PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (11-12, 5-6) at SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS (13-8, 6-4)
Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, 1 p.m. PT • America First Event Center (5,300), Cedar City, UT
Television: None
Live Stream: Pluto TV Channel 536, pluto.tv, WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
Complete notes and stats in pdf

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THE OPENING TIP
Portland State opened the second half of Big Sky Conference play with its best league win to date, knocking off first-place Montana, 88-81, last week. Now the Vikings will try to make that stand up as they go on a challenging road trip later this week to face two of the top teams in the league.
     
PSU is at 5-6 in Big Sky play, seventh in the 11-team league. The Vikings are 11-12 overall. They will play at fourth-place Southern Utah (13-8/6-4) on Saturday, then go to third-place Northern Colorado (14-7/7-3) next Monday. The Vikings are 3-10 on the road this season, 1-5 in Big Sky road games and have lost three in a row on the road.
     
The win over Montana was significant for Portland State as the Vikings were playing their only home game in a 26-day span. PSU was dominant, leading by 19 at halftime, and as many as 22 in the second half before Montana cut it to single digits in the closing moments. It was PSU's third win over the Griz in the past four meetings. JR G Holland Woods came up big again, posting a career-high 39 points. He made 21-21 free throws, the most in Portland State and Big Sky Conference history in a single game without a miss. Woods now averages 18.1 points and 5.5 assists to lead the Vikings. SR C Sal Nuhu (9.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.1 bpg) remains one of the dominant big men in the Big Sky.
     
Portland State is coming off its longest break in the Big Sky schedule, and will have had nine days between games before facing Southern Utah. The additional rest should help as the Vikings still seek the return of second-leading scorer SR G Matt Hauser (ankle). He has missed the last seven games.
     
Southern Utah counters with a talented and balanced squad offensively, and one of the Big Sky's best defenses, allowing only 64.2 points and .389 field goal shooting to opponents. The Thunderbirds also lead the Big Sky in rebounding margin (+5.7) and blocked shots per game (4.5). Meanwhile, PSU is second in the Big Sky in scoring (77.7) and first in scoring in conference games (75.1).
     
Southern Utah beat the Vikings in Portland on Dec. 30, 83-81, in a game decided in the final minute after six late lead changes. That was the most points the Thunderbirds have allowed this season.
     
SUU is 7-3 at home this season, though only 3-3 in Big Sky home games.
     
Saturday's game is a 1 p.m. PT tip-off. A Pluto TV live stream is available on Channel 536, www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com. Live statistics can be found at www.ViksLive.com.
 
COMING UP
The Vikings move on to Northern Colorado for a Monday night game. PSU then plays five of the final seven regular season games at home.
 
GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. SOUTHERN UTAH
• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 11-3, and the Big Sky Conference series, 10-3... Portland State leads the series in Cedar City, 4-2, but lost there last season... Southern Utah picked up its first-ever win in Portland on Dec. 30.
• Dec. 30, 2019 at Viking Pavilion, SUU 83, PSU 81: Southern Utah guard Dre Marin hit a corner three-pointer with 37.7 seconds left to give the T-Birds the lead and the win. PSU had come back from an 11-point deficit in the final eight minutes and the lead had changed hands six times in the final three minutes. The Thunderbirds shot .544 from the field and out-rebounded the Vikings, 42-32. Cameron Oluyitan scored 24 points with five assists, while Maizen Fausett (15 pts, 12 reb) and John Knight III (20 pts, 11 reb) each had double-doubles. Holland Woods had 25 points and five assists for the Vikings, while Matt Hauser added 20.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Barret Peery (Southern Utah, 1996) is in his third season on the Park Blocks and has a 47-42 career record. Peery is 2-2 all-time against Southern Utah... 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 Thunderbirds are coached by Todd Simon (Central Michigan, 2003) in his fourth season. He has a 49-71 record at Southern Utah, including 2-4 against the Vikings.
• YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN: Portland State Head Coach Barret Peery faces his alma mater for the fifth time and the third time in Cedar City. He holds a 2-2 record against Southern Utah... Peery played at Southern Utah from 1993-95 and was part of two conference championships for the Thunderbirds. Peery served as a graduate assistant with the program in 1995-96 then returned to be an assistant coach at Southern Utah from 1998-2002. The 2000-01 team won the Mid-Continent Conference title, reaching the NCAA Tournament, and compiled a 25-6 record.
• FRIENDS AND FOES: Portland State JR G Holland "Boo Boo" Woods and Southern Utah JR G Dre Marin played together in the same backcourt at Apollo High School in Arizona. That pair is 2-2 against one another.
 
SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS
• Southern Utah is located in Cedar City. SUU joined the Big Sky Conference in 2012-13. The Thunderbird program has never won a Big Sky Conference championsionship, but has made one past appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Mid-Continent Conference (2001).
• The Thunderbirds were 17-17 last season, 9-11 and seventh place in the Big Sky Conference. Four starters and six letterwinners return from that team. Forward Cameron Oluyitan was a Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year and third team All-Big Sky Conference.
• This season, the Thunderbirds are 13-8 overall, 6-4 in the Big Sky Conference. They score 74.3 points per game (third in the Big Sky) and allow 64.2 points (third in the Big Sky). The Thunderbirds shoot .461 from the field and hold opponents to only .389 shooting. SUU also leads the Big Sky with a +5.7 rebound margin and with 4.5 blocked shots per game.
• Senior forward Cameron Oluyitan leads the Thunderbirds in scoring at 13.9 points per game. He also has a team-high 39 three-point field goals.
• Junior guard John Knight III averages 12.4 points and a team-best 2.6 assists.
• Senior forward Dwayne Morgan is averaging 10.4 points per game.
• Sophomore guard Harrison Butler leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game to go with 8.5 points.
 
SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLABLE VIKING QUICK NOTES
WINNING LINES
• Portland State is 11-12 on the season, 7-2 at home, 3-10 on the road and 1-0 in neutral site games.
• The Vikings have won three in a row at home.
• The Vikings have lost their last three road games.
• With 11 wins, PSU now has double-digit wins in 16 of the last 17 seasons.
• Last season, PSU was 9-14 after 23 games.
 
WHO IS HOT
• JR G Holland Woods scored a career-high 39 points in last week's win over Montana. It was significant in a few ways. His previous career-high was 30 points. Woods scored the most points by a Viking since Dominic Waters had 41 on Jan. 4, 2009 in a quadruple overtime win at Northern Arizona, and the fourth-most by a Viking in their Big Sky era (1996-2020)... in addition, Woods made 21-21 free throws in the game, setting a new Portland State and Big Sky Conference record for most free throws made in a game without a miss (previous PSU record was 17-17, previous Big Sky record was 20-20).
• SR C Sal Nuhu has continued to play well since getting fully healthy. In the last four games, Nuhu recorded three double-doubles, averaging 14.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 blocked shots in those games. He has shot .525 from the field and .810 at the line... Nuhu averages 2.1 blocked shots per game but has not played in the mandatory 75% of contests yet to qualify for league leadership (he would be second).
• FR G Kyle Greeley has averaged 9.0 points off the bench in the last five games, making 17-25 from the field (.680), 5-10 from three-point range (.500) and 6-8 at the line (.750)... Greeley leads the team in shooting this season at .576 from the field.
• In Big Sky games, SR G Lamar Hamrick is averaging 10.5 points while shooting .544 from the field and .556 from three-point range.
• The Vikings have shot .484 from the field in the last five games.
• PSU leads the Big Sky Conference and and the nation in offensive rebounding (15.1 per game).
 
WHO IS NOT
• Portland State has lost three in a row on the road.
• SR G Matt Hauser missed the last seven games with an ankle sprain.
 
TRENDING
• Portland State is 0-8 when trailing at halftime, but 11-4 when tied or ahead at the break.
• PSU has out-rebounded 14 of 23 opponents, and that is important. The Vikings are 9-5 when they get more boards, 2-7 when they don't.
• Shooting is always the most important factor. However, the Vikings are 6-2 when shooting a higher percentage than opponents.
 
INJURY ANGST
Portland State has had bad luck with injuries so far this season. SR G Matt Hauser (ankle sprain) has become the third starter to be sidelined.
• Hauser has missed seven games with an ankle sprain.
• SR C Sal Nuhu missed six games early this season with an ankle sprain, and a seventh due to illness.
• SR F Alonzo Walker missed three games with a foot injury.
• SR G Lamar Hamrick has missed four games with thumb and back injuries.
• PSU has lost a total of 20 player games to injury, 16 to starters.
• Nine different players have started three or more games this season.
• The current starting lineup of Woods, Burke, Golder, Walker and Nuhu is now 4-2.
• The Vikings have used eight different starting lineups.
 
HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
The completion of the Viking Pavilion prior to the 2018-19 basketball season was transformative for the entire Portland State Athletic Program. So far, the results on the court have been better than ever. PSU is 19-6 in the Viking Pavilion (.760 winning percentage). The previous main home court, the old Peter W. Stott Center gym, produced a .721 winning percentage after reinstating basketball and joining the Big Sky Conference between 1996-97 and 2017-18. In all, PSU's four different home venues prior to the Viking Pavilion produced a .709 winning mark. 
 
PEERY PRESSURE AND PACE
Portland State continues to turn up the pressure in the third season of the Barret Peery Era. The Vikings maintain relentless full-court pressure and crash the offensive glass with abandon.
• This season, PSU has 97 more offensive rebounds than their opponents (4.2 more per game) and has forced 33 more turnovers than they have committed (1.4 per game). The 130 extra possessions amounts to more than 5.2 per game.
• So far this season, PSU has an edge over opponents in points off turnovers (361-300) and second chance points (330-246).
• In 2017-18, the Vikings offensive rebound and turnover margin totals amounted to 9.7 more possessions per game than opponents.
• In 2018-19, the Vikings offensive rebound and turnover margin totals amounted to 7.4 more possessions per game than opponents.
 
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.
• 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 1,238 points to rank seventh all-time. Woods has scored more points than any Viking in the past 15 years.
 
VIKINGS CAREER ASSIST LEADERS

1.	Holland Woods (2017-20)	482
2.	Terry Adolph (1976-78)	421
3.	Chucky Smith (1974-78)	392
4.	Derek Nesland (1996-00)	371
5.	Will Funn (2003-05)	328

VIKINGS CAREER STEALS LEADERS

1.	Holland Woods (2017-20)	140
2.	Calaen Robinson (2015-17)	128
3.	Anthony Lackey (1998-02)	121
4.	Zach Gengler (2013-17)	120
5.	Jeremiah Dominguez (2007-09)	115

 
VIKINGS CAREER SCORING LEADERS

1.	Freeman Williams (1974-78)	3,249
2.	John Nelson (1962-66)	2,123
3.	Willie Stoudamire (1969-72)	1,845
4.	Seamus Boxley (2000-05)	1,498
5.	Anthony Lackey (1998-02)	1,304
6.	Leo Franz (1970-73)	1,245
7.	Holland Woods (2017-20)	1,238
8.	Charlie Stoudamire (1969-72)	1,179
9.	John Winters (1955-59)	1,169
10.	Derreck Brooks (1973-77)	1,155

 
BOO BOO, PART TWO
      A few more highlights from Holland Woods:
• Ranks fifth in the Big Sky in scoring (18.1), second in assists (5.5), fourth in free throw percentage (.838) and fourth in steals (1.8).
• Has led the team in scoring 11 times and has 10 games of 20 or more points, including two games with 30+ points.
• Boo Boo has led the team in assists 20 times this season and in 72 of 88 career games.
 
TRIPLE THREAT
SR G Matt Hauser had become the Vikings' top three-point shooting threat. However, he has missed the last seven games due to an ankle sprain.
• Hauser is averaging 15.3 points and has a team-high 42 three-point field goals.
• Has led the team in scoring five times this season and has four 20+ point games.
 
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 9.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots.
• In conference play averages 11.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks
• Has four double-doubles this season and has led the team in rebounding seven times.
• Missed seven games this season (six due to an ankle sprain, one due to illness).
 
VIKINGS CAREER BLOCKED SHOTS LEADERS

1.	Scott Morrison (2004-08)	187
2.	Seamus Boxley (2000-05)	128
3.	Collin Spickerman (2014-16)	117
4.	Jamie Jones (2008-10)	105
5.	Sal Nuhu (2017-19)	97
6.	Chehales Tapscott (2010-12)	62
	Julius Thomas (2006-10)	62
8.	Jamaal Sanford (1996-98)	60
9.	Ryan Edwards (2017-18)	57
10.	Seth Scott (2002-04)	48

 
GOOLSBY GOALS
SR F Rashaad Goolsby has upped his game in his senior season.
• He is averaging 6.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals per game and 1.1 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 has averaged 7.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots.
• Ranks eighth in rebounding, ninth in steals and fourth in blocked shots in the Big Sky Conference.
• He leads the Big Sky Conference in offensive rebounding (3.0).
• Has led the team in rebounding 11 times this season and has two double-doubles.
 
TALKING THE WALKER
The Vikings' other graduate transfer newcomer, SR F Alonzo Walker, has started all 20 games he has played for PSU and been productive. In 25 minutes per night, he averages 9.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and has 15 blocked shots.
• Walker has led the team in rebounding five times and has three 10+ rebound games.
 
HAMMER TIME
SR G Lamar Hamrick has become the Vikings' key player off the bench. He averages 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds per game and shoots .525 from the field in 17.4 minutes per game.
• In Big Sky Conference games his averaging 10.5 points and shoots .544.