Boxscore – HTM | PDF

Reno, NV –  When the league's best team got off to a torrid start in the game, it was simply too much to overcome. The Portland State Vikings battled valiantly, but uphill all afternoon, losing 95-72 to North Dakota in a Big Sky Conference Tournament quarterfinal round game at Reno Events Center.
 
Portland State, the eighth-seed in the tournament, beat Northern Arizona on Tuesday earning the right to play Big Sky regular season champion North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks were ready for the battle, scoring 38 points in the opening 12 minutes and never looking back.
 
North Dakota made 12 of its first 14 shots from the field, hitting five three pointers. Corey Baldwin made four of those threes for a quick 12 points.
 
North Dakota grew its lead to 49-23 with 4:22 left in the half. But the Vikings still had some fight, scoring the last 12 points before intermission. Bryce Canda hit back-to-back three pointers in the final minute and PSU had pulled within 49-35.
 
The Fighting Hawks missed their last six field goal attempts of the half, but still shot .594. Baldwin made 5-6 three-pointers for 15 points to lead UND.
 
Canda scored a tip-in basket to open the second half and close the Viking deficit to 49-37. But that was as close as PSU would get. North Dakota hit another hot stretch, making 9-11 from the field. Soon the Fighting Hawks were ahead by 28, 85-57, with just under five minutes to play.
 
North Dakota, now 20-9 on the year, shot a .559 from the field, made 11-20 three-point shots (.550) and 18-19 at the free throw line (.947). Baldwin finished with a game-high 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. He made 6-7 three-pointers. Quinton Hooker scored 17 points with seven assists. There were six Fighting Hawks that scored in double figures.
 
"Credit to North Dakota. They came out and shared the ball and it was unbelievable the way they shot the ball. I don't think our defense was that bad. North Dakota was focused," said Viking Coach Tyler Geving.
 
"Our guys came back and made a run, but I don't know if we had much juice after that first 10 minutes. I picked North Dakota number one at the beginning of the year. They are really talented and played extremely well, so it's not a surprise."
 
The Vikings shot 28-70 from the floor (.400), and made only 3-21 from three-point range (.143). Canda led the Vikings with 12 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. Deontae North scored 11 points off the bench.
 
Portland State finishes the season at 15-16 overall. 
 
GAME NOTES: Traylin Farris started despite badly spraining his right ankle in Tuesday's game. He was only able to play 11 minutes, scoring four points with six rebounds and two blocked shots… Zach Gengler finished his four-year career playing in 114 games, fourth-most in school history. He also ranks third all-time in steals (119) and in the top 10 in free throw percentage… Calaen Robinson finished his career as PSU's all-time leader in steals (126)… Portland State and North Dakota split the regular season series. PSU won in Portland, 99-72, on Dec. 29, and lost in Grand Forks, 82-73, on Mar. 4... North Dakota advances to a Big Sky Conference semifinal against the winner of the Montana-Idaho game.