PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (3-6) at UTAH STATE AGGIES (8-4)

Tuesday, December 21, 2021, 6 p.m. PT • Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (10,270), Logan, UT
Live Stream: https://utahstateaggies.com/watch/
Live Stats: https://utahstateaggies.com/sidearmstats/mbball/media
Complete notes and stats in pdf

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THE OPENING TIP

The Portland State Vikings face a formidable opponent in their final chance at non-conference play this Tuesday evening at Utah State. The Vikings (3-6) and the Aggies (8-4) will meet for the first time in four seasons and the first time in Logan since Dec. 18, 1978.
     
PSU goes into the contest off a pair of three-point losses that followed a similar script. The Vikings dropped a 61-58 game to Cal Poly on Dec. 11, then a 69-66 game at CSUN on Dec. 18. In both, Portland State started slow offensively, then roared back late in the second half behind a pressure defense that triggered the offense. Each game also saw a late, tying three-point attempt by the Vikings fall away.
     
Losers of three straight, the Vikings are still looking for offensive consistency to match their defensive and rebounding successes of the early season. Viking opponents shoot a mere .390 from the field and average 16.4 turnovers per game.
     
PSU will need to ignite its offense early to stay with Mountain West powerhouse Utah State. JR G Marlon Ruffin scored a season-high 26 points (10-15 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 4-4 FT) at CSUN, JR G Michael Carter III had 20 points against Cal Poly, and SR F James Jean-Marie is averaging 12.9 points on .488 shooting this season. Getting all three going early on Tuesday - as well as their teammates - will be vital to the Vikings' chances.
     
Utah State, an NCAA Tournament team in 2021, features a dynamic offense that shoots .486 from the field and averages nearly 10 made three-pointers per game. Senior forward Justin Bean leads the way with 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, while shooting .647 from the field.
     
The Aggies, who had a six-game winning streak earlier in the season are 3-2 at home. They have two common opponents with the Vikings: Weber State (won 95-80, PSU lost 80-69); and Iowa (lost 94-75 last Saturday, PSU lost 85-51).
     
Tuesday night's game with Utah State can be seen via free live stream at https://utahstateaggies.com/watch/ or by going to www.themw.com and clicking on "Watch." Live statistics are available at Utah State's website by clicking on the basketball schedule.
 

COMING UP

Portland State resumes Big Sky Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 30 at home when the Vikings host Eastern Washington. Idaho comes to the Viking Pavilion on Saturday, Jan. 1. Both games tip off at 7 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+. They start a stretch of six out of eight games at home for the Vikings.
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. UTAH STATE

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Utah State leads the all-time series, 3-2... the Vikings have won the last two meetings - one coming in 1981 and the most recent on Nov. 20, 2017 - an 83-79 victory at Portland's Memorial Coliseum as a preliminary to the PK80 Basketball Tournament... the schools met four times between 1976 and 1981... USU has won the only two meetings in Logan with the last game there coming on Dec. 18, 1978, a 94-68 Utah State win.
• PORTLAND STATE vs. THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE: Portland State is 23-53 all-time against current members of the Mountain West Conference. The last MWC opponent for the Vikings was San Jose State in 2019 (a 91-76 PSU win).
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his first season as Head Coach. He has spent eight previous seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Associate Head Coach... Ryan Odom (Hampden-Sydney, 1996) is in his first year at Utah State. In seven seasons as a head coach at Charlotte, Lenoir-Rhyne and Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC), he compiled a 126-81 record.

 

SCOUTING THE AGGIES

• Utah State is a member of the Mountain West Conference located in Logan, UT.
• The Aggies were 20-9 last season, including 15-4 and second place MWC play. Utah State received an 11-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Two starters and seven letterwinners return from that team.
• Utah State is 8-4 on the season, 3-2 at home. The Aggies average 79.4 points per game and allow 70.3 per game. They shoot .486 from the field, .379 from three-point range and .750 at the free throw line. USU averages a remarkable 20.0 assists per game.
• Senior forward Justin Bean leads the team with 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He shoots .647 from the field, .480 from three-point range and .840 at the line. He also averages 2.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
• Senior forward Brandon Horvath averages 13.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting .518 from the field and .478 from three-point range.
• Junior guard Rylan Jones averages 5.9 assists per game.

 

WHO IS HOT

• Despite not starting for the first time this season, JR G Marlon Ruffin posted a Portland State season-high 26 points (10-15 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 4-4 FT) and five rebounds in 25 minutes at CSUN... Ruffin leads the Vikings in scoring at 13.1 per game.
• JR G Ian Burke has shot .500 or better in every game this season. He is currently shooting .607 from the field and .533 from three-point range. Burke scored a season-high 10 points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 2-2 FT) with five rebounds and three steals at CSUN.
• SR F James Jean-Marie has six double-doubles this season. He ranks second in the Big Sky with 10.3 rebounds per game and is 12th in the nation. He leads the Big Sky in offensive rebounds per game (4.6) and ranks second in the nation.
• DEFENSE TRAVELS: Head Coach Jase Coburn likes to say, "defense travels" meaning regardless of where you play, or how much you score, you can always have a consistent defensive effort. The Vikings have had that in 2021-22, leading the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage defense (.390), steals (9.8), blocked shots (3.7), turnovers forced (16.4) and offensive rebounds (14.1)... the Vikings are currently 15th in the nation in offensive rebounds and 26th in the nation in steals per game... opponents average 66.0 points per game, which ranks second-best in the Big Sky.

 

ON THE REBOUND

SR F James Jean-Marie is averaging 10.3 rebounds per game to rank second in the Big Sky. The last Viking to average double figures in rebounds was Bob Sisul in 1978-79 (10.4). The highest rebounding average of PSU's Big Sky Conference era (1996-present) was 9.4 by Seamus Boxley in 2003-04.
 
Best Viking Rebounding Averages, Big Sky Era (1996-present)
1. James Jean-Marie (2021-22), 10.3
2. Seamus Boxley (2003-04), 9.4
t3. Chehalis Tapscott (2011-12), 9.3
t3. Cameron Forte (2015-16), 9.3
t5. Chehalis Tapscott (2010-11), 8.1
t5. Seamus Boxley (2004-05), 8.1
 

DOUBLE TROUBLE

SR F James Jean-Marie has been double trouble for opponents as his powerful inside game is complemented by a soft outside shooting touch, not to mention his dominant board work (triple trouble?).

• Jean-Marie has six double-doubles this season, seven double-figure scoring games and seven double-figure rebounding games. He averages 12.9 points and 10.3 rebounds this season.
• Jean-Marie has led the team in scoring twice and rebounding in every game.
• His four straight double-doubles to open the season were the most consecutive by a Viking in the Big Sky Conference era (26 seasons).
• Went for a season-high 17 points (7-17 FG, 3-4 FT) and 10 rebounds against Portland (11/23).
• Posted 16 points (3-4 FG, 1-1 3-pt FG, 9-12 FT) with 10 rebounds and a block in the win at Idaho State (12/2).
• Grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds in the loss at Iowa (11/26).

 

RESPECT THE SPECS

JR G Marlon Ruffin has found his way to Portland State with a unique look. Ruffin is one of the few collegiate players who wears glasses on the court... and his specs have style.

• Ruffin is averaging a team-leading 13.1 points per game and 4.1 rebounds.
• Has led the team in scoring three times, has seven double-figure scoring games and one 20-point game.
• Went for 18 points (6-9 FG, 5-6 FT) in 18 minutes against Evergreen State (11/12).
• Had 18 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 FT), four rebounds and two steals at Iowa (11/26).
• Posted a season-high 26 points (10-15 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 4-4 FT) and grabbed five rebounds at CSUN (12/18).

 

MCIII

Transfer JR G Michael Carter III is becoming a stat sheet filler. He averages 9.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Carter averaged 14.6 points per game last year at Long Beach State.

• Carter ranks third on the team in scoring, second in assists and steals, and first in three-pointers made (8).
• He has led the team in scoring twice and assists five times.
• Posted 14 points (5-12 FG, 2-4 3-pt, 2-2 FT) with three rebounds and three assists at Weber State (12/4).
• Racked up a season-high 20 points (5-10 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 8-12 FT) with three rebounds, three assists and two steals against Cal Poly (12/11).

 

EFFICIENCY, THY NAME IS IAN BURKE

JR G Ian Burke continues to be a reliable offensive performer on the Viking team as he is one of the team's top shooters and ball-handlers.

• In 154 minutes of playing time this season he has only four turnovers. That continues a trend as Burke has just 28 total turnovers in 62 career games at PSU. He made only nine in 22 games last season.
• He is shooting .607 from the field and .533 from three-point range this season, and has shot at least .500 from the field in every game this season.
• Burke is averaging 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
• Logged a season-high 10 points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 2-2 FT) with five rebounds and three steals at CSUN (12/18).