PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (4-9, 2-5) vs. MONTANA GRIZZLIES (8-8, 4-5)

Saturday, February 6, 2021, 12:05 p.m., Viking Pavilion (3,094), Portland, OR

Live Stream: Pluto TV Channel 1051, www.pluto.tv, www.WatchBigSky.com
      Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Devon Pouncey
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com

---

VIKS VS. CANCER

Pledge today to help Portland State Men's and Women's Basketball beat breast cancer! Pledge for every three-pointer made by Portland State Men's and Women's Basketball during the first two weeks of February. February is National Cancer Prevention month. Let's raise some funds to help educate the community on prevention and early detection. Don't forget to schedule your cancer and breast screens on time. Now more than ever, we can save lives together!

Concerned about how many three-pointers the Viks will make? Don't fret. Be sure and place a cap on your pledge amount to ensure your pocketbook is not surprised by the amazing athletes at Portland State University. To learn more and donate, visit pledgeit.org/cvc21-portland-state.

---

THE OPENING TIP

Despite an emotional loss on Thursday night, the Portland State Vikings will need to recover quickly as they will look the same team in the face on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings meet Montana in a 12:05 p.m. game just 40 hours after dropping an overtime contest to the Griz, 70-64.
     
PSU (4-9, 2-5) came oh, so close on Thursday, leading for 37 of the 45 minutes played. But, UM's Robby Beasley buried a 28-footer at the regulation buzzer to tie the game at 54-54 and send it to an extra session (it was PSU's first OT game in 62 starts). In the overtime, Montana took control to pull out the six-point win.
     
Portland State looked like it would pick up an important Big Sky Conference win behind its defense once again. The Vikings forced Montana into 24 turnovers - a season-high for an opponent - and kept the shooting percentage down. That is until UM made 3-4 from the field and 10-10 at the line in overtime.
     
Now, the Vikings must pick themselves up and seek a more efficient offensive performance. PSU shot only .362 from the field and .500 from the line in the game. Head Coach Barret Peery is also tasked with finding a way to make up for the loss of starting center Amari McCray, who suffered a knee injury in practice earlier in the week. McCray is likely done for the season.
     
UM (8-8, 4-5) deserves a lot of credit in their win. The Grizzlies entered the game holding opponents to 63.8 points per game. That had a lot to do with the Vikings low shooting percentage and point total.
     
Saturday's game is available via live stream on Pluto TV Channel 1051, www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com. Live stats can be found at www.ViksLive.com.
 
Portland State plays five of the next six games on the road. Next week is a trip to Northern Arizona.PSU's next home game is Feb. 18 against Idaho. 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. MONTANA

• THE SERIES: Montana leads the all-time series, 40-26, and the Big Sky Conference series, 32-17... the Griz lead 13-12 in Portland in Big Sky games... the season series was split last year with each team winning on its home court.
• Feb. 4, 2021 at Viking Pavilion, UM 70, PSU 64 (ot): Portland State led for nearly 37 of the 45 minutes played against Montana but just didn't get the numbers right at the right time at Viking Pavilion. Thanks to a Robby Beasley three-point bomb at the regulation buzzer, the Grizzlies got the game to overtime and eventually beat the Vikings... the Vikings led for most of the first half and by as many as seven points on two occasions. But the Grizzlies put on a 12-4 run to close out the half and lead 26-25... PSU then grabbed the lead back for the entire second half, leading by as many as eight. But in the final five minutes the advantage was never more than five... a steal and fastbreak basket by Khalid Thomas with 30 seconds left put the Vikings up 54-51. However, both teams made mistakes in the closing ticks of the clock... first, the Griz missed a pair of free throws. Then, the Vikings committed a turnover. Beasley missed a drive into the lane with nine seconds to play. John Hall rebounded for the Vikings and was fouled. He missed the front end of a one-and-one with eight seconds to go. A tip by Ian Burke on the miss did not go and the Griz grabbed the ball. Beasley raced up the floor and tossed in a 28-footer as the regulation horn sounded. That tied it at 54 and sent the game to overtime... Brandon Whitney took over in the extra session for Montana. He hit a pair of driving shots in the paint and a moment later bagged a pair of free throws. Suddenly, the Vikings were down 62-56 with a minute-and-a-half to play. They would not recover... fouls extended the game and the score, but the Griz hit six in a row at the line in the final 41 seconds to hang on for the win... Thomas led the Vikings with 13 points. Hall came off the bench to score 11 points with five rebounds... the Vikings shot only 25-69 from the field (.362), 6-29 from distance (.207) and had their chances at the line, but converted only 8-16. They got what they wanted on defense, forcing 24 Griz turnovers for 24 points. But there wasn't enough offense to put PSU over the top... Montana was 24-53 from the floor (.453) and 18-22 at the line (.818). The Grizzlies won the rebound battle, 41-37... Beasley and Whitney each had 14 points to pace Montana.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Barret Peery (Southern Utah, 1996) is in his fourth season on the Park Blocks and has a 58-53 career record. Peery is 3-4 all-time against Montana... 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 Grizzlies are coached by Travis DeCuire (Montana, 1994) in his seventh season. DeCuire has a 135-79 overall record and has led the Grizzlies to two Big Sky Championships. He is 10-4 all-time against the Vikings. 

WHO IS HOT

• Portland State's defense has allowed only 59.3 points and forced 19.5 turnovers the past four games... the Vikings allowed the fewest points (43) to a Division I opponent in 12 seasons in the win over Idaho State (1/23). The last time the Vikings allowed fewer to a D1 school was a 59-42 over Sacramento State on Jan. 8, 2009.
• The Vikings forced a season-high 24 turnovers against Montana (2/4), making a season-high 12 steals.
• PSU ranks seventh in the nation in offensive rebounding at 14.3 per game.
• The Vikings' top free throw shooters are SO G Kyle Greeley (16-19, .842), JR G Elijah Hardy (15-18, .833), and SR F Khalid Thomas (28-34, .823).

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

Portland State's overtime loss to Montana was another extremely closely-played game for the Vikings. The largest lead in the game for either team was eight points. That continued a trend for the Vikings this season.

• In four of the last five Big Sky Conference games they have played, neither team has led by more than 10 points.
• In five of the 13 games this season, neither team has led by more than 10 points.
• Seven of the Vikings' nine losses are by three to nine points.

A LOOK AT ADJUSTMENTS

The unique 2020-21 Big Sky Conference schedule that has teams playing back-to-back games against the same opponent creates an interesting look at adjustments. PSU appears to adjust fairly well and will need to do so against Montana on Saturday. In the first game of the back-to-back series' played so far, PSU is 0-4 in game one, scoring 62.8 points and allowing 74.8 points. In game two of those series, PSU is 2-1, scoring 69.3 points and allowing only 61.3 points. 

WILL ANOTHER LATE-SEASON RUN COME?

One trend that developed in Head Coach Barret Peery's first three seasons on the Park Blocks has been a late-season run of success in Big Sky Conference play. In each season, there has been a definite rally that has started in mid-February and carried on to the end of the conference season. The combined Big Sky record in those late season runs was 17-2 (.895). The combined Big Sky record prior was 15-24 (.384).

• In 2017-18, PSU was 15-11 overall/5-8 in the Big Sky before winning four of five (Feb. 17-Mar. 3) to close out the conference schedule (19-12/9-9). Final record 20-14.
• In 2018-19, PSU 9-14/4-8 in the Big Sky before winning seven of the last eight (Feb. 14-Mar. 9) to close out the conference schedule (16-15/11-9). Final record 16-16.
• In 2019-20, PSU was 12-14/6-8 in the Big Sky before winning the final six (Feb. 17-Mar. 7) to close out the conference schedule (18-14/12-8). Final record 18-14.