PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (10-4)
at KANSAS CITY ROOS (6-9)

Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, 7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT • Swinney Center (1,500), Kansas City, MO
Live Stream: Summit League Network (pay service) • https://www.midcosportsplus.com/page/01H5AT1ZG36NS2PYJRMQGMREK5
Live Stats: https://kcroos.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary

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THE VIKING PODCAST WITH COACH JASE COBURN

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OPENING TIP

This Saturday, Portland State takes one more look at a non-conference opponent before diving headlong into Big Sky Conference play over the next two months. The Vikings take on the Kansas City Roos in KC as part of the Big Sky Conference - Summit League Challenge established between the leagues last summer.
     
PSU (10-4) plays Kansas City (6-9) for the first time in only the second matchup ever with a Summit team. Ironically, the Vikings played St. Thomas of the Summit earlier this season (a 76-70 loss). Otherwise, PSU has faced only Denver (once in 2011-12), Oral Roberts (1979-80) and North Dakota (while a former member of the Big Sky Conference), but not while any were members of the Summit League. The Challenge originally had the Vikings also playing Western Illinois, however, WIU left the conference after the schedule was set and the game was not replaced.
     
Portland State goes to Kansas with a 5-3 road record, having won its most recent outing at Idaho, 77-72 last Saturday. The game will be the fifth in a stretch of five straight on the road for PSU. The Vikings have a chance to complete their non-conference schedule with 10 wins in 13 games - they are currently 1-1 in the Big Sky for a 10-4 record.
     
The Roos are 5-0 at home this season after a league-opening win over Oral Roberts last week. KC then dropped a road game at St. Thomas. Kansas City will play a game at Sacramento State on Wednesday as part of the Big Sky - Summit Challenge before facing the Vikings.
     
PSU goes into the first game of the new year after compiling a 4-3 December record (and 6-1 November mark). The Vikings actually opened Big Sky play last week on the road, losing at Eastern Washington, then coming back to win at Idaho. They are 1-1 and tied for fourth in the Big Sky. The league is suspending play for this week for the Challenge series, then returns with 16 straight league games leading into the Big Sky Conference Tournament in March.
     
This Saturday's Vikings-Roos game takes place at the Swinney Center on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Tip-off is 7 p.m. Central Time/5 p.m. Pacific Time. The game will be live streamed on the Summit League Network - a fee-based streaming service. For a link to the live stream and live statistics go to the basketball schedule page at www.GoViks.com. 
 

COMING UP

Portland State will return home for the first time in more than a month when it hosts Idaho State on Jan. 11 at Viking Pavilion. That game will be the start of six out of the next eight at home. PSU hosts Weber State on Jan. 13.
 

A QUICK LOOK AT NON-CONFERENCE PLAY

Portland State's non-conference performance has been impressive (the Vikings play one more non-conference game on Jan. 6 at Kansas City). The Vikings are 9-3 in non-conference play. PSU has matched its best-ever marks for five games (5-0), six games (5-1), seven games (6-1), nine games (7-2), 10 games (8-2) and 12 games (9-3). The five- and six-game marks were the best ever at the Division I level.
     
The Vikings were 4-0 at home, 4-2 on the road, and 1-1 in neutral site games in non-conference play. PSU can boast wins over teams from the West Coast (Portland), Mountain West (Air Force, Fresno State), Big West (Cal Poly, UC Santa Barbara) and Western Athletic Conferences (California Baptist). One more conference is a possibility when the Vikings play Kansas City of the Summit League.
     
Highlights of the first 12 games were unquestionably the three game-winning shots by the Vikings. SO G Ismail Habib had the first two in the span of 11 days. First, he hit a half-court, three-point shot at the buzzer to take down California Baptist, 66-63, on Nov. 17. Then, he made a driving hoop with 0.6 seconds remaining to beat Portland, 75-74, on Nov. 28. In the Vikings final non-conference game before the start of league play, SR F KJ Allen buried a three-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining in overtime for a 75-72 Viking win at Fresno State.
 
PSU'S BEST NON-CONFERENCE RECORDS - BIG SKY ERA: Season-to-season, the quality, competition and number of games in the non-conference schedule varies, but here is a look at PSU's best non-conference records since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97 (non-conference records do not count Big Sky Tournament or NCAA Tournament games).
 
Year         W-L Pct.  Finish
2017-18    10-3 .769  20-14
2023-24    9-3 .750     ?
2008-09   10-4 .714  23-10
1998-99     7-3  .700  17-11
1999-00     8-4  .667  15-14
2006-07     9-5  .643  19-13
2010-11     9-5 . 643  14-16
2016-17     7-4  .636  15-16
2004-05     8-5  .615  19-9
     

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. KANSAS CITY

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State and Kansas City will meet for the first time in history.
• VIKINGS vs. SUMMIT LEAGUE: Portland State has played four programs that are current members of the League, but only one while a member of the league. The Vikings played St. Thomas of the Summit earlier this season (a 76-70 loss). Otherwise, PSU has faced only Denver (2011-12, 0-1), Oral Roberts (1979-80, 0-1) and North Dakota (while a former member of the Big Sky Conference, 4-9), but not while members of the Summit League.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his third season as Head Coach and is 36-40 overall. Coburn has never faced Kansas City. He spent eight previous seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Associate Head Coach... the Roos are coached by Marvin Menzies in his second season. Menzies is 17-30 overall and has never faced the Vikings.

 

SCOUTING KANSAS CITY

• The University of Missouri-Kansas City is a member of the Summit League located in Kansas City, MO. The Roos were 11-21 last season, 7-11 and seventh place in the Summit League.
• This year, the Roos are 6-9, including 5-0 at home. They face Sacramento State on Wednesday before playing the Vikings. Kansas City averages 70.4 points per game and allows 69.8 points. The Roos have proven to be a strong rebounding team with a +7.7 rebounding margin over opponents.
• Junior forward Jamar Brown leads the team in scoring (13.7), rebounding (6.1) and steals (16). Senior guard Anderson Kopp averages 13.1 points and 5.1 rebounds. Junior forward Cameron Faas averages 10.5 points and has made 39 three-point field goals (.433).

 

WHO IS HOT

• KJ LEADS THE WAY: SR F KJ Allen had one of his best games of the season with 16 points (4-7 FG, 8-9 FT), 11 rebounds and three assists in the win over Idaho. It was his second double-double of the season. Allen leads the Vikings in scoring (10.6), rebounding (6.2), steals (15) and free throws made and attempted (51-65, .785).
• THE BENCH BUNCH: The Vikings have been producing all season when they make substitutions. PSU has scored 396 bench points (28.3 per game) to rank 47th in the nation and first in the Big Sky... last year, the Vikings averaged 27.9 points per game off the bench to rank 12th in the nation.
• LEADER OF THE BUNCH: JR F Isaiah Johnson is not a starter, but ranks second in scoring at 10.5 points per game and second in rebounding at 5.3. Johnson leads the team with a .560 field goal percentage.
• ON THE BLOCK: JR C Hayden Curtiss has blocked 15 shots in the last six games (2.5) and now has 18 on the season (1.3). He ranks third in the Big Sky Conference and the Vikings lead the Big Sky as a team (3.93).
• THIS SEASON, THE VIKINGS HAVE NEVER LOST WHEN...: Playing at home (4-0)... leading at halftime (6-0)... out-shooting an opponent from the field (5-0)... out-rebounding an opponent (7-0)... scoring 80 or more points (3-0).

 

VIKING BASKETBALL NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

Portland State has had a strong start to the season, and it has included a lot of close games and game-winning shots. Through 14 games, nine have been decided by seven points or less. The Vikings are 7-2 in those games.
 

SEASON HIGHLIGHT REEL

• Saterfield Gets Preseason Honors: SR G Jorell Saterfield was picked to the six-man Preseason All-Big Sky Conference team. Saterfield averaged 13.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and made 65 three-point field goals last season.
• Nov. 6, PSU 62, Air Force 55: The Vikings opened the season with a seven-point win on the road, beating Air Force for the second straight season. The Vikings out-rebounded the Falcons, 41-34, including 14 on the offensive glass for 16 second-chance points. SR G Jorell Saterfield had 10 points and seven rebounds. JR F Isaiah Johnson grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds.
• Nov. 9, PSU 82, UC Santa Barbara 76: Portland State knocked off defending Big West Conference Champion and preseason favorite UC Santa Barbara. After a close first half, the Vikings led for virtually the entire second half. Five players scored in double figures as PSU got 48 points in the paint and 22 on the fast break. The Vikings made 12 steals, forcing 18 turnovers.
• Nov. 12, PSU 70, Linfield 53: SR F KJ Allen sparked a sluggish Vikings team in the first half with back-to-back three-point plays and went on to lead the team to its third straight win. Allen had 18 points (6-8 FG, 6-7 FT), seven rebounds and five steals in the game. PSU made 12 steals and blocked seven shots in holding Linfield to 53 points.
• Woods Gets 1,000: SR F Hunter Woods reached 1,000 points in his collegiate career in the win over Linfield (11/12). Woods scored nine points in the game on three three-point field goals giving him 327 points in 34 games at Portland State and 676 points in 84 games at Elon.
• Nov. 17, PSU 66, California Baptist 63: SO G Ismail Habib buried a half-court shot at the buzzer to give the Vikings their fourth straight win to open the season. It was part of a 14-point comeback in the final nine minutes of the game. PSU took a 63-61 lead with 30 seconds left on a JR F Isaiah Johnson spin move inside. The Lancers tied it with 2.4 seconds left on a short jumper. Johnson inbounded to Habib who raced up court and let the shot go just before the buzzer. Johnson led the Vikings with 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-4 FT) as he, Habib and SR F KJ Allen sparked a 22-5 rally down the stretch.
• Nov. 18, PSU 73, Cal Poly 57: Portland State won its fifth game in a row for the best start in the Big Sky era and matching the best start ever for the program (5-0). The Vikings jumped to a double-digit lead early, pushed it as high as 25 in the second half and cruised to the win. SR F KJ Allen had the first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. PSU out-rebounded the Mustangs, 43-31, and held them to .373 shooting.
• Allen Named Lancer Joust All-Tournament: SR F KJ Allen was named to the Lancer Joust All-Tournament team on Sunday. He averaged 12.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting .458/.556/.667 as the Vikings won two of three games.
• Nov. 28, PSU 75, Portland 74: SO G Ismail Habib made a driving lay-in with 0.8 seconds on the clock to complete a 12-point comeback by the Vikings. Habib also hit a pair of three-pointers in the final two minutes as the Vikings improved to 6-1 - matching their best seven-game start in school history. Habib had 18 points (6-11 FG, 5-9 3-pt) and four assists, while JR F Isaiah Johnson added a career-high 18 points (7-12 FG, 4-5 FT) and 10 rebounds.
• Dec. 6, PSU 106, Lewis & Clark 60: The Vikings shot a season-high .581 from the field and posted a season scoring high in an easy win over the Division III Pioneers. The Vikings out-rebound LC 49-34 and commit only seven turnovers. JR C Hayden Curtiss set a new career-highs with 19 points (8-10 FG, 1-1 3-pt, 2-2 FG) and seven rebounds while blocking five shots. SR G Keshaun Saunders added 15 points (6-10 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 1-1 FT) and three steals in 18 minutes off the bench.
• Dec. 9, PSU 83, George Fox 77: SR G Jorell Saterfield had a near triple-double with 25 points (8-15 FG, 4-9 3-pt, 5-6 FT) and career-highs of 10 rebounds and eight assists to lead PSU to the win. JR C Hayden Curtiss (14 pts, 10 reb) and SR F Hunter Woods (12 pts, 11 reb) also had double-doubles.The Vikings were up 20 in the second half, but had to hang on for the victory. PSU out-rebounded the Bruins, 49-31.
• Dec. 18, PSU 75, Fresno State 72 (ot): SR F KJ Allen continued the buzzer-beating madness for Portland State, but hitting a three-point field goal on the final play of overtime to decide it. Allen scored eight points in a 10-point rally by the Vikings to close out the game. He had 15 points (4-10 FG, 3-3 3-pt, 4-4 FT) and eight rebounds. It marked the third buzzer-beater of the season for the Vikings as they improved to 9-3, matching a best-ever record in program history.
• Dec. 30, PSU 77, Idaho 72: The Vikings trailed by 11 in the first half and eight at halftime, but came back to win on the road again. SR F KJ Allen had a big game with 16 points (4-7 FG, 8-9 FT) and 11 rebounds to lead the way.  The Vikings out-rebounded Idaho, 41-35, forced 14 turnovers and were 22-29 at the free throw line. It was PSU's fourth straight win over Idaho, seventh in the last eight games, and ninth in the last 11.