Portland, OR – A different look produced a different result for the Portland State Vikings as they trounced the Montana Grizzlies, 72-46, at Viking Pavilion.
 
Following a pair of losses on the road last week, PSU Coach Jase Coburn shook up his lineup with some new starters and made some changes on defense in the Vikings' return home and they responded immediately.
 
Four players scored in double figures, led by a career-high 19 points from Ismail Habib as the Vikings knocked off the hottest team in the Big Sky Conference. Montana came into the game having won 11 of 13 games and with the best overall record in the Big Sky. But PSU proved easily to be the best team on the court.
 
The Vikings improved to 12-8 on the season, having already matched last season's win total, and are now 3-4 in league play. Montana dropped to 13-7, 4-3 in the Big Sky.
 
In the opening moments of the game, the Vikings brought the energy, and then they brought a full court press. That proved to be a huge addition as they held Montana to a mere 46 points and 31% shooting. The Grizzlies were averaging 79 points and shooting 49% going into the game.
 
Just as important was a return of Portland State's shooting touch. The Vikings shot 53% in the first half, 49% for the game, and matched their season-high with 12 three-point field goals (50%).
 
"The thing I've learned is coaching a basketball team through a season, you have to keep evolving," said Coburn. "Something you may have done in November may not work in January. We needed to search for an identity and maybe we found one.
 
"I'm most proud that we played hard and we played connected. It was great to make shots and play that kind of defense, but I'm really proud of how hard they played."
 
Montana managed the Vikings' defense early by making six threes in the first 11 minutes, leading 20-16. They would score only 26 more points in the final 29 minutes of the game.
 
The Vikings responded with their best run of the first half. An Isaiah Johnson dunk ignited the crowd and gave PSU a 21-20 lead. The Vikings extended the run to 12-2, with eight points from Habib and went up 28-22.
 
Just before halftime, KJ Allen sandwiched a pair of three-pointers around a three by Habib, boosting the Vikings to a 42-31 halftime lead. Habib had 13 points and four assists at the break. The Vikings were shooting .533 from the field and were 9-15 on three-pointers.
 
Habib opened the second half with another three-pointer and Johnson followed with another dunk. The Vikings led 47-31 and they were off to the races. Montana scored only 15 points in the second half as PSU held them to a season-low for a Viking opponent.
 
Habib was 7-12 from the field, 4-7 from three-point range and 1-2 at the line for his 19 points. He handed off six helpers without making a turnover. In fact, the Viking team had only four turnovers on the night.
 
Bobby Harvey scored 13 points. It didn't hurt to have Allen back in the lineup after he missed last week's two games with a should injury. The team's leader in scoring and rebounding this season, Allen contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. Isiah Kirby also tallied 11 with four assists. Kendall Munson led the Vikings with eight boards.
 
Brandon Whitney and Josh Vasquez each scored 11 points to lead Montana. 
 

GAME NOTES

• The 26-point margin of victory was Portland State's largest over a Division I opponent this season. It was also the largest over Montana in 15 seasons. The Vikings beat the Griz 72-45 back on Dec. 20, 2008.
• PSU is now 6-1 at home this season. The 12 overall wins have come in 20 games, while last year the Vikings had 12 wins in 31 games (12-19).
• The Vikings started Cole Farrell, Isiah Kirby, Bobby Harvey, Isaiah Johnson and Kendall Munson.
• Kirby has averaged 11.0 points over the last four games, making 20-33 from the field (.606).
• Portland State's .491 shooting mark (27-55) was its best in 11 games.
• The Vikings played their 20th game of the season, but only their seventh at home.
• Portland State plays at home again on Saturday hosting Montana State at 4 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+.