Portland, OR – With 4:25 remaining in the game, the Portland State Vikings were done. Over. Kaput. Toast. Or were they….
 
Robert Ford of Montana State had just buried another three-point field goal and the Bobcats were ahead 85-70. All Viking fans could do was shake their heads as this game had gotten away from Portland State.
 
But the Vikings players felt differently. Portland State mounted a 24-6 run, including the final 11 points of the game to close out as 94-91 victors in one of the most improbable turnarounds ever. 
 
PSU did everything right down the stretch, making 7-11 field goals, holding the Bobcats without a field goal (0-3) and forcing them into four turnovers. It was a remarkable stretch of play as the Vikings scored points on their final eight possessions of the game.
 
PSU was down 12 with 2:01 to play, and trailed by eight with 1:06 left. But a three-pointer by KJ Allen, a dunk by Isaiah Johnson and another three from Ismail Habib (with the help of two MSU turnovers) had the game tied at 91-91 with 40 seconds left.
 
The Bobcats were looking for a go-ahead basket as the clock ticked down, but Johnson came up with a steal. He was fouled and with 7.5 seconds left in the game he made his first free throw. PSU was ahead for the first time since the 8:28 mark of the first half, 92-91. 
 
Johnson then missed his second free throw. But the junior forward got his own offensive rebound (EVERYTHING went right for the Vikings). Eventually, Allen was fouled with three seconds left and made both free throws for a 94-91 Viking lead. The Bobcats heaved a desperation tying three-pointer at the buzzer but it fell away.
 
Whew!
 
Portland State won its second straight game – in dramatic fashion - and improved to 13-8 on the season. The Vikings have now passed last season's win total (12-19). PSU is 4-4 in the Big Sky and moved into fifth place among 10 teams.
 
"I think we have a group of guys that are never going to give up. I am insanely proud of them with how they played down the stretch," said Vikings Coach Jase Coburn. "We changed a lot of things the last couple of days, they responded to it, and we've gotten a couple of huge wins."
 
Montana State dropped to 10-11 on the season. The Bobcats are now 5-3 in the Big Sky.
 
It was a crazy game of physical play, leading to 45 fouls and five technical fouls. But both teams were up to the challenge. MSU shot a remarkable 30-55 from the field (.545) while the Vikings were 30-62 (.484). Both teams made 20 free throws, but the Vikings hit a season-high 14-25 threes (.560) to make the difference.
 
"We have guys that can shoot the ball. Teams leave certain guys open for us. So I say, 'Hey, let that thing fly,'" said Coburn.
 
Allen had a huge game for the Vikings with a career-high 26 points, hitting 7-12 from the field, 4-4 from deep and 8-10 at the line. Isiah Kirby continued his excellent play of late with a career-high 20 points on 6-11 from the field, 3-4 from three-point range and 5-6 at the line. Johnson went for 16 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot. He had 14 points and seven rebounds in the second half. Those three players combined for 18 of the Vikings' final 24 points.
 
Each side hit three-pointers at a high rate in the first half. There were eight ties and eight lead changes before the first big run of the game. Trailing 28-26, the Bobcats scored 10 straight points to take the lead at 36-26. They were shooting 14-21 from the field at that point.
 
The Vikings closed the margin to 45-42 in what was an exciting and efficient first half. MSU was 18-30 from the field (.600), and 6-10 from deep (.600). PSU was 15-31 (.484) and 9-14 from distance (.643). Allen had 14 points and four rebounds at the break, while Brandon Walker had scored 14 for the Bobcats.
 
The second half remained close until an 11-1 run by the Bobcats gave them a 67-56 lead with 12:23 remaining in the game. A Ford three-pointer - his fourth of the half - had MSU up 85-70 with 4:25 remaining. That's when the real excitement began.
 
The game appeared to belong to Ford, who finished with 26 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals to lead the Bobcats. He had 17 in the second half, including four dagger three-pointers as MSU built its lead to 15. But he fouled out with 1:08 to go and the Bobcats leading by eight.
 

GAME NOTES

• Bobby Harvey scored a season-high 17 points on 6-10 from the field, 4-7 from three-point range and 1-2 at the line… Ismail Habib had a game-high seven assists.
• Portland State scored a season-high against a Division I opponent with 94 points.
• The Vikings are now 7-1 at home this season.
• PSU is 9-3 in games decided by seven points or less, 5-0 by three points or less.
• For the second straight game Portland State knocked off the team in second place in the Big Sky. Montana was in second going into the game on Thursday at 4-2. Montana State was in second place going into Saturday's game at 5-2. 
• Montana State is the two-time defending Big Sky Conference Tournament Champion and had beaten the Vikings six straight times before Saturday.
• Portland State honored the late Deante Strickland during the course of the game with its annual "StrickCity Night."
• Portland State was playing the second game in a four-game home stand. The Vikings will now be off for a week. They host Sacramento State next Saturday at Viking Pavilion in a 4 p.m. game.