Complete notes and stats in pdf
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (13-13, 6-9) vs.
NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS (8-20, 5-10)
Saturday, February 25, 2017, 7:05 p.m. • Peter W. Stott Center (1,500), Portland, OR
Live Streaming Video and Audio: www.GoViks.com/Live • Pregame Show: 6:45 p.m. • Play-by-play: Tom Hewitt
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
THE OPENING TIP
Portland State will close down the Stott Center gym from a men's basketball perspective on Saturday night when it hosts Northern Arizona in its final home game of the season. The Vikings will be playing their last game in the current gym as the Viking Pavilion Construction is going full bore and will deliver a new arena to PSU in 2018 (PSU's women still have two home games next week for the final events before the current gym goes under construction as well).
That said, the question for the Vikings is, "have they got the ship turned in the right direction as the Big Sky Conference Tournament approaches?" PSU came away with a 93-86 win over Southern Utah on Thursday night to improve its record to 13-13 overall, 6-9 in the Big Sky. The Vikings had gone through a hard-luck stretch of losing seven of eight games - four in overtime - prior to that win. Three games remain, including Saturday's clash with the Lumberjacks, before the Big Sky Tournament commences in Reno on Mar. 7.
Northern Arizona (8-20, 5-10) picked up a road win at Sacramento State on Thursday, 73-69. The 'Jacks are only 2-11 on the road this season. However, they do have an earlier win over the Vikings (83-76 on Jan. 16 in Flagstaff).
Portland State carries a 9-3 home record into the game.
The Vikings are currently in eighth place in the 12-team Big Sky Conference. If the tournament were to begin today, PSU would face ninth-place Northern Arizona in a first-round game. That could still change as both teams have room to move up or down the standings depending on results of the final three games of the season.
Saturday will be Senior Night in a game sponsored by Papa John's. PSU will recognize five seniors playing in their final home game. The game will be live streamed at www.GoViks.com/Live. Live stats are available at www.ViksLive.com.
VIKINGS WILL RECOGNIZE FIVE SENIORS PLAYING FINAL HOME GAME
When the Vikings lace it up for the final time this Saturday at the Stott Center they will honor five seniors playing their final home game.
Portland State has three guards, starters
Zach Gengler and
Calaen Robinson and backup
Khari Holloway, and two forwards, starter
De'Sean Parsons and reserve
Montie Leunen, who are playing their final game at Stott.
Gengler has been a four-year member of the Vikings and an all-around contributor. So far, he has played in 109 games and started 65. He ranks among Portland State's all-time top five in games played and steals and top 10 in free throw percentage. This season, he averages 8.8 points, 2.4 assists and shoots 50% from the field and 84% at the line.
Robinson is a two-year starter for the Vikings at point guard. He has led the team in assists and three-pointers made both seasons. This year he averages 13.0 points, 4.1 assists and leads the Big Sky with 2.4 steals per game.
Holloway has played in nearly 50 games in his career, and has been the team's best free throw shooter over the past two seasons at 86%. This year he averages 4.2 points per game.
Parsons is also a two-year player for the Vikings. He has taken on a starting role this year and proceeded to lead the team in scoring (15.3) and rebounding (6.8).
Leunen, a walk-on, has spent three seasons in the program. His role has grown each year, and he has been known as the consummate teammate and an energy guy off the bench.
SATURDAY NIGHT IS FINAL GAME IN STOTT GYM FOR VIKING MEN
The Portland State men's basketball program will play its final game in the Stott Center gym on Saturday night when it faces Northern Arizona (the Viking women will play their final game on Mar. 3). The Viking program is 167-65 in home games at the Stott Center since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97 (also 31-15 at Memorial Coliseum and the Moda Center).
A home court for PSU Athletics since the fall of 1966, the Stott Center is undergoing an extensive restructure and remodel. The new Viking Pavilion, which will open in 2018, will feature a new 3,000+ seat arena on the east side of the building. Current construction has been going on for almost a year. PSU will play home games in 2017-18 off-campus at a site to be determined. The first full season in the Viking Pavilion will be in 2018-19.
With construction underway on the new Viking Pavilion, the Stott's main gym will go under contruction and be developed into a practice gym with adjacent office space. The weight room is the first portion of the new Viking Pavilion to be completed. In addition to the Pavilion arena and the practice gym, work will also be underway on the student-athlete academic center, training room, and locker room facility.
Stott Center abounds in basketball history as the home court of Freeman Williams, PSU basketball legend of the 1970's. Williams became the second all-time scorer in the history of men's college basketball (behind only Pete Maravich) with 3,249 points.
The Stott Center was also the site of three NCAA Division II Regional Championships in women's basketball (PSU hosted and won regional titles in 1992 and 1995) and wrestling.
PSU hosted (and won) the 1984, 1985 and 1992 NCAA II volleyball championships at the Stott Center.
More recently, Portland State men's basketball won two Big Sky Conference regular season titles while going undefeated on the Stott Center home court. The Vikings were 7-0 at home in conference games during 2004-05, and 8-0 at home in conference games in 2007-08. PSU was was 7-1 in conference home games in 2008-09 when they placed second in the Big Sky, then won the Conference Tournament and, again, advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
The Viking women won a Big Sky regular season title in 2010-11 and hosted the Big Sky Tournament at the Stott Center.
The Stott Center has also hosted the Big Sky Conference Volleyball Championship four times.
The Stott Center hosted a nationally-televised ESPNU game, in which PSU defeated Boise State, and several Big Sky Conference televised Games of the Week.
COMING UP
Portland State will complete the regular season next week with a trip to Northern Colorado (9-17/5-10, Mar. 2) and first-place North Dakota (17-8, 12-3, Mar. 4). The Vikings then head to Reno, NV for the Big Sky Conference Tournament beginning on Mar. 7 against an opponent to be determined.
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA
• ALL-TIME SERIES: The all-time series between the schools is tied 23-23... Northern Arizona leads the Big Sky Conference series, 22-21... Portland State leads the conference series in Portland, 15-6.
• Jan. 16 in Flagstaff, AZ, NAU 83, PSU 76: NAU's Mike Green hit a three-pointer with 32 seconds left to break a 76-76 tie. The Vikings had rallied from 11 down with 5:07 to play. The Lumberjacks outrebounded the Vikings, 51-26. Green led all scorers with 26 points, hitting 6-9 three-pointers, and also grabbed nine rebounds.
De'Sean Parsons had 19 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Vikings.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach
Tyler Geving (110-130/8th season) is 4-10 all-time against the Lumberjacks... Northern Arizona Head Coach Jack Murphy (62-98/5th year) is 4-2 all-time against Portland State.
NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS
• Northern Arizona, located in Flagstaff, joined the Big Sky Conference in 1970.
• The Lumberjacks have won four Big Sky Conference regular season championships, two Big Sky Tournament titles and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• NAU is 8-20 this season, 5-10 in the Big Sky. The Lumberjacks are 2-11 on the road.
• Senior forward Jordyn Martin is the team's leading scorer (13.0) and rebounder (8.8). Martin ranks second in the Big Sky in rebounding.
• Guard Mike Green averages 11.5 points per game. Marcus DeBerry averages 10.3 points and has a team-high 77 assists. Both players have made 54 three-point field goals this season to lead the 'Jacks.
• Northern Arizona ranks last in the Big Sky Conference in scoring at 68.8 points per game, and last in field goal percentage at .401.
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 13-13 this season, 9-3 at home, 4-10 on the road.
• 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.
Stott Stuff
• PSU has gone 167-65 in 232 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 198-80 at home over 21 seasons.
• Portland State is 74-36 at home in eight seasons under
Tyler Geving.
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 111-39 at home, including 64-32 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• Portland State has lost only eight non-conference home games in the last 10 seasons (45-8). PSU is 25-8 against Division I schools, and 20-0 against lower division schools over that span.
WHO IS HOT?
• ON A ROLL: SR F
De'Sean Parsons has averaged 23.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game over the last seven contests. He has taken over the team scoring lead (15.3) among active players.
• BENCH SUPPORT: Portland State 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists from SR G
Khari Holloway, JR G
Bryce Canda and JR F
Brandon Hollins in Thursday's win over Southern Utah. Holloway had a career-high 15 points. The trio made 13-20 shots from the field and 6-9 three-pointers.
• JR C
Traylin Farris has shot 50% or better from the field in 21 of 25 games played this season. He shoots .607 overall.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS: Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in:
• Scoring, 86.6 points per game
• Assists, 16.2 per game
• Steals, 9.8 per game
• Turnover margin, +4.7
• Assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.4 (421/310)
• SR G
Calaen Robinson leads in steals, 2.4
