PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (14-14, 8-8) vs. IDAHO STATE BENGALS (6-19, 3-13)

Thursday, February 27, 2020, 6 p.m. PT • Reed Gym (3,040), Pocatello, ID
Television: None
Live Stream: Pluto TV Channel 543, pluto.tv, WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
Complete notes and stats in pdf

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THE OPENING TIP

With just a single game and a little bit of help, the Portland State Vikings come off one of their best weeks of the Big Sky Conference season. The Vikings beat then fourth-place Montana State, 87-77, then got some help when Montana beat MSU on Saturday. The result was the Vikings vaulted from seventh place into a tie for fifth, hopping over Southern Utah and evening its record with the Bobcats at 8-8 in league. Since PSU has the tie-breaker advantage over Montana State by virtue of a season sweep, the Vikings are currently the number-five seed in the Big Sky, which would give them a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
     
Now Portland State needs to make that move stand up. The Vikings (14-14, 8-8) go on the road this week, playing at Idaho State (6-19, 3-13) on Thursday, then Weber State (11-16, 7-9) on Saturday. PSU beat both of those teams at home in January. With four games remaining before the Big Sky Tournament, PSU is one-half game behind fourth-place Northern Arizona (9-8). The Vikings can reach fourth but are not likely to go higher in the standings as they would need to win four and get Northern Colorado to lose four to create a potential tie for third. The goal for the Vikings is to simply win games and try to remain in fifth or better.
     
With the victory over MSU, Portland State has won two in a row and four of its last six games overall. The Vikings have been potent offensively, scoring 81 or more points in five of those six games, and shooting 52% from the field over the past four. JR G Holland Woods had 22 points in the Vikings' win over Montana State last Thursday. SR C Sal Nuhu came up big with 12 points, 11 rebounds, four blocked shots, three steals and three assists.
     
This Thursday at ISU will be the Vikings' first road game since Feb. 10. PSU is 4-11 on the road overall, 2-6 in Big Sky games.
     
Idaho State enters the game having lost 11 in a row. The Bengals are 4-8 at home this season. PSU beat ISU, 82-76, in Portland on Jan. 18. 
     
Thursday's game with Idaho State is a 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT tip-off. The game will be live streamed on Pluto TV Channel 543, www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com. Live statistics can be found at www.ViksLive.com.
 
Portland State's road trip continues with a Saturday night game at Weber State. PSU wraps up the regular season at home hosting Northern Arizona (Mar. 5) and Sacramento State (Mar. 7).
 

IF THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY...

The Big Sky Conference Tournament takes place Mar. 11-14 at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, ID. First-round games are on Wednesday, March 11. The top five teams in league play earn a bye into the quarterfinals on Thursday. Last season, the Vikings tied for fourth place and opened against Weber State in a quarterfinal game.
     
There are four games to go in the Big Sky regular season. The Vikings are currently tied for fifth place with Montana State at 8-8. Since PSU swept the Bobcats in the season series, the Vikings would be the number five seed. If the Big Sky Tournament began today, Portland State would be playing fourth-place Northern Arizona (9-8) in a quarterfinal round game. A win in that game would set up a semifinal contest against an opponent to be determined.
 

THE UPCOMING BIG SKY SCHEDULE

• 1. Montana (13-3) - 2/27 at NAU, 2/29 at SAC, 3/5 UNC, 3/7 SUU
• t2. Eastern Washington (12-4) - 2/27 at SUU, 2/29 at UNC, 3/5 ISU, 3/7 WSU
• t2. Northern Colorado (12-4) - 2/27 UI, 2/29 EWU, 3/5 at UM, 3/7 at MSU
• 4. Northern Arizona (9-8) - 2/27 UM, 2/29 MSU, 3/5 at PSU
• t5. Portland State (8-8) - 2/27 at ISU, 2/29 at WSU, 3/5 NAU, 3/7 SAC
• t5. Montana State (8-8) -2/27 at SAC, 2/29 at NAU, 3/5 SUU, 3/7 UNC
• 7. Southern Utah (7-9) - 2/27 EWU, 2/29 UI, 3/5 at MSU, 3/7 at UM
• t8. Weber State (7-9) - 2/29 PSU, 3/2 ISU, 3/5 at UI, 3/7 at EWU
• t8. Sacramento State (7-10) - 2/27 MSU, 2/29 UM, 3/7 at PSU
• t10. Idaho (3-13) - 2/27 at UNC, 2/29 at SUU, 3/5 WSU, 3/7 ISU
• t10. Idaho State (3-13) - 2/27 PSU, 3/2 at WSU, 3/5 at EWU, 3/7 at UI

 

2020 Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Championship Schedule

Wednesday, March 11, 2020, live streamed on Pluto TV, WatchBigSky.com

• Game 1 – No. 8 Seed vs. No. 9 Seed, 9:30 a.m.          
• Game 2 – No. 7 Seed vs. No. 10 Seed, Noon
• Game 3 – No. 6 Seed vs. No. 11 Seed, 2:30 p.m.

 

Thursday, March 12, 2020, live streamed on Pluto TV, WatchBigSky.com

• Game 4 – No. 1 Seed vs. Game 1 Winner, Noon         
• Game 5 – No. 4 Seed vs. No. 5 Seed, 2:30 p.m.
• Game 6 – No. 2 Seed vs. Game 2 Winner, 5:30 p.m.
• Game 7 – No. 3 Seed vs. Game 3 Winner, 8 p.m.

 

Friday, March 13, 2020, televised on Eleven Sports, live streamed on Pluto TV

• Game 8 – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner (Semifinals), 5:30 p.m.
• Game 9 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner (Semifinals), 8 p.m.

 

Saturday, March 14, 2020, televised on ESPNU

• Game 10 – Championship Game, 6 p.m.

 
All times listed are Mountain
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. IDAHO STATE

• THE SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series with Idaho State, 34-21, and the Big Sky Conference series, 30-17... Idaho State leads 12-10 in Big Sky games played in Pocatello... the Vikings have won two in a row and five of the last six overall.
• Jan. 18, 2020 at Viking Pavilion, PSU 82, ISU 76: An 18-6 run to open the second half gave Portland State breathing room to pull off the win. The Vikings led for 38 minutes and never trailed in the game. PSU forced 18 Bengal turnovers and converted them into 27 points. Markus Golder scored a season-high 18 points to lead the Vikings. Chier Maker had 22 points for the Bengals.
• THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COURT: Portland State SR F Alonzo Walker will go up against his former team when the Vikings play the Bengals. Walker played at Idaho State in 2018-19, completed his degree and became a graduate transfer at PSU. Last season for the Bengals, Walker averaged 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds. Now playing as a Viking, Walker has started 25 games, averaging 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. He had 11 points and four rebounds in PSU's win over the Bengals on Jan. 18.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Barret Peery (Southern Utah, 1996) is in his third season on the Park Blocks and has a 50-44 career record. Peery is 4-1 all-time against Idaho State... Peery's 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 Bengals are coached Ryan Looney (Eastern Oregon, 1998), one of four first-year coaches in the Big Sky Conference. He is 0-1 against the Vikings.

 

IDAHO STATE BENGALS

• Idaho State University is an original member of the Big Sky Conference. The Bengals have won two Big Sky regular season titles, two Big Sky tournament titles and made 11 appearances all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Bengals were 11-19 last season, 7-13 and 10th place in the Big Sky Conference. Three starters and eight letterwinners return from that team.
• This season, the Bengals are 6-19 overall, 3-13 in the Big Sky Conference. They have lost 11 games in a row. The Bengals average 68.9 points per game and allow 71.9. They shoot .451 from the field but only .651 at the free throw line. Opponents shoot .483/.740 against them.
• Guard Tarik Cool leads the team with 12.6 points and 3.2 assists per game.
• Center Chier Maker averages 11.2 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds. He has made a team-high 45 three-point field goals.
• Malik Porter (10.8) and Jared Stutzman (10.5) also score in double figures.

 

SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES

WINNING LINES

• Portland State is 14-14 on the season, 9-3 at home, 4-11 on the road and 1-0 in neutral site games.
• The Vikings have won their last two home games.
• The Vikings won their last road game.
• PSU has won two in a row and four of the last six overall.
• With 14 wins, PSU now has double-digit wins in 16 of the last 17 seasons... the Vikings have won at least 14 in 12 of those seasons.
• Last season, PSU was 14-14 after 28 games.

 

WHO IS HOT

• PSU OFFENSE: Portland State has been shooting and scoring at its best rate of the season. The Vikings have scored 81 or more points in six of the last seven games. They averaged 88.5 in two home wins last week. PSU had its best shooting percentage of the season (32-56, .571) in the win at Northern Colorado (2/10), and its second-best free throw percentage (18-20, .900)... the Vikings followed with a strong shooting performances against Eastern Washington (28-57, .491, 8-16 3-pt, .500), Idaho (34-67, .507) and Montana State (29-56, .518, 9-21 3-pt .429, 20-23 FT, .870)... the Vikings have shot .521 over the last four games.

• PSU DEFENSE: The Vikings forced 55 turnovers in the last three games (18.3), scoring 65 points off turnovers (21.7)... they had 41 steals in the three games (13.7), including 10 by JR G Holland Woods.
• With three blocked shots against Idaho, SR C Sal Nuhu has moved into fourth place on Portland State's career shot-blocking list. He had four more against Montana State and now has 110 in two seasons... with a 2.2 average he leads the Big Sky Conference.
• Nuhu had his fourth double-double in Big Sky Conference play, and fifth of the season with 12 points, 11 rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and three steals in the win over Montana State.
• JR G Holland Woods has moved into the Big Sky lead for steals with 57 (2.0).

 

WHO IS NOT

• Portland State is allowing the most points (76.6) in Big Sky Conference games this season (but also scoring the most at 76.5).

 

BOO BOO IS REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK

Portland State point guard Holland "Boo Boo" Woods has set three new Portland State records this season, and now holds four in his career.

• Woods passed the PSU career record for assists in a Dec. 28 win against Northern Colorado. He currently ranks 10th in Big Sky Conference history in assists.
• His second Portland State career record came in a win at Montana State on Jan. 11 when he eclipsed the steals mark. Appropriately enough, he scored 30 points and hit the game-winning shot with 2.4 seconds left in that game.
• Against Montana (1/30), Woods made 21-21 free throws to establish a new school and Big Sky record for most free throws made in a game without a miss. They were also school records for most attempted and most made in a game. Woods finished with a career-high 39 points in the win.
• Ironically, Woods now holds records for free throw and field goal shooting in a game at PSU. His previous record came his freshman season, when he went 10-10 in a win over Eastern Washington (2/3/18), to set a PSU mark for most field goals in a game without a miss. 
• In addition, Woods became the 19th Viking in history to pass 1,000 career points. He now has 1,304 points to rank in a tie for fifth all-time. Woods has scored more points than any Viking in the past 15 years.
•  

BOO BOO, PART TWO

A few more highlights from Holland Woods:

• Ranks fifth in the Big Sky in scoring (17.2), second in assists (5.1), fifth in free throw percentage (.845) and first in steals (2.0).
• Has led the team in scoring 12 times and has 11 games of 20 or more points, including two games with 30+ points.
• Boo Boo has led the team in assists 22 times this season and in 74 of 93 career games.
• Made 27 straight free throws at one point this season.

 

TRIPLE THREAT

SR G Matt Hauser has become the Vikings' top three-point shooting threat.

• Hauser is averaging 14.4 points and has a team-high 53 three-point field goals. He also averages 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
• Ranks 11th in the Big Sky in scoring, second in three-pointers made (2.6) and third in three-point percentage (.358).
• Has led the team in scoring seven times this season and has six 20+ point games.
• Missed seven games due to an ankle sprain.

 

YAHOO FOR NUHU

SR C Sal Nuhu is on a roll in Big Sky play with three double-doubles for the Vikings. He is averaging 10.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots.

• Leads the Big Sky in blocked shots, ranks sixth in rebounding.
• In conference play he averages 10.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.
• Has five double-doubles this season and has led the team in rebounding nine times.
• Missed seven games this season (six due to an ankle sprain, one due to illness).

 

GOOLSBY GOALS

SR F Rashaad Goolsby has upped his game in his senior season.

• He is averaging 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals per game and 1.0 blocked shots per game. Last season, he averaged 4.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 18.3 minutes per game.
• In nine starts Goolsby averaged 7.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots.
• Ranks ninth in rebounding, 14th in steals and ninth in blocked shots in the Big Sky Conference.
• He leads the Big Sky Conference in offensive rebounding (3.1).
• Has led the team in rebounding 12 times this season and has two double-doubles.

 

TALKING THE WALKER

Graduate transfer newcomer, SR F Alonzo Walker, has started all 25 games he has played for PSU and been productive. In 24 minutes per night, he averages 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, has 15 blocked shots and shoots .507 from the field.

• Walker has led the team in rebounding five times and has three 10+ rebound games.