Boxscore – PDF
 
San Jose, CA – Defensive pressure and rebounding allowed Portland State to get the offense it had been looking for in the early season, leading to a 91-76 win at San Jose State. The Vikings took advantage of 20 forced turnovers and 19 offensive rebounds to pick up their first road win of the year.
 
Senior guard Matt Hauser scored a career-high 24 points as he led six Vikings in double figures. Portland State improved to 2-3 on the season with the win.
 
It was a convincing win for PSU as the Vikings led for all 40 minutes. And it came in a somewhat unlikely scenario. Portland State was without the services of starting center Sal Nuhu, who was nursing an ankle sprain. That appeared to create a daunting proposition for PSU as the Spartans start a front line that is 6-10, 6-9, 6-9.
 
Size didn't matter though, as the Vikings full-court pressure created multiple opportunities on offense. San Jose State turned the ball over 20 times in the game, leading to 22 Viking points. In addition, PSU had a season-high 27 fast break points in the game.
 
"They were really big but our guys responded and did a good job around the glass," said Viking Coach Barret Peery. "We turned them over 20 times and had 19 offensive rebounds. That's how we play."
 
Peery also liked how the Vikings shared the ball: "Our 24 assists on 35 made baskets is just awesome though. That has been a big emphasis for us the last few days in practice," he said.
 
Portland State jumped to a quick 6-0 lead and stayed in front from there. The Vikings, despite their size disadvantage, out-rebounded and out-shot the Spartans.
 
Hauser made a pair of three-pointers getting 12 in the half to lead the Vikings. Rashaad Goolsby, making his first start of the season in place of Nuhu, had seven points and seven rebounds.
 
The Vikings led 40-30 at the break. If not for SJSU's Zach Chappell scoring 13 points, including 3-3 from distance, the Viking lead may have been bigger.
 
Up 54-45 in the second half, the Vikings reeled off a 15-point run over a four-minute span. Strong defense ignited the rally as four different Vikings made steals. Holland Woods had five points at the start of the run, and Hauser finished it off, sandwiching a three-pointer between a pair of fastbreak driving layins.
 
That gave PSU and insurmountable 69-45 edge with 8:50 to play.
 
In addition to Hauser's performance, Woods had a big game with 18 points and a season-high 11 assists. Goolsby scored 10 points with a game-high 10 rebounds and five steals. Alonzo Walker scored 13 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots.
 
Both Markus Golder and Chris Whitaker had 10 points for the Vikings.
 
"This win was a good one for us. Everybody really contributed," said Peery.
 
While the Vikings shot a modest .443 from the field, their defense and offensive rebounding created 16 more shot attempts than the Spartans.
 
Richard Washington finished with 18 points and eight rebounds to lead San Jose State. The Spartans saw their two-game winning streak stopped as they dropped to 3-3 on the season.
 
GAME NOTES: Goolsby matched his career highs with 10 rebounds and five steals… Woods' made three steals, increasing his career total to 113, which ranks fifth all-time at Portland State… PSU ended a four-game road losing streak, dating to last season… this was the first meeting between the schools since the 2007-08 season. SJSU leads the all-time series, 4-2… playing the first of four in a row on the road, the Vikings move on to play Grambling State on Tuesday in a neutral site game. The contest takes place on the campus of UC Santa Barbara beginning at noon.