complete notes and stats in pdf

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (7-12, 3-5) vs. MONTANA STATE BOBCATS (9-12, 4-5)
Thursday, February 4, 2016, 7:05 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR
Live Video and Audio: www.GoViks.com • Pre-game Show: 6:45 p.m. • Play-by-Play: Tom Hewitt
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com

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THE OPENING TIP
Portland State returns home for the first time in nearly three weeks for a pair of Big Sky Conference games to open the month of February. The Vikings host Montana State this Thursday night at the Stott Center in a game presented by Papa John's.
     
PSU (7-12, 3-5) lost a pair of games on the road last week in remarkably different ways. Eastern Washington made a school-record 20 three-point field goals in defeating the Vikings easily on Thursday, 112-83. Then, Idaho came away with a 56-55 win on a pair of late free throws in a defensive struggle with the Vikings.
     
Those losses nullified a brilliant week for GR F Cameron Forte, who posted 57 points and 35 rebounds in the two games, making 20-33 shots from the field. Forte scored 37 points at Eastern Washington - the most by a Viking in four years. His 20 rebounds at Idaho are the most by a Viking in PSU's 20-year Big Sky Conference history.
     
Portland State has played only three of its eight Big Sky Conference games at home, so it welcomes the opportunity for fan support and the friendly confines of the Stott Center. Although the Vikings are 3-5 and in ninth place in the Big Sky, with 10 games still remaining to be played, only two games separate the third- through ninth-place teams.
     
The Vikings have already beaten Montana State once this season, a 77-70 decision in Bozeman. Forte came up big in that game as well, scoring 26 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
     
Going into Thursday's game, PSU has lost four of its last five. The Vikings are 4-4 at home this season.
     
Montana State (9-12, 4-5) is one-half game ahead of Portland State in the Big Sky standings. If PSU can pick up a win it will leapfrog the Bobcats. MSU is 5-9 in road games this season. Guards Tyler Hall (18.0) and Marcus Colbert (17.9) are two of the top scorers in the Big Sky Conference this season.
     
Thursday's game tips off at 7:05 p.m. Live video, audio and stats are available at www.GoViks.com.
 
COMING UP
Saturday's game with Montana will be Coaches vs. Cancer Night with the American Cancer Society taking part in promotional activities. The Vikings travel to Idaho State and Weber State next week.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. MONTANA STATE
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Montana State leads the all-time series, 31-21, and the Big Sky Conference series, 24-18. The Vikings have won the last two meetings between the schools, including Jan. 9 in Bozeman.
• JAN. 9 IN BOZEMAN: PSU 77, MSU 70: PSU won in Bozeman for the first time in six years. The Vikings raced out to an early 21-6 lead and held the lead for 38:27 of the game. PSU shot .484 from the field to only .371 for the Bobcats. Cameron Forte came off the bench to score 26 points (12-18 FG) and haul down 11 rebounds. Calaen Robinson had seven assists and five steals. Tyler Hall scored 24 points and had eight rebounds to lead Montana State.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (91-111, 7th season) is 5-9 all-time against Montana State. Bobcats Head Coach Brian Fish (16-35, 2nd season) is 0-2 all-time against the Vikings.
 
MONTANA STATE BOBCATS
• Montana State is an original member of the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats have won four Big Sky regular season titles, two Big Sky Tournament championships and made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• Last year, MSU was 7-23 overall, 4-14 and tied for 10th in the Big Sky Conference.
• The Bobcats are 9-12 this season, 4-5 in the Big Sky Conference. They are 5-9 in road games.
• A pair of talented guards lead the Bobcat team. Freshman Tyler Hall is the team's top scorer at 18.0 points per game. He has made 57 three-point field goals, shoots .857 at the free throw line and averages 5.5 rebounds per game. Senior Marcus Colbert averages 17.2 points and 5.3 assists per game.
• Sophomore forward Zach Green is the team's top rebounder at 5.6 per game.
• Montana State ranks second in the Big Sky in three-pointers made at 9.3 per game. However, they give up 79.3 points per game.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 7-12 this season, 4-4 at home, 3-8 on the road.
• The Vikings are 3-5 in the Big Sky Conference, 1-2 at home, 2-3 on the road.
• Portland State has had back-to-back winning seasons (17-15 in 2013-14, 15-14 in 2014-15) and will try to make it three straight winning seasons for the first time since 2006-09.
Stott Stuff
• PSU has gone 154-60 in 214 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 185-75 at home over 20 seasons.
• Portland State is 61-31 at home in seven seasons under Tyler Geving.
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 98-34 at home, including 56-28 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• Portland State has lost only eight non-conference home games in the last nine seasons (42-8). PSU is 24-8 against Division I schools, and 18-0 against lower division schools over that span.
Big Sky Battles
• Portland State is 161-170 all-time in all Big Sky Conference games, including the Big Sky Tournament (9-10).
• PSU is 106-53 in home games, 52-111 in road games and 3-7 in neutral site games.
• PSU is 74-72 in Big Sky games since the start of the 2007-08 season, 81-75 including tournament games.
 
BIG NUMBERS ON THE ROAD  
Some big numbers came out of Portland State's road trip last week to Eastern Washington and Idaho. Some good, some not so good...
• GR F Cameron Forte scored 37 points against Eastern Washington, the most by a PSU player in four years and the most in the Big Sky Conference this season.
• Forte made 13-24 field goals and 11-20 free throws. The 20 free throw attempts are a new school record.
• PSU allowed 112 points to Eastern Washington - the most ever in a Big Sky game.
• PSU allowed 20 three-point field goals to Eastern Washington - the most ever by an opponent.
• Forte scored 20 points (7-9 FG, 6-9 FT) and grabbed 20 rebounds at Idaho. The 20 rebounds are the most ever by a Viking since reinstating basketball and joining the Big Sky Conference 20 years ago. It was his seventh double-double of the season.
 
WHO IS HOT?
• GR F Cameron Forte is red hot. Consider these numbers...
- He has made 57-86 shots in the last six games (.663) while averaging 22.8 points and 11.8 rebounds.
- In his last four road games, Forte has averaged 27.3 points and 14.0 rebounds.
- In his last three games, he has averaged 27.7 points and 15.0 rebounds.
- In last week's two games, he averaged 28.5 points and 17.5 rebounds.
• JR G Zach Gengler has made 24-26 free throws this year (.923), while JR G Khari Holloway is 9-9 (1.000).
 
WHO IS NOT?
• Portland State is shooting .312 from three-point range and .651 from the free throw line, both of which rank last in the Big Sky Conference.
• PSU allowed 112 points at Eastern Washington, the most ever allowed in a Big Sky game by the Vikings.
• PSU has lost two in a row and four of the last five games.
 
BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assists per game (17.3).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in steals per game (8.1).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
• GR G Donivine Stewart leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0).
In Big Sky Conference games...
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in blocked shots (4.4).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assists (17.0).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in steals (8.5).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in turnover margin (+1.5).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5)
• SR C Collin Spickerman leads the Big Sky in blocked shots in conference games (2.1).
• JR G Zach Gengler leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (6.3).
 
AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS:
• The Vikings rank 16th in the nation in assists per game (17.3)
• GR F Cameron Forte ranks 14th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3.84).
 
20-10: GR F Cameron Forte has had four 20-10 games in the Vikings' last four road contests (including a 20-20 game).
• Forte scored 20 points (7-9 FG, 6-9 FT) and hauled down 20 rebounds at Idaho (1/30).
• Forte went for 37 points (13-24 FG, 11-20 FT) and 13 rebounds at Eastern Washington (1/28).
• Forte scored 26 points (12-15 FG) with 12 rebounds in an 81-63 win at Sacramento State (1/23).
• In PSU's 77-70 win at Montana State (1/9), Forte went for 26 points (12-18 FG) and 11 rebounds.
• For the season, Forte has seven double-doubles.
 
TRENDING:
• Portland State is 4-1 when scoring over 80 points this season. The Vikings are winless when scoring less than 70 (0-6).
• PSU is 7-2 when leading at halftime, but 0-10 when trailing at halftime.
• The Vikings are 6-3 when out-shooting opponents, 1-9 when being out-shot.
• PSU is 5-3 when out-rebounding an opponent, 2-9 when being out-rebounded or rebounding is even.
 
FORTISSIMO: GR F Cameron Forte has been loud and strong with his performance as a new Viking. He has moved into the role of sixth man to provide a spark off the bench, but still leads the Vikings in scoring (18.0) and rebounding (9.1). His 37-point performance at Eastern Washington (1/28) was the most by a Viking in four years. His 20-rebound game at Idaho (1/30) was the most ever by a Viking in 20 seasons in the Big Sky Conference.
• Forte ranks fifth in scoring, second in rebounding and seventh in field goal percentage (.554) in the Big Sky.
• Forte has 16 double-figure games, seven 20-point games and two 30-point games.
• Has seven double-doubles on the season, and five 20-10 games, and one 20-20 game.
• Posted 23 points (8-14 FG, 7-8 FT) and nine rebounds at Nevada (11/25).
• Had 31 points (15-26 FG) with 10 rebounds in a win over Multnomah (11/28).
• Scored 26 points (12-18 FG, 2-4 FT) with 11 rebounds in a win at Montana State (1/9).
• Went for 26 points (12-15 FG, 2-6 FT) with 12 rebounds in a win at Sacramento State (1/23).
• Scored a season-high 37 points (13-24 FG, 11-20 FT) with 13 rebounds at Eastern Washington (1/28).
• Recorded 20 points (7-9 FG, 6-9 FT) and hauled down 20 rebounds at Idaho (1/30).
 
STEPPING INTO A STARTING ROLE: SO F Isaiah Pineiro began the season as the Vikings' key player off the bench. But he has played so well that Head Coach Tyler Geving has moved him to a starting role. The move has paid off as Pineiro has become the Vikings' second-leading scorer and rebounder.
• Pineiro shoots .535 from the field, and ranks second in scoring (12.1), rebounding (6.1) and blocks (11).
• Has 13 double-figure scoring games.
• Ranks 10th in the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage and rebounding.
• Had back-to-back double-doubles on the road, getting 24 points and 14 rebounds at UTRGV (11/22) and 13 points and 11 rebounds at Nevada (11/25).
• Posted 17 points (6-9 FG, 1-3 3-pt, 4-5 FT) with five rebounds and three steals against CSUN (12/17).
• Totaled 21 points (9-14 FG, 3-3 FT) with five rebounds, three assists and a block in a win over Cal State Fullerton (12/29).
• Had 20 points (6-12 FG, 1-1 3-pt, 7-7 FT) and six rebounds at Montana (1/7).
 
DONIVINE IS DIVINE: GR G Donivine Stewart has a good handle on things. The SIUE transfer has committed only 20 turnovers all season and leads the Big Sky Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0).
• Stewart has moved into the starting lineup the past 11 games, totaling 45 assists (4.1).
• He has a 59/20 assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0) that leads the Big Sky Conference.
• Averaging 4.8 points and 3.3 assists overall.
• Scored a season-high 17 points (6-8 FG, 3-4 3-pt, 2-6 FT) with five assists and two steals in the win over Cal State Fullerton (12/29).
• Had seven assists against Weber State (1/14). Matched that against Sacramento State (1/23).
• Handed out a season-high eight assists at Eastern Washington (1/28).
 
MR. ROBINSON'S NEIGHBORHOOD: JR G Calaen Robinson has proven to be the Vikings' top three-point shooter this season. Robinson ranks fourth on the team in scoring (9.6) and first in assists (3.6), steals (30) and three-point field goals (39). He shoots .342 in his neighborhood - the three-point arc.
• Robinson's 11 assists against Multnomah were the most by a Viking since Feb. 5, 2009.
• Robinson has 10 double-figure scoring games.
• Ranks eighth in the Big Sky Conference in assists and 10th in three-pointers made.
• Scored 19 points with five rebounds at Washington State (12/6).
• Posted a career-high 21 points (7-11 3-pt FG) with four assists against CSUN (12/17).
• Had 17 points (4-9 3-pt FG) with three assists and three steals in the win over Sacramento State (1/2).
 
SWAT STATS: SR C Collin Spickerman set a PSU record for blocked shots per game (2.48) last season while leading the Big Sky Conference. Spickerman has 36 blocks this season and 108 blocks in 48 career games.
• Ranks third all-time in blocks at Portland State in only two seasons.
• Spickerman ranks second in the Big Sky in blocked shots (1.9).
• Spickerman blocked four shots and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in the season opener at Grand Canyon (11/13).
• Spickerman scored a career-high 15 points at SIUE (12/12).
• He has three games of four or more blocked shots.
 
ZACH IS BACK: JR G Zach Gengler returned to the starting lineup at Sacramento State (1/23) for the first time in eight games. The move paid off with Gengler scoring 13 points, with a single missed shot, while passing out a career-high eight assists.
• Gengler is averaging career-highs of 5.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 20 minutes per game.
• Scored a career-high 17 points with three assists against Portland (12/2).
• Posted 13 points (4-5 FG, 3-4 3-pt, 2-2) with a career-high eight assists and two steals in a win at Sacramento State (1/23).
• In Big Sky games, Gengler has a 25/4 assist-to-turnover ratio to lead the league (6.3).
 
NOW AT THE LINE...: JR G Khari Holloway shot .931 from the free throw line last year at Mesa Community College to lead the nation at the JC level. He had consecutive free throws made streaks of 41, 28 and 19. So far this season, he is 9-9 for the Vikings.
• JR G Zach Gengler is shooting .923 for the season (24-26) and has a string of 18 made in a row.
 
A DIFFERENT LOOK: Head Coach Tyler Geving started his seventh different lineup of the season at Sacramento State. It included Donivine Stewart, Calaen Robinson, Zach Gengler, Isaiah Pineiro and Collin Spickerman. That combo has started the last three games.
• Eight different players have started games this season.
• Only SR C Collin Spickerman has started every game this season.
• Last season the Vikings had 10 different starting lineups in 29 games with 10 different players earning starts.
 
BETTER OFF THE BENCH: Portland State's top performances by players coming off the bench:
• GR F Cameron Forte had 22 points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes against Pacific Lutheran (11/6).
• The Viking bench scored 62 points and had 32 rebounds in 104 total minutes against PLU (11/16).
• SO F Isaiah Pineiro had game-highs of 24 points (11-14 FG) and 14 rebounds in 29 minutes at UTRGV (11/22).
• GR F Cameron Forte scored a game-high 23 points with nine rebounds at Nevada (11/25).
• JR F De'Sean Parson scored 14 points (6-8 FG, 2-2 FT) with three rebounds in 17 minutes against Multnomah (11/28).
• SO F Isaiah Pineiro scored 14 points (5-8 FG, 4-6 FT) with two blocks and two steals at Washington State (12/6).
• JR G Khari Holloway had a season-high 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-4 3-pt) at SIUE (12/12).
• Portland State had 48 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals off the bench from three players against CSUN (12/17). JR G Calaen Robinson scored 21 points (7-11 3-pt FG) with four assists, SO F Isaiah Pineiro had 17 points (6-9 FG, 4-5 FT), five rebounds and three steals, and JR G Bryce White had 10 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals.
• GR F Cameron Forte scored 14 points (7-11 FG) in 23 minutes against CSU Bakersfield (12/22).
• JR G Zach Gengler scored 13 points (2-3 FG, 1-2 3-pt, 8-8 FT) with three assists and two steals in 19 minutes of a win over Cal State Fullerton (12/29).
• GR F Cameron Forte had 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in the win over Sacramento State (1/2).
• GR F Cameron Forte scored 26 points (12-18 FG, 2-4 FT) with 11 rebounds and a block in 29 minutes of a win over Montana State (1/9).
• GR F Cameron Forte had 18 points (9-13 FG), seven rebounds and three assists against Weber State (1/14).
• FR G Armani Collins posted season-highs of 15 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots against Idaho State (1/16).
• GR F Cameron Forte scored 26 points (12-15 FG, 2-6 FT), grabbed 12 rebounds and had four assists in a win at Sacramento State (1/23).
• GR F Cameron Forte posted 37 points (13-24 FG, 11-20 FT) with 13 rebounds at Eastern Washington (1/28).
• GR F Cameron Forte scored 20 points (7-9 FG, 6-9 FT) and grabbed 20 rebounds at Idaho (1/30).