Pocatello, ID – Portland State withstood a six-minute scoring drought in the second half to pull out a 63-55 road win over Idaho State in the Big Sky Conference opener for both teams.
 
The victory was the first Big Sky win in the career of new Head Coach Jase Coburn and improved the Vikings record to 3-3 on the season overall.
 
"We had a tough schedule leading up to this game and it got us ready for conference play," said Coburn. "We hung in there all night and played great defense. Our defense needs to continue to travel with us everywhere we go."
 
PSU never trailed after the opening two minutes, but went cold from the field in the second half. The difference was a huge rebounding advantage of 45-31 over the Bengals while forcing 18 ISU turnovers. During the Vikings' scoreless stretch they only gave up five points and still led 49-44 with 6:02 to go.
 
The Vikings also shot well at the line, hitting 21-27 (.778), including 14-18 in the second half. In fact, PSU made only one field goal in the last 10 minutes of play, but were solid at the line down the stretch, making 11-14 in the last four minutes.
 
James Jean-Marie had 10 of his team-high 16 points after halftime, including a 9-12 effort at the line. He also grabbed eight of his 10 rebounds after halftime to lead both teams.
 
Portland State's offensive approach was decidedly better than its previous two games. PSU grabbed a 5-4 lead on a Michael Carter III three-pointer early in the contest and did not give it up. The Vikings went into halftime leading 32-25.
 
Marlon Ruffin had seven points and six rebounds at halftime. Jean-Marie scored six, and Jacob Eyman provided a boost off the bench with six points and four rebounds.
 
Tarik Cool kept the Bengals close with 12 points in the first half.
 
Early in the second half Idaho State went on a nine-point run, using a pair of three-pointers to pull the game into a tie at 34-34. Portland State responded with nine straight of its own, with four each from Jean-Marie and Zeke Alley.
 
PSU led by as many as 10 points on two occasions, then prevented the Bengals from getting any closer than five points the rest of the way.
 
The Vikings got a big boost from their bench. They out-scored the Bengal bench 24-6 and had 14 rebounds. Alley scored nine points, Eyman and Ian Burke each scored six off the bench.
 
Cool led all scorers with 27 points, but ISU didn't provide him with much help otherwise. The Bengals drop to 1-6, 0-1 on the season.
 

GAME NOTES

• James Jean-Marie had his fifth double-double of the season. The Big Sky's leading rebounder (11.0), he has had at least 10 in every game this season.
• PSU won a Big Sky Conference road opener for the first time in its history (1-8). When the Vikings open their Big Sky season at home, they are 11-6.
• Marlon Ruffin had a season-high nine rebounds.
• PSU has beaten Idaho State in five of the last six meetings and eight of the last 10.
• The Viking play on the road again Saturday with a Big Sky Conference game at Weber State. Tip-off is 5 p.m. and the game airs on ESPN+.