Big Sky Conference Tournament First Round

#7 PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (9-12, 6-8) vs. #10 NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS (5-15, 4-10)

Wednesday, March 10, 2021, Noon MT/11 a.m. PT • Idaho Central Arena, Boise, ID

Live Video Stream: Pluto TV Channel 1050, www.pluto.tv, www.WatchBigSky.com
Play-by-Play: Jon Oglesby • Analyst: Joe Cravens
Live Stats: www.bigskyconf.com/stats

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THE OPENING TIP

When the Big Sky Conference Tournament opens for Portland State this Wednesday, there will be an air of mystery for the Vikings. Seventh-seeded PSU takes on number-10 seed Northern Arizona in first-round game at Boise's Idaho Central Arena having not played them this season. If the Vikings win and advance to the Big Sky Quarterfinal, they will take on second-seeded Eastern Washington, another team they have not seen this season. Normally, the Vikings would have played both teams twice already.
     
PSU played 14 of the possible 20 league games this year after having games with NAU, EWU and Sacramento State cancelled due to COVID-related circumstances with those programs.
     
Such is the state of the 2020-21 season, with its stops and starts and uneven scheduling for everyone in college basketball. But, the Vikings and the other 10 Big Sky teams have reached the finish line; the Big Sky Tournament and a chance to advance to the NCAA Championship.
     
Portland State (9-12, 6-8) goes into the game with NAU having had a strong second half to its season. At one point, the Vikings were 2-8. They got all the way to 9-10 before running into the Big Sky regular season champion buzzsaw of Southern Utah last weekend. The Thunderbirds beat the Vikings twice, ending a run of seven wins in nine games for PSU. Still, the Vikings have shown their mettle defensively all season, holding opponents to 66.0 points - an all-time Big Sky best for the program in 25 seasons as a league member. And, when the Vikings have shown consistent offense, they have proven they can play with and beat anyone.
     
Northern Arizona (5-15, 4-10) comes into the tournament having lost four in a row, however they came against the league's top two teams in Southern Utah and Weber State. The Lumberjacks feature the Big Sky Conference's top scorer in Cameron Shelton. The junior guard averages 20.2 points per game.
     
The Vikings will counter Shelton with their own star in James "Monty" Scott, who has led the team in scoring (13.6), rebounding (5.0), assists (2.8) and steals (1.6).
     
NAU ranks 10th in the Big Sky in scoring (62.7) and field goal percentage (.414) and last in field goal percentage defense (.514). That would seem to play well into Portland State's full-court pressure defense. But again, the mystery of having not seen one another on the court makes for an intriguing first-round matchup.
     
Wednesday's game will be live streamed on Pluto TV Channel 1050, www.pluto.tv and www.WatchBigSky.com at noon Mountain Time, 11 a.m. Pacific Time.

2021 Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Championship Schedule

Wednesday, March 10, 2021, live streamed on Pluto TV, WatchBigSky.com
Game 1 – No. 8 Northern Colorado (10-10, 6-8) vs. No. 9 Sacramento State, 9 a.m.       
Game 2 – No. 7 Portland State (9-12, 6-8) vs. No. 10 Northern Arizona (5-15, 4-10), Noon
Game 3 – No. 6 Montana (11-12, 7-9) vs. No. 11 Idaho (1-20, 1-17), 3 p.m.
 
Thursday, March 11, 2021, live streamed on Pluto TV, WatchBigSky.com
Game 4 – No. 1 Southern Utah (19-3, 12-2) vs. Game 1 Winner, 11 a.m.   
Game 5 – No. 4 Idaho State (13-10, 8-6) vs. No. 5 Montana State (11-9, 8-6), 2 p.m.
Game 6 – No. 2 Eastern Washington (13-7, 12-3) vs. Game 2 Winner, 5 p.m.
Game 7 – No. 3 Weber State (17-5, 12-3) vs. Game 3 Winner, 8 p.m.
 
Friday, March 12, 2021, live streamed on Pluto TV, WatchBigSky.com
Game 8 – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner (Semifinals), 5 p.m.
Game 9 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner (Semifinals), 8 p.m.
 
Saturday, March 13, 2021, televised on ESPNU
Game 10 – Championship Game, 6 p.m.
 
All times listed are Mountain

A LITTLE HISTORY
Portland State is making its 18th appearance in the Big Sky Conference Tournament. Prior to 2015-16, Big Sky teams had to qualify for the tournament. This is the sixth year that all teams automatically qualify.

• Last year, PSU was a number-four seed in the tournament, but did not play a game as the event was cancelled on the day of their game with Montana State due to COVID-19 (Mar. 12).
• The Vikings are 12-14 all-time in Big Sky Conference Tournament games with titles in 2008 and 2009. The Vikings are 7-10 in neutral site games.
• Head Coach Barret Peery is 1-2 in the Big Sky Tournament, with a win over Sacramento State (2018) and losses to Eastern Washington (2018) and Weber State (2019).
• Portland State is 3-0 all-time in first-round games, 5-8 in quarterfinal round games, 2-6 in semifinals and 2-0 in the championship.
• PSU has faced NAU four times previously in the Big Sky Tournament and the teams have split the games. Most recently, the Vikings beat NAU 80-67 in a 2017 first round Big Sky game played in Reno, NV. The Vikings also beat NAU in the 2008 Big Sky Conference Championship game played at the Moda Center in Portland, 67-51. That win sent Portland State to its first-ever NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.
• If Weber State wasn't in the league, who knows? PSU is 0-7 all-time against Weber State in the Big Sky Tournament, 12-7 against everyone else.
• Portland State's complete Big Sky history and records can be found on page 10 of these notes.

PORTLAND STATE vs. THE BIG SKY FIELD THIS SEASON

vs. #1 Southern Utah (0-2) - L, 58-68; L, 54-73 at PSU
vs. #2 Eastern Washington (0-0)
vs. #3 Weber State (1-1) - L, 66-94; W, 74-72 at PSU
vs. #4 Idaho State (1-1) - L, 57-64; W, 69-43 at PSU
vs. #5 Montana State (0-2) - L, 64-71; L, 64-69 at MSU
vs. #6 Montana (1-1) - L, 64-70 (ot); W, 61-56 at PSU
vs. #8 Northern Colorado (1-1) - L, 64-66; W, 73-65 at UNC
vs. #9 Sacramento State (0-0)
vs. #10 Northern Arizona (0-0)
vs. #11 Idaho (2-0) - W, 84-64 at PSU; W, 71-40 at UI

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 28-25, and the Big Sky Conference series, 26-24... the teams have split four previous matchups in the Big Sky Conference Tournament... the teams have not met this season. They split the season series last year with each team winning on its home court... PSU has won five of the last seven in the series.
• PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA IN THE BIG SKY TOURNAMENT:
•   Mar. 5, 1999, Northern Arizona 73, PSU 56 (semifinal) at Ogden, UT
•   Mar. 9, 2000, Northern Arizona 77, PSU 75 (quarterfinal) at Missoula, MT
•   Mar. 12, 2008, PSU 67, Northern Arizona 51 (championship) at Portland (Moda Center)
•   Mar. 7, 2017, PSU 80, Northern Arizona 67 (1st round) at Reno, NV
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Barret Peery (Southern Utah, 1996) is in his third season on the Park Blocks and has a 63-56 career record. Peery is 3-2 all-time against Northern Arizona... 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 Lumberjacks are coached by Shane Burcar in his second season. He has a 21-29 career record, including 1-1 against the Vikings. 

NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS

• Northern Arizona joined the Big Sky Conference in 1970. NAU has won four Big Sky regular season championships and two Big Sky Tournament titles, making two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• Northern Arizona is 5-15 this season, 4-10 in the Big Sky Conference. The Lumberjacks average 62.7 points and allow 75.4 points per game. They shoot .414 from the field and allow opponents to shoot .514.
• Junior guard Cameron Shelton has been the star for the 'Jacks this season, averaging a Big Sky-leading 20.2 points per game. Shelton also leads the team in rebounding (6.0), assists (4.0) and steals (1.5).
• Three-point specialist Luke Avadlovic averages 9.8 points per game and shoots .416 from distance.

WHO IS HOT

• SR G James Scott has 56 points in the last three games (18.0)... his 20-point game against Southern Uta (3/4) was his fourth of the season... he also leads the Big Sky in steals in conference games (1.8).
• PSU ranks 12th in the nation in offensive rebounding at 13.2 per game.
• PSU had a season-high 16 steals in the win over Idaho (2/18) and ranks 35th in the nation for the season (8.2).
• SO C Jacob Eyman leads the Big Sky Conference in blocked shots (1.6) in just 17 minutes per game.