four. With four home games ahead, can the Vikings better that mark?
 
HOT SHOTS: Portland State is averaging 87.1 points per game - the most of any team in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings have eclipsed 100 points three times this season, and passed 90 four times. The scoring can be attributed to good shooting, an up-tempo pace, and an ability to force opponent turnovers.
• The Vikings shot .655, .530, .571 and .570 in their first four wins. PSU shot .435 and .484 in wins at San Francisco and Portland.
• Portland State shoots .499 from the field overall and has failed to score at least 70 points only once this season.
• PSU is forcing 15.1 turnovers per game while making 9.4 steals per game.
• PSU posted the most points in 38 years with a 113-81 win over George Fox (11/17). The Vikings shot .655 from the field. The last time PSU scored more was a 133-110 win over Rocky Mountain on Feb. 5, 1978 - a game in which Freeman Williams scored a PSU-record 81 points.
• Last year, PSU averaged 77.7 points. The last time PSU averaged over 82 points was 1976-77 when the Vikings averaged 91.0 points per game.
 
6x10: Portland State currently has six players averaging in double figures this season: JR F Braxton Tucker (16.8), SR G Calaen Robinson (14.8), SR F De'Sean Parsons (12.6), JR C Traylin Farris (10.8), JR G Bryce Canda (10.5) and JR G Deontae North (10.5).
• SR G Zach Gengler (9.1) is nearly a seventh player averaging double figures. He has six double-figure scoring games this year.
• PSU has had at least five players score in double figures in seven of 10 games this season.
• Portland State averages 4.7 players scoring in double figures per game.
 
BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS: Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in:
• Scoring, 87.1 points per game
• Field Goal Percentage, .499
• Assists, 17.0 per game
• Steals, 9.4 per game
• Assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.44 (170/118)
 
VIKINGS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS (top 30):
• Portland State ranks 9th in steals per game, 9.4
• Portland State ranks 14th in scoring, 87.1 per game
• Portland State ranks 14th in field goal percentage, .499
• Portland State ranks 26th in assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.44
• Portland State ranks 26th in assists per game, 17.0
• SR G Calaen Robinson is 18th in steals, 2.40 per game