Complete notes and stats in pdf 

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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (12-12, 5-8) vs.
MONTANA GRIZZLIES (13-14, 8-6)
Saturday, February 18, 2017, 6 p.m. PT • Dahlberg Arena (7,322), Missoula, MT
 
Live Streaming Video and Audio: www.GoViks.com/Live
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com

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THE OPENING TIP
The fine line between winning and losing in the Big Sky Conference continues to be evident as the Portland State Vikings approach the home stretch of the regular season. On Thursday night, for the fourth time in six games, the Vikings went to overtime. And for the fourth time, they took a heartbreaking loss, 92-90, to Montana State.
     
Now Portland State (12-12, 5-8) must regroup for a Saturday evening contest at Montana, hoping to reverse their recent fortunes as the Big Sky Conference Tournament approaches. On Jan. 19, the Vikings were riding high following an 88-79 win over the Grizzlies in Portland. PSU was 11-6 overall and 4-2 in the Big Sky. Since that time, the Vikings have lost six of seven games, four in overtime, four on the road, and five by six points or less. Its been a tough tonic to take. However, PSU certainly has good basketball in its DNA. Prior to the recent skid, the Vikings had won eight of 10 games, including three on the road.
     
The Vikings can also take solace in the fact that they trailed by 11 points at MSU with 3:48 to play but rallied back to get the game to overtime. SR F De'Sean Parsons scored 11 points down the stretch, including a tying free throw with 0.2 seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime. MSU guard Tyler Hall broke the Vikings hearts with a 12-foot jumper in the lane with 3.9 seconds left in OT for the decider.
     
Montana (13-14, 8-6) also understands the fine line for Big Sky success. The Griz took a 67-65 home loss on Thursday to Sacramento State. Brandon Gfeller had a winning three-point attempt at the buzzer that bounced off the rim.
     
The Grizzlies are 7-5 at home this season, while the Vikings bring in a 4-9 road record. PSU will be trying to win in Missoula for the first time since 2008.
     
One thing is certain: the Vikings will try to get the job done in regulation. PSU has now played a school-record five overtime games and eight overtime periods this season. And they are 0-5 in OT.
     
The game will be live streamed at www.GoViks.com/Live. Live stats are available at www.ViksLive.com. Tip-off is 6:05 p.m. PT
 
COMING UP
PSU's final home weekend is Feb. 23-25 when the Vikings play Southern Utah (4-22/2-11) and Northern Arizona (7-19/4-9). The regular season concludes with a trip to Northern Colorado (8-16/4-9, Mar. 2) and North Dakota (15-8/10-3, Mar. 4).
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. MONTANA
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Montana leads the all-time series against the Vikings, 29-21, and the Big Sky series, 25-17... the Griz have won seven straight over the Vikings in Missoula and have a 15-5 edge at home in Big Sky games.
• Jan. 19 in Portland, PSU 88, UM 79: The Vikings broke open a close game with an 18-3 run to start the second half. PSU led by as many 22 points before settling for a nine-point win. The Vikings shot .750 from the field in the second half and .545 for the game. They made 10-20 three-pointers. Five players scored in double figures led by 15 each from Calaen Robinson and Zach Gengler. De'Sean Parsosn went for 12 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Ahmaad Rorie paced the Griz with 29 points. Fabijan Krslovic scored 24.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Tyler Geving (109-129/8th season) is 3-12 all-time against the Grizzlies... Montana Head Coach Travis DeCuire (54-39/3rd year) is 3-1 against the Vikings.
 
MONTANA GRIZZLIES
• Montana, an original member of the Big Sky Conference, is located in Missoula, MT.
• The Grizzlies have won eight Big Sky Conference regular season titles, nine Big Sky Tournament titles and made 10 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Their most recent regular season title was in 2015, and most recent tournament title was in 2013.
• Montana is 13-14 on the season, 8-6 and tied for fifth in the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies are 7-5 at home.
• Transfer guard Ahmaad Rorie leads the Grizzlies in scoring at 16.7 points per game. He has made a team-high 52 three-point field goals and averages a team-best 3.2 assists per game.
• Guard Michael Oguine averages 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
• Guard Walter Wright, who averages 10.5 points and 3.1 assists, shoots a Big Sky-leading .885 at the free throw line.
• Forward Fabijan Krslovic leads the team in rebounding (6.6), steals (35) and blocked shots (17).
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 12-12 this season, 8-3 at home, 4-9 on the road.
• PSU has lost six of its last seven games, including four in overtime.
• Portland State won five straight earlier this season (Dec. 13-29). It was the longest winning streak since winning six in a row late in the 2008-09 season.
• The Vikings' longest losing streak this season is four games.
 
WHO IS HOT?
• ON A ROLL: SR F De'Sean Parsons had another big game with 28 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot at Montana State. In his last five games, Parsons has averaged 26.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 48-85 (.565) from the field. He has taken over the team scoring lead (15.1) among active players.
• SHOOTING STAR: JR C Traylin Farris has shot 50% or better in each of his last 17 games. He shoots .619 from the field overall and ranks fourth in the Big Sky... Farris has only 16 turnovers in 22 games and 512 minutes of play for the season.
• BENCH SUPPORT: JR F Brandon Hollins has scored 20 points (7-11 FG, 6-7 FT) in 30 minutes off the bench in the last two games.
 
WHO IS NOT?
• The Vikings rank 11th in free throw percentage (.624) and last in three-point shooting (.309) in Big Sky games.
• PSU has been outrebounded by 8.9 per game in its 12 losses.
• The Vikings are 0-5 in overtime games.
• JR F Braxton Tucker has played in only five games due to knee issues. He had arthroscopy on his left knee on Jan. 5.
 
TASTY TIDBITS: A sampling of some unusual notes this season:
• A BAD TIME IN OVERTIME FOR THE VIKS: Portland State has played four overtime games in its last six starts, losing all four. For the season, the Vikings have played five overtime games and a total of eight overtime periods. Both are new school records... PSU played four overtime games in two other seasons (1998-99 and 2013-14)... Portland State has played in four triple-overtime games in its history (including a 130-124 loss at Eastern Washington on Feb. 4 this season), and one quadruple overtime game (a 92-91 win at Northern Arizona on Jan. 4, 2009).
• NUMBER 35: SR F De'Sean Parsons become the 18th different Viking player in history to score at least 35 points in a game with his performance at Eastern Washington (2/4). The feat has been accomplished 77 times with Freeman Williams doing it 41 times. Players have scored exactly 35 points on nine occasions. It is the eighth time in Portland State's Big Sky era that a player has scored 35 or more points.
• BURN POINTS: Portland State had an amazing 51 points off turnovers (or burn points) against North Dakota (12/29). That continued a season-long trend of burning opponents for their mistakes. The Vikings have scored 496 burn points this season (20.7 per game) to 287 for the opponents (11.9). That is a margin of +8.8 points per game.
• 100 WATCH: Portland State has had a number of meetings with the number 100 this season. Here are the highlights:
• Coach Tyler Geving won his 100th career game on Dec. 3 against UTRGV. Geving has the second-most career wins by a coach in PSU history (109).
• The Vikings have scored 100 or more points five times.
• SR G Zach Gengler played in his 100th career game on Jan. 19 against Montana. Gengler is on pace to finish his career among the top five in games played all-time at PSU. He has now played in 107 games... Gengler also has passed 100 career steals (109).
• SR G Calaen Robinson passed 100 career steals (117) and 100 career three-pointers (111).
• SR G Calaen Robinson passed 100 assists for the season (104).
 
TRENDING: Here is a look at some Viking trends:
• Portland State is 10-4 when scoring 80 or more points, 0-3 when scoring less than 70.
• The Vikings are 8-1 when leading at halftime, 2-9 when trailing, 2-2 when tied.
• PSU is 9-1 when shooting a higher percentage from the field than its opponents, 3-11 when being outshot.
 
IT TAKES A THIEF: Portland State set a school record for steals last season with 263 in 31 games (8.48). With 245  steals already this year (10.2), the Vikings are about to break that mark again.
• The Vikings currently rank third in the nation in steals.
• PSU has had nine or more steals in 19 games this season.
• SR G Zach Gengler tied a school record with eight steals in a win over Idaho State (2/9).
• SR G Calaen Robinson leads the Big Sky Conference and ranks eighth in the nation in steals (2.58) and set a career- high with six against North Dakota (12/29).
• Robinson ranks second all-time in steals at Portland State (117) and Gengler ranks sixth (109).
• Three Vikings rank in the top eight in steals in the Big Sky: Robinson, Gengler, and SR F De'Sean Parsons.
• PSU had a season-high 19 steals in a win over North Dakota (12/29).
 
BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS: Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in:
• Scoring, 86.5 points per game
• Assists, 16.2 per game
• Steals, 10.2 per game
• Turnover margin, +4.8
• Assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.4 (389/281)
• SR G Calaen Robinson leads in steals, 2.58
 
VIKINGS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS (top 30):
• Portland State ranks 3rd in steals per game, 10.2
• Portland State ranks 6th in turnover margin, +4.8
• Portland State ranks 7th in scoring, 86.5 per game
• Portland State ranks 14th in turnovers forced, 16.6
• Portland State ranks 22nd in assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.38
• Portland State ranks 24th in field goal percentage, .485
• SR G Calaen Robinson ranks 8th in steals, 2.58 per game