Complete notes and stats in pdf

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-3) vs. CSU BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS (6-4)
Saturday, December 10, 2016, 7 p.m. • Icardo Center (3,880), Bakersfield, CA

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Television: None
Live Streaming Video and Audio: www.wacsports.com/watch/?Live=127
Live Stats: www.http://www.gorunners.com/liveStats/v2/basketball/index.dbml?GAME_STAT_ID=2844236&db_oem_id=13300
 
THE OPENING TIP
The irresistible force meets the impenetrable object this Saturday night in Bakersfield when the Portland State Vikings take on the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners. PSU brings a dangerous offense and a two-game winning streak to the Icardo Center to face a Bakersfield team that has proven to be one of the best defensive units in the country.
     
The Vikings are 3-3 on the season with back-to-back wins over Pepperdine and Texas Rio Grande Valley. PSU is averaging 87.2 points per game which leads the Big Sky Conference and ranks 15th in the nation. The Vikings are shooting .504 from the field as a team, which also ranks 15th.
     
On the other side of the ledger, Bakersfield goes into the contest at 6-4 on the season. The Roadrunners are allowing only 58.6 points per game - eighth best in the nation - and opponents shoot just .361 from the field, which ranks 11th-best. Bakersfield has given up 46 (Pacific Union), 49 (SMU) and 47 (Northern Arizona) points in its last three games and allowed more than 70 points just once.
     
PSU comes off an 87-74 win over UTRGV last Saturday, and they did so without leading scorer JR F Braxton Tucker, who sat out with knee soreness. Still, the Vikings had five players score in double figures in what has proven to be a very balanced offensive attack. In fact, the Vikings average 4.5 players scoring in double digits each game this season, which makes it a challenge for opposing defenses to know from where PSU's offense will come.
     
With five non-conference games remaining, the Vikings would like to generate some momentum heading toward Big Sky Conference play which begins on Dec. 29.
     
PSU will try to keep the offense flowing when it meets the Roadrunners, but the numbers say it won't be easy. The Vikings would like to avenge a loss to Bakersfield last year, also played at the Icardo Center. Bakersfield goes into the game with a 4-0 home record. PSU is 1-3 on the road.
     
The Vikings and Runners meet in a 7 p.m. game on Saturday. The game will be available via live video and audio stream at www.wacsports.com. Live statistics are available at www.gorunners.com.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. BAKERSFIELD
• ALL-TIME SERIES: The all-time series is tied 2-2. This will be the fifth meeting, all of which have occured in the past seven seasons. Bakersfield won last year, 78-66, in Bakersfield and is 2-0 at home in the series.
• PORTLAND STATE vs. THE WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE: This is the Vikings' second straight Western Athletic Conference opponent. Portland State is 17-12 all-time against current members of the WAC... Head Coach Tyler Geving is 4-6 against members of the WAC, 2-2 against Bakersfield.
• LAST SEASON, Dec. 22, 2015 in Bakersfield, CA: CSUB 78, PSU 66: The Roadrunners took advantage of a six-minute scoring drought by the Vikings in the second half. Bakersfield shot .538 for the game, .615 from three-point range. The Vikings shot only .443/.316. Jaylin Airington led four Runners in double figures with 15 points. Damiyne Durham hit four second-half three pointers and had 14 off the bench. Cameron Forte had 14 points to lead the Vikings.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (100-120/8th season) is 2-2 all-time against Bakersfield... Roadrunners Head Coach Rod Barnes (87-82/6th season) is 1-2 against the Vikings. He is 273-271 all-time in 16 years of collegiate coaching.
 
BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS
• California State University Bakersfield is a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
• The Roadrunners were 24-9 last season, 11-3 in winning the Western Athletic Conference. The Runners advanced to the NCAA Tournament, losing in the first round to Oklahoma.
• Bakersfield has three starters and eight letterwinners returning this season.
• The Roadrunners are currently 6-4 on the season, including 4-0 at home. They have beaten Big Sky Conference teams North Dakota and Northern Arizona in the past two weeks.
• Bakersfield features a stifling defense which allows only 58.6 points per game. Opponents shoot .361 from the field and .301 from three-point range. The Roadrunners force 18.2 turnovers per game and out-rebound opponents by 5.4 per game. They also average 9.3 steals, 16th-best in the nation.
• On offense, the Roadrunners average 70.9 points per game. They are led by senior guard Jaylin Airington, who averages 16.1 points per game. He shoots .881 at the free throw line. Sophomore guard Damiyne Durham averages 15.8 points per game. He ranks 12th in the nation in three-pointers made per game (3.60).
• Senior guard Dedrick Basile averages 11.4 points and a team-leading 4.0 assists per game. Junior forward Shon Briggs leads the team in rebounding at 5.9 per game.
 
GEVING GETS 100th WIN
Portland State Head Coach Tyler Geving earned his 100th career victory at Portland State last Saturday in an 87-74 win over Texas Rio Grande Valley. Geving is currently 100-120 in his eighth season at PSU.
     
The only other 100-win coach is Sharkey Nelson (162-156 in 12 seasons, 1953-65). Marion Pericin (1965-72) actually won 100 games as Viking Head Coach, however 15 of those wins are not recognized by the NCAA as they came against Canadian universities.
     
Geving's best head-to-head record in the Big Sky Conference is 10-4 against Eastern Washington. His worst is 2-12 against Montana.
     
Here is a list of Portland State's winningest coaches throughout its 56-year history of men's basketball:
 
1. Sharkey Nelson, 162-156, 1953-65
2. Tyler Geving, 100-120, 2009-17
3. Ken Edwards, 93-64, 1972-78 (96-64 overall, 3-0 in games against Canadian universities not recognized by NCAA)
4. Marion Pericin, 85-82, 1965-72 (100-86, 15-4 in games against Canadian universities not recognized by NCAA)
5. Arba Ager, 85-52, 1948-53
6. Ken Bone, 77-49, 2005-09
 
PARSONS NAMED BIG SKY PLAYER OF WEEK BY CSM
Portland State SR F De'Sean Parsons was selected Big Sky Conference Player of the Week by College Sports Madness for his performance in the 87-74 win over Texas Rio Grande Valley. Parsons scored 20 points with six rebounds, six assists, a career-high five steals and a blocked shot.
 
COMING UP
Next week, Portland State will return home to host New Hope Christian on Dec. 13.  The Vikings then travel to play at San Francisco on Dec. 16 - the third of four WCC opponents this season. PSU plays at Portland on Dec. 20, then wraps up preseason play on Dec. 22, hosting Walla Walla.
 
COMING SOON: AN ALL NEW VIKING PAVILION
The Peter W. Stott Center will remain the home court for the Vikings in 2016-17 while major construction is underway on the eastern portion of the building. That development will become the new Viking Pavilion, a venue that will seat 3000+ for basketball. A completion date is scheduled for winter 2018. PSU will find an alternate home court for 2017-18 until the new Pavilion is opened.
    
So, enjoy the current Stott Center while you can. With construction underway on the new Viking Pavilion, the Stott's main gym is in its final season of use. In fact, the gym, the academic center, the training room, and the new weight room are almost all that is left of the current facility.
     
This season, the Stott Center will be using makeshift ticketing, concessions and restroom facilities. At the end of this season, the gym will be taken off-line and transformed with the remainder of the building into the new Viking Pavilion.
     
Meanwhile, Pardon Our Dust.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 3-3 this season, 2-0 at home, 1-3 on the road.
• Dating to last season, PSU has won five straight home games.
• The Vikings were 13-18 last season, 8-10 in the Big Sky Conference. Portland State's longest winning streak was four games (Feb. 27-Mar. 8).
Stott Stuff
• PSU has gone 160-62 in 222 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 191-77 at home over 21 seasons.
• Portland State is 67-33 at home in seven seasons under Tyler Geving.
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 104-36 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 (43-8). PSU is 25-8 against Division I schools, and 18-0 against lower division schools over that span.
 
WHO IS HOT?
• The Vikings are shooting .504 from the field and averaging 87.2 points per game - both of which are best in the Big Sky Conference and rank 15th in the nation.
• PSU ranks first in the Big Sky assists (19.5) and steals (9.8).
• The Vikings are forcing 16.8 turnovers per game and have a +4.2 turnover ratio.
• SR G Calaen Robinson has 42 points (16-23 FG, 7-12 3-pt, 3-4 FT), nine steals, nine assists and eight rebounds in the last two games - both Viking wins.
• SR F De'Sean Parsons has 32 points (13-26 FG, 1-1 3-pt, 5-9 FT), 15 assists, 11 rebounds and nine steals in the last two games - both Viking wins.
• JR F Brandon Hollins (.692), SR G Zach Gengler (.595), JR C Traylin Farris (.560), JR F De'Sean Parsons (.538) and JR G Bryce Canda (.511) are all shooting above the team average this season.
• JR G Deontae North had his best game of the season in the win over UTRGV, scoring 18 points (6-10 FG, 4-6 3-pt, 2-2 FT) with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in 29 minutes off the bench.
 
WHO IS NOT?
• The Vikings are giving up 85.3 points per game and opponents are shooting .493 from the field.
• PSU is being outrebounded by 4.8 per game (10.3 per game in the three losses).
• JR F Braxton Tucker missed the game with UTRGV with knee soreness.
 
HOT SHOTS: It's early, but Portland State is averaging 87.2 points per game - the most of any team in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings have eclipsed 100 points twice this season, and passed 90 three times. The scoring can be attributed to good shooting, an up-tempo pace, and an ability to force opponent turnovers.
• 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.
• PSU forced 20 Pepperdine (11/27) turnovers on 15 steals, scoring 29 points off turnovers and 21 points on the fast break. The Vikings made 12 steals in a win against UTRGV (12/3) and scored 23 points off turnovers, 20 on the fast break.
• 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.
 
BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS: Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in:
• Scoring, 87.2 points per game
• Field Goal Percentage, .504
• Assists, 19.5 per game
• Steals, 9.8 per game
• Assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.5 (117/76)
Portland State players lead the Big Sky Conference in:
• Calaen Robinson, steals, 2.8 pg
• Zach Gengler, assist-to-turnover ratio, 4.0 (20/5)
 
VIKINGS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS (top 30):
• Portland State ranks ninth in assists per game, 19.5
• Portland State ranks 10th in steals per game, 9.8
• Portland State ranks 15th in field goal percentage, .504
• Portland State ranks 15th in scoring, 87.2 per game
• Portland State ranks 16th in assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.54
• SR G Calaen Robinson is 11th in steals, 2.83 per game
• Zach Gengler is 14th in assist-to-turnover ratio, 4.0 (20/5)
• SR G Khari Holloway is 17th in free throw percentage (.938)
 
MR. ROBINSON'S NEIGHBORHOOD: SR G Calaen Robinson has been on a roll, averaging 21 points, 4.5 steals, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in the last two games.
• He ranks second on the team in scoring at 15.0 points and second in assists at 3.7 per game.
• Robinson leads the Big Sky with 2.83 steals per game and ranks 11th in the nation.
• Ranks 10th in scoring, eighth in assists in the Big Sky Conference.
• Posted a career-high 23 points (8-14 FG, 3-8 3-pt, 4-7 FT) in the Vikings win over George Fox (11/17).
• Had one of the best games of his career at Pepperdine (11/27) with 22 points (8-14 FG, 4-8 3-pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, five assists and five steals.
• Scored 20 points (8-9 FG, 3-4 3-pt, 1-2 FT) with four assists and four steals in a win over UTRGV (12/3).
 
THE DE'SEAN PARSONS PROJECT: SR F De'Sean Parsons has moved into the starting lineup this season after finishing 2015-16 strong. In his last two games, Parsons has been on fire, averaging 16 points, 7.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 steals per game.
• He is averaging 11.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and a team-leading 4.3 assists. Those numbers are up from 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists last year.
• Parsons is shooting .538 from the field.
• Had 12 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four steals in a win at Pepperdine (11/27).
• Scored 20 points (8-14 FG, 1-1 3-pt 3-5 FT) with six rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block against UTRGV (12/3).
 
CANDA CAN-DO: Newcomer JR G Bryce Canda has taken over as the Vikings starting point guard. So far, so good. Canda is averaging 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He is shooting .511 from the field and .448 from three-point range.
• Ranks 12th in the Big Sky in assists and seventh in steals (1.5).
• Posted 16 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 4-4 FT) with five rebounds and three steals in a win at Pepperdine (11/27).
 
BRAXTON IS BACK!: Head Coach Tyler Geving is happy to have Braxton Tucker back healthy and playing for the Vikings. PSU was 14-11 back in 2014-15 when Tucker went down with a knee injury. The Vikings finished the season 1-3, then went 13-18 last year as he redshirted the season. Tucker did not play against UTRGV due to some knee soreness, but is expected to return to play this week.
• He is averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, shooting .493 from the field and .688 at the line.
• Ranks eighth in scoring in the Big Sky Conference.
• Tucker has posted career-scoring highs in back-to-back games: 22 points at Cal State Fullerton (10-19 FG, 2-3 3-pt FG), then 24 points vs. George Fox (8-10 FG, 8-11 FT).
• Tucker has led the team in scoring four times and rebounding three times.
• He has scored in double figures in four games and has two 20-point games.
 
GENGLER'S GAMES: SR G Zach Gengler is the most experienced player on the Viking team, having played in 89 career games. He is on pace to finish in the top five in career games played at PSU.
• Gengler is averaging career-highs of 9.8 points and 3.3 assists per game. He is shooting .595 from the field, .462 from three-point range and .818 at the line.
• Leads the Big Sky Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.0), ranks fifth in field goal percentage and 10th in assists.
• In his 89 career games, Gengler has only 66 turnovers.
 
NORTH-ERN EXPOSURE: JR G Deontae North is picking up the pace as the season progresses. After a slow start, North has scored 28 points in the last two games, playing 52 total minutes off the bench.
• North had 18 points (6-10 FG, 4-6 3-pt, 2-2 FT), a team-high seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in a win over UTRGV (12/3)
 
THE FARRIS WHEEL: JR C Traylin Farris is quickly becoming the Vikings' key player off the bench. He is averaging 6.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game.
• Shooting .560 from the field.
 
FREE IS A GOOD PRICE: SR G Khari Holloway came to PSU with a reputation as a great free throw shooter. He led the nation at the junior college level with a .931 percentage in 2014-15. Last year for the Vikings, Holloway was 16-19 (.842) at the line. This year, he is shooting a team-leading 15-16 (.938) to rank third in the Big Sky Conference and 18th in the nation.
 
BEST OFF THE BENCH: Here are the Vikings top performances from players coming off the bench this season:
• SR G Khari Holloway scored a career-high 13 points against Cal State Fullerton (11/13).
• JR C Traylin Farris had seven points, a team-high nine rebounds and two blocked shots at Cal State Fullerton (11/13).
• JR F Brandon Hollins scored 18 points and tied a PSU record by making 7-7 field goals. He added four rebounds and three steals.
• JR C Traylin Farris scored 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 FT) with four rebounds in a win at Pepperdine (11/27).
• JR G Deontae North scored 18 points (6-10 FG, 4-6 3-pt, 2-2 FT) with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in a win over UTRGV (12/3).
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHT REEL
• Despite the 106-100 double-overtime loss to Cal State Fullerton (11/13), the Vikings got career-high scoring performances from JR F Braxton Tucker (22 pts) and SR G Khari Holloway (13 pts).
• The Vikings won their first game of the season, a 113-81 decision over George Fox (11/17). It was the most points scored by a Viking team in 38 years as the Vikings shot .655 from the field. JR F Braxton Tucker posted a career-high 24 points (8-10 FG, 8-11 FT) with 10 rebounds. SR G Calaen Robinson also had a career-high with 23 points (8-14 FG, 3-8 3-pt, 4-7 FT).
• JR F Brandon Hollins tied a PSU record by making 7-7 field goals in a game, scoring 18 points in the win over George Fox (11/17).
• Portland State forced 20 turnovers with 15 steals and shot .530 from the field in a 91-85 win at Pepperdine (11/27). SR G Calaen Robinson led the way with 22 points (8-14 FG, 4-8 3-pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, five assists and five steals. For the second time this season, six Vikings scored in double figures.
• The Vikings won their second game in a row in an 87-74 decision over UTRGV (12/3). PSU shot .571 from the field and .591 from three-point range (13-22). It was Head Coach Tyler Geving's 100th career win at Portland State. Five players were in double figures led by 20 points each from SR F De'Sean Parsons and SR G Calaen Robinson. Parsons added six rebounds, six assists, five steals and a blocked shot.
• SR F De'Sean Parsons was named College Sports Madness Big Sky Conference Player of the Week following the win over UTRGV (12/3). Parsons scored 20 points (8-14 FG, 1-1 3-pt 3-5 FT) with six rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block in the 87-74 win.