complete notes and stats in pdf

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (8-15, 4-8) vs. IDAHO VANDALS (16-10, 8-5)
Thursday, February 18, 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
With a rough stretch heavy with road games behind them, the Portland State Vikings return home for four of their final six Big Sky Conference games. PSU, 4-8 in the Big Sky, sits in ninth place in the 12-team league standings. A strong closing stretch could move the Vikings up in the standings, providing a more favorable opening-round matchup in the Big Sky Conference Tournament which runs Mar. 8-12 in Reno, NV.
     
Portland State (8-15 overall) hosts Idaho (16-10, 8-5) on Thursday night at the Stott Center. The Vikings and Vandals battled Jan. 30 in Moscow, with Idaho coming out 56-55 winners. On Saturday, PSU hosts Eastern Washington (15-10, 9-4). The Eagles defeated the Vikings 112-83 on Jan. 28 in Cheney behind a record-setting three-point shooting performance. Those two losses are part of a five-losses-in-six-games stretch for the Vikings. Four of the losses came on the road.
     
Idaho and Eastern Washington bring remarkably contrasting styles to the Stott Center. As evidenced by the scores in the two previous meetings, the Vandals boast the Big Sky's top defense (league-leading 65.3 ppg allowed, field goal percentage defense and rebounding margin), while the Eagles bring in the Big Sky's top offense (83.2 ppg, top field goal percentage, three-point percentage and most three-pointers made).
     
The Vikings are 5-5 at home this season while Idaho has a strong 8-6 road record. The Vandals have won two games in a row and four of the last five overall. Eastern Washington is 5-10 on the road and has won six straight games overall.
     
Both games tip off this week at 7:05 p.m. Live video, audio and stats are available at www.GoViks.com.
 
COMING UP
The good news for Portland State is it will play four of its final six regular season games at home. The Vikings begin that stretch with two home games this week. PSU plays at North Dakota on Feb. 25 and Northern Colorado on Feb. 27. The regular season wraps up with home games against Northern Arizona (Mar. 3) and Southern Utah (Mar. 5).
     
The Big Sky Conference Tournament runs Mar. 8-12 in Reno, NV. The Vikings are currently in ninth place in the Big Sky. If the tournament were to start today, PSU would face eighth-place Northern Colorado.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. IDAHO
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Idaho leads the all-time series, 13-12, and the Big Sky Conference series, 2-1. PSU leads the series in Portland, 9-3, and won the only previous Big Sky meeting in the Stott Center, 85-73, last season.
• JAN. 30 IN MOSCOW, UI 56, PSU 55: Chris Sarbaugh made two free throws with 10.1 seconds left to provide the winning points for Idaho. Zach Gengler's 20-footer at the buzzer hit the back iron for PSU. It was a defensive struggle with neither side shooting well (PSU, .359, UI .352). Nate Sherwood scored 15 points with eight rebounds. Cameron Forte had 20 points and 20 rebounds - the most boards by a Viking in PSU's 20-year Big Sky era. Isaiah Pineiro added 16 points, six rebounds and three steals.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (92-114, 7th season) is 1-4 all-time against Idaho. Vandals Head Coach Don Verlin (126-123, 8th season) is 4-1 all-time against the Vikings.
• CLOSE GAMES: Idaho is 10-4 in games decided by six points or less. The Vikings are 0-6 in games decided by six points or less.
 
IDAHO VANDALS
• The Vandals were original members of the Big Sky Conference in 1963 before leaving the league in 1996. They returned to the Big Sky in 2014-15. Idaho has won four Big Sky Conference titles, four Big Sky Tournament titles and made five appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• Idaho has won four of its last five games to improve to 16-10 on the season. The Vandals are 8-5 in the Big Sky Conference and in fifth place.
• Idaho leads the Big Sky in defense, allowing only 65.3 points per game and .409 shooting from the field. The Vandals also lead the Big Sky with a +8.3 rebounding margin. All three numbers lead the Big Sky.
• Idaho's one weakness has been a league-high 15.8 turnovers per game and -2.6 turnover margin.
• The Vandals have missed leading scorers Victor Sanders (16.4) and Perrion Callandret (14.1) the past several games due to injuries. Callandret returned in last week's win over North Dakota.
• Chad Sherwood averages 8.2 points and has made a team-high 57 three-point field goals, shooting .419 from distance.
• Chris Sarbaugh leads the team with 3.1 assists per game, and Nahshon George has a team-high 4.6 rebounds per game.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
 
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 8-15 this season, 5-5 at home, 3-10 on the road.
• The Vikings are 4-8 in the Big Sky Conference, 2-3 at home, 2-5 on the road.
• PSU has lost three games in a row.
Stott Stuff
• PSU has gone 155-61 in 216 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 186-76 at home over 20 seasons.
• Portland State is 62-32 at home in seven seasons under Tyler Geving.
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 99-35 at home, including 57-29 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.
 
WHO IS HOT?
• GR F Cameron Forte has made 82-128 shots in the last eight games (.641).
• SR C Collin Spickerman has shot 20-30 (.667) over the last five games.
• JR G Zach Gengler has a 37/9 assist-to-turnover ratio in Big Sky play to lead the Big Sky Conference (4.1).
• JR G Zach Gengler has made 28-30 free throws this year (.933), while JR G Khari Holloway is 9-9 (1.000).
 
WHO IS NOT?
• Portland State is shooting .321 from three-point range and .648 from the free throw line, both of which rank last in the Big Sky Conference.
• The Vikings have lost three in a row, five of their last six, and seven of nine games overall.
• PSU ranks last in the Big Sky in three-point field goals made per game (5.7).
 
BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assists per game (17.2).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in steals per game (8.0).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3).
• SR C Collin Spickerman leads the Big Sky in blocked shots (2.0)
• GR G Donivine Stewart leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7).
In Big Sky Conference games...
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assists (16.8).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in steals (8.3).
• Portland State leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4)
• SR C Collin Spickerman leads the Big Sky in blocked shots in conference games (2.3).
• JR G Zach Gengler leads the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.1).
 
AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS (top 30):
• The Vikings rank 15th in the nation in assists per game (17.2).
• The Vikings rank 27th in the nation in steals per game (8.0).
• GR F Cameron Forte ranks 21st in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3.61).
 
TRENDING:
• Portland State is 5-2 when scoring over 80 points this season. The Vikings are winless when scoring less than 70 (0-6).
• PSU is 8-3 when leading at halftime, but 0-12 when trailing at halftime.
• The Vikings are 7-4 when out-shooting opponents, 1-11 when being out-shot.
• PSU is 5-4 when out-rebounding an opponent, 3-11 when being out-rebounded or rebounding is even.
• The Vikings are 0-6 in games decided by six points or less.
 
SHOOTING MATTERS
Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in assists, steals, assist-to-turnover ratio and shoots a respectable .463 from the field (4th in the Big Sky). So, why have the Vikings struggled in recent weeks? They rank last in the Big Sky in free throw shooting (.648) and three-point shooting (.321) and have made the fewest three-pointers in the league (5.7 per game). The last two seasons PSU went 17-15 and 15-14 producing similar field goal shooting numbers (.460 and .440). However, they shot far better from three-point range and the free throw line: .361/.731 and .381/.742, respectively.
 
20-10
GR F Cameron Forte's string of 20-10 games on the road finally came to an end at Weber State (17 points, 7 rebounds). Still, he had a remarkable run of road performances over the past month, putting up five consecutive 20-10 games on the road (including a 20-20 game). He averaged 27.0 points and 13.8 rebounds in those games.
• Forte posted 26 points (11-15 FG, 4-6 FT) and 13 rebounds at Idaho State (2/11)
• 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 eight double-doubles.
 
SEASON HIGHLIGHT REEL
• With a 105-60 win over Pacific Lutheran (11/13), Portland State had its first 100-point performance in a counting game since a 102-47 win over Walla Walla on Dec. 3, 2011. It was the most points by a Viking team since a 108-56 win at Montana on Mar. 1, 2008. GR F Cameron Forte had 22 points and eight rebounds and JR G Bryce White scored 20 points with four assists.
• SO F Isaiah Pineiro posted 24 points and 14 rebounds in a 79-61 win at UT Rio Grande Valley (11/22). GR F Cameron Forte had a double-double as well with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• The Vikings had their second 100-point game of the season with a 100-82 win over Multnomah (11/28). GR F Cameron Forte had 31 points on 15-26 shots while grabbing 10 rebounds. JR G Calaen Robinson scored 13 points and handed out 11 assists - the most by a Viking since Feb. 5, 2009 - in the win.
• JR G Zach Gengler scored a career-high 17 points in the Vikings' 78-72 loss to Portland (12/2).
• SR C Collin Spickerman scored a career-high 15 points in the Vikings' 74-64 loss at SIUE (12/12).
• JR G Calaen Robinson had a career-high 21 points (7-11 3-pt FG) in the Vikings' 77-71 loss to CSUN (12/17).
• SO F Isaiah Pineiro had his second 20-point game of the season, posting 21 points (9-14 FG, 3-3 FT) with five rebounds and three assists as the Vikings beat Cal State Fullerton, 89-82 (12/29). GR G Donivine Stewart added a season-high 17 points (6-8 FG, 3-4 3-pt FG, 2-6 FT) with five assists and two steals in the game. Five Vikings scored in double figures as PSU washing away a five-game losing streak.
• Portland State opened Big Sky Conference play with a 76-68 win over Sacramento State (1/2). The Vikings held the Hornets to 40% shooting and forced 16 turnovers. JR G Bryce White's 19 points led four Vikings in double figures as PSU won its second game in a row. The Vikings also ended four-game losing streak to the Hornets.
• The Vikings won for the third time in four games with a 77-70 victory at Montana State (1/9). It was PSU's first win in Bozeman in six years. GR F Cameron Forte scored 26 points (12-18 FG, 2-4 FT) and grabbed 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. JR G Bryce White matched his career-high with 20 points and four rebounds.
• Portland State had its best shooting night of the season, hitting 34-53 shots (.642) in an 81-63 win at Sacramento State (1/23). PSU also had a season-high 26 assists. GR F Cameron Forte posted his fifth double-double of the season with 26 points (12-15 FG) and 12 rebounds. JR G Zach Gengler handed out a career-high eight assists.
• GR F Cameron Forte scored 37 points (13-24 FG, 11-20 FT) and grabbed 13 rebounds at Eastern Washington (1/28). His 37 points were the most by a Viking in four seasons and the most by any player in the Big Sky in 2015-16.
• GR F Cameron Forte recorded the first 20-rebound game by a Viking in its Big Sky Conference history (20 seasons). He had 20 boards to go with 20 points (7-9 FG, 6-9 FT) in the Vikings loss at Idaho (1/30).
• SO F Isaiah Pineiro and JR F De'Sean Parsons came off the bench to combined for 35 points, 16 rebounds, five steals and three assists in an 83-68 win over Montana State (2/4). Pineiro scored 22 points (7-12 FG, 8-9 FT), while Parsons had 13 points (5-6 FG, 1-1 3-pt, 2-3 FG) and season-highs of 13 rebounds and four steals. SR C Collin Spickerman added 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 FT) and a season-high six blocked shots. The Vikings shot .604 for the game.
• Despite the loss, Portland State shot over 60% for the second game in a row against Montana (2/6). PSU was 29-47 from the field (.617).
• GR F Cameron Forte posted his fifth straight 20-10 road game at Idaho State (2/11), with 26 points (11-15 FG, 4-6 FT) and 13 rebounds. He has averaged 27.0 points and 13.8 rebounds over that span.