Boxscore - HTM | PDF
 
Boise, ID –  Portland State's late-season run came to a screeching halt on Thursday at the Big Sky Conference Tournament. The Vikings, tied with Weber State at halftime, couldn't find their shooting touch in the second half and lost, 81-71.
 
Portland State entered the Big Sky Tournament having won seven of its last eight games. The only loss came on a buzzer-beating shot on the road. Meanwhile, Weber State had stumbled into the tourney, losing four of five games and eight of its previous 12. But the teams switched roles in this game.

PSU simply wasn't productive enough on offense to match the Wildcats. The Vikings shot a mere .343 from the field for the game, including only 10-37 after halftime (.270). With 18 turnovers added on it wasn't the Vikings' night.
 
WSU shot .464 from the field and made 23-31 at the line (.742).

"Give Weber State a lot of credit," said Viking Coach Barret Peery. "We've had absolute battles with them for the past two years and tonight was no different. In the second half they got that gap on us and we had an uphill battle. Our guys fought tremendously to the very end and I was proud of our group and how they competed."

The win advances the Wildcats (18-14) to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals on Friday against top-seeded Montana (24-8). Portland State's season ends at an even 16-16.

First team All-Big Sky guard Jerrick Harding struck early and often for the Wildcats. He scored 14 of Weber State's first 19 points and kept his team close. Then an 8-2 run by the Wildcats, with a pair of jump shots by Cody John, put them on top 28-21. A few moments later, Brekkot Chapman made back-to-back three-pointers and Weber State had the largest lead of the half at 34-26 with 3:42 to go.
 
The Vikings rallied back to tie it by halftime with an eight-point run. Jamie Orme scored six of the eight with a three-pointer, a put-back layin and a free throw making it 34-34 at intermission.
 
A seven-point run out of halftime got the Wildcats back on top 41-34. A few minutes later the Wildcats went on an 13-0 run and suddenly the Vikings trailed 56-38 with 11 minutes to play.
 
Unfortunately for the Vikings, they couldn't take the lid off the basket. PSU battled to the end, but got no closer than eight points in the final minute.
PSU's trademark rebounding game was intact. The Vikings won the glass, 52-34, including 23 offensive boards. That couldn't make up for a poor shooting night though.

"We just couldn't shoot the ball well enough tonight. We were 4-23 from the three-point line. We also had 23 offensive rebounds which is tremendous, we just had a hard time finishing around the rim," said Peery.

Harding finished with a game-high 23 points to lead five Wildcats in double figures. John added 17 points and hit some key baskets down the stretch.

Woods had 19 points and five assists to lead the Vikings, but made only 6-20 from the field, hitting 6-6 at the free throw line. Orme scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

"We just had a struggle shooting the ball," Woods said. "They went to a zone to try to slow us down a little bit. They didn't stop us from doing what we wanted to do, we just couldn't get it to fall."

GAME NOTES: Robert McCoy led PSU with 12 rebounds… Rashaad Goolsby came off the bench for nine points and eight rebounds… the game marked the fourth straight season that PSU has been knocked out in the quarterfinal round of the Big Sky Tournament… the Vikings are 12-14 all-time in the Big Sky Tournament, including 0-7 against Weber State... PSU and WSU split the season series, with each winning on the others' home court. Weber State won an overtime game, 95-88, in Portland, while the Vikings won in Ogden, 76-75.