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PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (15-10, 5-7) vs. WEBER STATE WILDCATS (17-7, 10-2)
Thursday, February 15, 2018, 8 p.m. • Lewis and Clark College (2,300), Portland, OR
Live Video and Audio: www.WatchBigSky.com, www.Pluto.tv 
Play-by-Play: Tom Hewitt
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
Complete Notes and Stats in pdf

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THE OPENING TIP
There is still a lot to be accomplished for the Portland State Vikings with six games remaining in the Big Sky Conference schedule and the Big Sky Tournament still ahead. 
           
The Vikings (15-10, 5-7) play four of their final six games at home with a realistic chance to move up in the standings for better tournament seeding. Although the Vikings have been in eighth place in the 12-team league for the past couple of weeks, the middle of the Big Sky standings have bunch up considerably. The five teams between fourth and eighth place are all within two games of one another. That means the Vikings are 1/2 game out of seventh, one game out of sixth, 1 1/2 games out of fifth, and just two games behind fourth-place Eastern Washington. 
           
Long story short, some wins in upcoming games will definitely help the Viking cause (particularly against Saturday's opponent Idaho State, 6-6). It may be a stretch to think the Vikings could still get to fourth place and a first-round bye in the Big Sky Tournament, but it is not out of the realm of possibility, and a home-heavy stretch run should help.
 
Current Big Sky Conference Standings (upcoming opponents)
Montana, 13-0
Weber State, 10-2 (vs. PSU, 2/15)
Idaho, 9-3
Eastern Washington, 7-5
Northern Colorado, 7-6 (vs. PSU, 3/1)
Idaho State, 6-6 (vs. PSU, 2/17)
Montana State, 6-7
Portland State, 5-7
Southern Utah, 4-8 (PSU @ SUU, 2/22)
Sacramento State, 3-9
North Dakota, 3-10 (vs. PSU 3/3)
Northern Arizona, 1-11 (PSU @ NAU, 2/24)
 
The toughest of Portland State's final six opponents comes to town on Thursday when the Vikings host Weber State (17-7, 10-2). The Wildcats are comfortably in second place in the Big Sky and have won seven straight games.
           
In a quirk of scheduling created by the Big Sky's unbalanced format, the Wildcats have not played first-place Montana, third-place Idaho or fourth-place Eastern Washington (yet). Meanwhile, the Vikings have not faced ninth-place Southern Utah, 11th-place North Dakota or 12th-place Northern Arizona (yet). So, despite being five-games apart in the standings, maybe the teams are a little closer than they appear.
           
That is not to suggest that the Wildcats are not a formidable opponent. They beat the Vikings, 84-79, on Jan. 20 in Ogden. And, they can boast the most efficient offense in the Big Sky, ranking first in scoring margin (+11.3), field goal percentage (.502), free throw percentage (.772) and three-point percentage (.419), and second in scoring (79.9) and three-point field goals made (9.0). And, they play excellent defense, ranking third in scoring defense (68.6), second in field goal percentage defense (.415) and first in three-point field goal defense (.311) and blocked shots (3.9).
           
What all that adds up to is the Wildcats are the complete package as they to take on the Vikings. History is also on Weber State's side as it has won five in a row and 12 of the last 14 against PSU.
           
Portland State has a 6-3 home record this season, but only 2-3 in Big Sky home games. Weber State is 4-3 on the road, 4-1 in Big Sky road games.
           
The Vikings took an 80-77 win in their last outing, a road game at Montana State last Saturday. SR G Bryce Canda hit a three-pointer with 18.9 seconds left to provide the difference. PSU came back from a 10-point deficit to pick up the win. It marked PSU's seventh second-half come-from-behind win this season, fifth on the road, and third by double-digits. Canda led the Vikings with 18 points while SR F Brandon Hollins scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
           
Thursday's game with Weber State tips off at 8 p.m. at Lewis and Clark College's Pamplin Sports Center. A live video stream is available at www.WatchBigSky.com and www.Pluto.tv. Live stats are available at www.ViksLive.com.
 
COMING UP
The Vikings host Idaho State on Saturday at Lewis and Clark at 1 p.m. PSU beat the Bengals 87-83 in Pocatello on Jan. 18. 
           
Next week, Portland State has its final road trip of the season, playing at Southern Utah (Feb. 22) and Northern Arizona (Feb. 24). The Vikings close out the season at home, hosting Northern Colorado (Mar. 1) and North Dakota (Mar. 3). The Big Sky Conference Tournament runs Mar. 6-10 in Reno, NV.
           
All Viking home games take place at Lewis and Clark College this season as construction on the new Viking Pavilion is being completed. Thursday games tip at 8 p.m. with Saturday games at 1 p.m.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. WEBER STATE
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Weber State leads the all-time series, 38-13, and the Big Sky Conference series, 34-13, including 6-0 in Big Sky Tournament games... PSU leads the series, 11-10, in Big Sky games played in Portland.... WSU has won five in a row and 12 of the last 14 games in the series.
• Jan. 20 in Ogden, Weber State 84, PSU 79: A Portland State come back fell just short. PSU trailed by 11 with seven minutes to play, but trailed by two and had the ball in the final 30 seconds of the game. The Vikings did not convert and lost their fourth conference game. Poor shooting (.377 FG, .222 3-pt FG) was costly for the Vikings. SR G Deontae North had 22 points and nine rebounds. SR C Ryan Edwards posted his second straight double-double (12 pts, 10 reb, 4 blk). The Wildcats had six players in double figures, led by 17 points each from Ryan Richardson and Ricky Nelson.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Barret Peery is in his first season on the Park Blocks. His only other head coaching experience is at the junior college level where he was 178-30 in six seasons (2005-08, College of Southern Idaho;  2011-14, Indian Hills (IA) CC)... the Wildcats are coached by Randy Rahe in his 12th season. He is 245-134 all-time, including 19-5 against the Vikings.
 
WEBER STATE WILDCATS
• Weber State is an original member of the Big Sky Conference and the most successful. The Wildcats have won 22 regular season Big Sky titles and 10 Big Sky Tournament titles. They have made 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Wildcats were 20-14 last season, 12-6 and tied for third in the Big Sky. Three starters and seven letterwinners return from that team.
• Weber State was picked to place second in both the Big Sky Conference Coaches and Media preseason polls.
• This season, the Wildcats have built a 17-7 record, 10-2 in the Big Sky Conference. The have won seven straight games, 10 of their last 11 and 13 of the last 15. 
• Weber State is the Big Sky's top shooting team, leading the league in field goal percentage (.502), three-point percentage (.419) and free throw percentage (.772).
• Sophomore guard Jerrick Harding leads the Big Sky Conference in scoring at 21.9 points per game. He shoots .551 from the field, .449 from three-point range and .881 at the line.
• Senior guard Ryan Richardson averages 13.5 points and has made 69 three-point field goals (.418).
• Junior center Zach Braxton averages 12.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and shoots .583 from the field to lead the Big Sky. Braxton was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 23.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in two wins last week.
• Junior forward Brekkot Chapman averages 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and has a team-leading 36 blocked shots.
• Senior guard Dusty Baker is the top three-point shooter (.471) and assist leader (3.8) on the team.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES 
• Portland State is 15-10 this season, 6-3 at home, 8-5 on the road, 1-2 at neutral sites.
• In Big Sky Conference games, PSU is 5-7 (2-3 at home, 3-4 on the road). 
• The Vikings have won two of their last three games. 
• PSU is 6-4 in games decided by five points or less.
Home Court(s)
• With the addition of Lewis and Clark's Pamplin Sports Center as a home court in 2017-18, Portland State has now had four home courts in its 22-season existence in the Big Sky Conference and at Division I. Here is the breakdown: 
  - Peter W. Stott Center - 233 games, 168-65
  - Rose Garden (Moda Center) - 28 games, 19-9
  - Memorial Coliseum - 19 games, 13-6
  - Lewis and Clark - 8 games, 5-3
  - 22 seasons - 288 games, 205-83 at home overall 
• Since the start of the 2006-07 season, PSU is 118-44 at home, including 69-36 in Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament games.
• Portland State has lost only eight non-conference home games in the last 11 seasons (49-8). PSU is 26-8 against Division I schools, and 23-0 against lower division schools over that span.
Big Sky Battles
• Portland State is 180-195 all-time in all Big Sky Conference games, including the Big Sky Tournament (11-12). 
• PSU is 118-61 in home games, 57-125 in road games and 5-9 in neutral-site games.
 
WHO IS HOT
• JR G Derek Brown set career highs with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists at Montana. He followed that with eight points and three rebounds at Montana State.
• SR G Bryce Canda broke out of a shooting slump at Montana State, scoring a team-high 18 points (6-10 FG, 4-7 3-pt, 2-2 FT). His three-pointer with 18.9 seconds left in the game provided the difference in an 80-77 win.
• SR F Brandon Hollins had perhaps his best game as a Viking at Montana State, scoring 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-6 FT) and tying his career high with 14 rebounds. He also made three steals in 29 minutes. It was Hollins' third double-double of the season. 
• FR G Holland Woods had 10 assists at Montana State for his fourth double-digit assist game of the season. With 143 assists so far this season, he already ranks seventh-best for a season in PSU history.
 
WHO IS NOT
• In Portland State's seven Big Sky losses, it has been easy to point at shooting as the downfall. PSU has shot .384 from the field and .252 from three-point range in seven Big Sky losses. PSU has shot .505 from the field in five Big Sky wins.
• Portland State averages 22.8 fouls per game, ranking 347th in the nation (among 351).
 
THE COMEBACK: Portland State's come-from-behind victory at Montana State marked the seventh time this season that Portland State has erased a second-half deficit (three by double digits) and pulled out a win. Five of those have been on the road, two at Memorial Coliseum. Here is a list of the comebacks: 
• Beat Portland, 80-75, on Nov. 11 (R) - trailed by seven with 2:33 remaining.
• Beat Utah State, 83-79, at Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 20 - trailed by three with 7:16 remaining.
• Beat Stanford, 87-78, at Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 26 - trailed by 11 with 18:10 remaining (trailed by 14 in first half).
• Beat Santa Clara, 87-84, on Dec. 9 (R) - trailed by 17 with 14:51 remaining/trailed by 10 with 7:08 remaining.
• Beat Idaho, 73-72, on Jan. 6 (R) - trailed by five with 2:59 left.
• Beat Idaho State, 87-83, on Jan. 18 (R) - trailed by 16 with 18:30 remaining.
• Beat Montana State, 80-77, on Feb. 10 (R) - trailed by 10 with 12:12 remaining.
 
THE ROAD - NOT AS ROUGH AS IT SEEMS: Portland State is 8-5 in road games this season (3-4 in Big Sky road games). That is the most road wins for a Viking team in 22 seasons in the Big Sky Conference except for the two NCAA Tournament teams (2007-08, 10-9; 2008-09, 11-9).
 
MORE ABOUT WINS: With 15 wins so far this season, the Vikings now rank eighth in the win column in 22 seasons as a Big Sky member (with at least seven games remaining). Here is a list of PSU's Big Sky teams with the most wins:
 
Most wins in a season, Big Sky era:
2007-08: 23-10
2008-09: 23-10
2004-05: 19-9
2006-07: 19-13
1998-99: 17-11
2011-12: 17-15
2013-14: 17-15
2017-18: 15-10 
(PSU also had 15 win seasons in 1997-98 (15-12), 1999-2000 (15-14), 2014-15 (15-14) and 2016-17 (15-16)
 
PUTTING THE BISCUIT IN THE BASKET: Portland State is averaging 86.8 points per game this season. That is the most by a Viking team since 1976-77 (91.0) when Freeman Williams trod the (former) Stott Center hardwood. Here is a look at PSU's top scoring averages in 22 seasons as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
 
Year              PPG
2017-18         86.8
2016-17         85.3
1998-99         79.1
2006-07         78.2
  
OTHER TASTY TIDBITS
• GAME-WINNERS: When FR G Holland Woods hit a game-winning shot with 0.6 points left against Idaho (73-72) it marked the first time a PSU player has made a clincher in the final five seconds of a game since Feb. 27, 2016. On that date, Calaen Robinson made a three-pointer with two seconds left to win at Northern Colorado, 89-86. 
• TRIPLE THE FUN: Portland State is averaging 9.4 three-point field goals made per game. The school record is 9.6 per game set in 2008-09... PSU's 41 three-point attempts against Linfield were a school record (previous 39). The 18 three-pointers made came up just short of the record (21)... 11 different players have made a three-pointer this season.
• BEST RECORDS: Earlier this season, Portland State matched its best four-game (4-0), five-game (4-1), nine-game (7-2), 10-game (8-2), 11-game (8-3), 12-game (9-3), 13-game (10-3) and 14-game (10-4) records in 22 seasons as a member of the Big Sky Conference.
• IT'S A TEAM GAME: Portland State has had a total of 100 double-figure scorers through 25 games (4.0 per game)... Eight players are averaging 6.2 points or more and three average in double figures... 10 players are averagdouble figures in minutes... 10 players have made starts... there have been 12 different starting lineups... only SR G Bryce Canda has started every game.
• WEST COAST DOMINANCE: Portland State went 3-0 against its three West Coast Conference opponents this season (Portland, Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara)... PSU was 2-1 against the Pac-12 (W - Stanford, W - Cal, L - Oregon)... the Vikings are also 1-0 against the Big West and 1-0 against the Mountain West... that made them 7-1 against teams from other Division I basketball conferences in the west.
• INJURY AND ILLNESS: Besides the opponent, the Portland State basketball team has been battling injury and illness all season. The Vikings have lost 49 player games by seven different players due to injury and illness this season. They are: Brendan Rumel (16), Braxton Tucker (16), Traylin Farris (8), Brandon Hollins (4), Jamie Orme (3), Ryan Edwards (1) and Deontae North (1).
 
BIG SKY LEADERS: The Vikings lead the Big Sky Conference in:
• Scoring, 86.8
• Steals, 10.4
• Assists, 16.8
• Turnover Margin, +6.5
• Assist-to-Turnover Ratio, 1.3
• Offensive Rebounds, 14.2
• 3-pt FG Made, 9.4
• Assists, Holland Woods, 5.7
• Blocked Shots, Ryan Edwards, 1.83 pg