PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (8-10, 5-6) at NORTHERN COLORADO BEARS (10-8, 6-6)

Saturday, February 27, 2021, 11 a.m. PT • Bank of Colorado Arena (2,950), Greeley, CO

Live Video Stream: Pluto TV Channel 1059, www.pluto.tv, www.WatchBigSky.com
Live Stats: https://uncbears.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary

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THE OPENING TIP

Portland State took a step back on Thursday night, but can very quickly move forward again when it takes on Northern Colorado in the second of back-to-back games on Saturday.
     
The Bears beat the Vikings, 66-64, on a last-second shot and were able to move ahead of them in the standings with the win. UNC is now 6-6 in the Big Sky, good for sixth place, while the VIkings dropped back to seventh at 5-6. Simple math says if PSU can avenge that loss it will move right back to sixth with one week to play in the Big Sky Conference regular season.
     
If history holds true the Vikings should have an excellent chance to get back Thursday night's loss. PSU is 1-5 in the first game of this season's back-to-backs against Big Sky teams. The Vikings have rebounded to go 4-1 in the second game.
     
The Vikings will need to shoot better on Saturday if they are to get the win. They shot only .328 from the field compared to the Bears .472, and still only lost on a jump shot by Matt Johnson with 3.4 seconds to play. PSU had come back from 11 down with 5:31 left to tie the game in the late-going.
     
JR G Ian Burke had a big night for the Vikings with a season-high 17 points, including the tying three-pointer with 14 seconds to play. Burke made 4-4 from three-point range, 5-5 at the line and grabbed five rebounds in his best game of the season.
     
The loss ended the Vikings' four-game winning streak. However, they have still won six of their last eight with the losses coming in overtime (set up by a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer by Montana) and on UNC's late basket. So, the Vikings are just two big shots away from having won their last eight in a row. And, among the last 10 opponents none have scored more than 70 points.
     
Northern Colorado has won two in a row and five of its last seven heading into Saturday's rematch.
     
Saturday's game, which tips at 11 a.m. PT, will be live streamed on Pluto TV Channel 1059, www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com.

IF THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY...

The Big Sky Conference Tournament takes place Mar. 10-13 at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, ID. First-round games are on Wednesday, March 10. The top five teams in league play earn a bye into the quarterfinals on Thursday.
     
There are three games to go in the Big Sky regular season for most teams. The Vikings are currently in seventh place at 5-6. If the Big Sky Tournament began today, Portland State would be playing Idaho (10th seed) in a first-round game.
 
THE UPCOMING BIG SKY SCHEDULE
1. Eastern Washington (11-2) - 3/3, 3/5 ISU
2. Southern Utah (9-2) - 2/26 NAU; 3/4, 3/6 at PSU
3. Weber State (10-3) - 2/27 at SAC; 3/4, 3/6 UNC
4. Idaho State (7-4) - 2/27 UM; 3/3, 3/5 at EWU
5. Montana State (6-4) - 2/26 at UI; 3/4, 3/6 SAC
6. Northern Colorado (6-6) - 2/27 PSU; 3/4, 3/6 at WSU
7. Portland State (5-6) - 2/27 at UNC; 3/4, 3/6 SUU
8. Montana (6-9) - 2/27 at ISU; 3/4, 3/6 UI
9. Sacramento State (4-7) - 2/27 WSU; 3/4, 3/6 at MSU
10. Northern Arizona (4-9) - 2/26 SUU
11. Idaho (0-16) - 2/24, 2/26 MSU; 3/4, 3/6 at UM

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN COLORADO

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 20-12, and the Big Sky Conference series, 16-12... the Vikings swept the season series last year... The series is tied 7-7 in Greeley.
• THIS SEASON: Feb. 25, 2019 at Greeley, UNC 66, PSU 64: Matt Johnson hit a pull-up 15-foot jump shot from the wing with 3.4 seconds remaining to lift Northern Colorado to the win... Johnson's jumper ended a frenetic final few minutes between the teams. It also wiped away a brilliant performance and big shot that tied the game by Viking junior guard Ian Burke in the late-going... PSU was down 60-49 with 5:31 to play but made a run at the Bears in the final moments. It started with a three-pointer by Burke, then a pair of free throws by both senior guard James Scott and senior forward John Hall. When freshman guard Paris Dawson hit a three at the 3:31 mark, the Vikings trailed just 60-59. It was a battle from there... Daylen Kountz scored on a drive with 2:09 to play and UNC was up 64-61. The teams combined for four empty possessions after that... the Vikings had the ball inside the final 30 seconds. Scott tried for a tying three-pointer but missed. Senior forward Khalid Thomas was able to corral the rebound and sling a pass across court to Burke. The junior guard buried a corner three-pointer with 14 seconds to play and tied the game at 64-64... after a Northern Colorado timeout, Johnson searched for an opening and finally headed to the right wing. He pulled up and swished the game winner with 3.4 ticks left on the clock... Burke had perhaps his best game as a Viking, scoring a season-high 17 points. He hit 4-4 from the field, all of which were three-pointers. Burke also made 5-5 at the line, grabbed five rebounds and made one steal... Kountz led the Bears with 19 points, hitting 7-11 from the field. Big man Kur Jockuch had 11 points and 15 rebounds.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Barret Peery (Southern Utah, 1996) is in his third season on the Park Blocks and has a 62-54 career record. Peery is 2-4 all-time against Northern Colorado... 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 Bears are coached by Steve Smiley (Northern State, 2004) in his first season. 

WHO IS HOT

• Portland State's defense has allowed only 58.1 points and forced 19.9 turnovers the past eight games... the Vikings allowed the fewest points (40) to a Division I opponent since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97 in the 71-40 win over Idaho (2/20).
• JR G Ian Burke had his best game of the season at UNC (2/25) with 17 points (4-4 3-pt FG, 5-5 FT) and five rebounds. Burke has made 6-6 three-pointers in the past two games. He is 15-30 from distance (.500) since Jan. 16.
• SO C Jacob Eyman's season numbers are modest at 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. However, as a starter the last five games, he averages 6.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting .485 from the field... he now leads the Big Sky in blocked shots (1.4 season, 1.8 conference)... PSU is 4-2 when Eyman starts.
• PSU ranks ninth in the nation in offensive rebounding at 13.6 per game.
• PSU had a season-high 16 steals in the win over Idaho (2/18) and ranks 14th in the nation for the season (8.8).

PEERY PRESSURE, PART 4

Portland State's defense has been a trademark in the Barret Peery era. The full-court pressure has created havoc and lots of turnovers. This season, the Vikings are keeping opponent point totals low as well. PSU gives up 65.6 points per game, which is the fewest in the Big Sky Conference era (1996-97-present, 25 seasons).

• Portland State has allowed just 58.1 points per game and forced 19.9 turnovers over the last eight games.
• Only five opponents have scored more than 70 points against PSU and none in the last 10 games.
• Opponents are shooting only .428 from the field and commit 17.1 turnovers per game... PSU also out-rebounds opponents by 4.2 per game.
• PSU held Idaho to the fewest points (40) by a Division I opponent during the Big Sky Conference era (1996-97-present).