EVERGREEN STATE GEODUCKS (0-2)
at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-1)

Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, 7 p.m., Viking Pavilion (3,094), Portland, OR
Live Stream: ESPN+ • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Devon Pouncey
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com
 

OPENING TIP

Portland State opens its 2024-25 home schedule this Thursday night against Evergreen State. The Vikings and Geoducks will meet in a 7 p.m. non-conference game at Viking Pavilion, televised on ESPN+.
           
Both teams will be looking for their first win of the season. The Vikings come off a 100-92 loss in their opener at Washington State. PSU played a highly-productive game but could not overcome better shooting from the Cougars. The Vikings had an early 17-point lead, but WSU got hot, eventually hitting 15 three-pointers on the way to the win.
           
Evergreen State is 0-2 after a pair of losses to Montana Western (99-51) and Montana Tech (93-71) over the weekend. The NAIA Geoducks will come to Viking Pavilion having never beaten PSU (0-5). The last meeting between the schools - two seasons ago - was a 113-40 Vikings win.
           
Though heavy favorites in the game, Portland State wants to make sure it gets its 14-game home schedule off to a good start. Among the first six games of the season, this will be the only one played at Viking Pavilion.
           
Last year, the Vikings were 11-2 at home and they carry a three-game home court winning streak over from 2023-24. In non-conference action, PSU has lost only 15 home games in the last 15 seasons (68-15). PSU is 31-14 against Division I schools, and 37-1 against lower division schools over that span.
           
Despite the loss at Washington State, Portland State had a lot of positives to take going forward. The Vikings shot .485 from the field, 12-27 from three-point range, and forced 21 Cougars turnovers.
           
Individually, some new key players emerged. SR G Qiant Myers, a transfer from Western Oregon, handled the point well with 14 points and 10 assists. SR F Terri Miller Jr., a transfer from Louisiana Tech, came off the bench for 20 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. Returning SR F Isaiah Johnson was solid with 14 points (6-8 FG) and a team-high seven rebounds. And, SR F Hayden Curtiss came off the bench for 13 points (5-8 FG, 3-3 3-pt) in 15 minutes.
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. EVERGREEN STATE

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series with all five games being played at PSU over the past 20 seasons. The most recent contest was a 113-40 Viking win on Nov. 16, 2022.
• PORTLAND STATE vs. LOWER DIVISION SCHOOLS: The Vikings are 59-2 against lower division schools in 28 previous seasons as a member of the Big Sky Conference and Division I (1996-2024). Head Coach Jase Coburn is 7-0 against lower division schools... PSU will also face lower division Northwest Indian College (Dec. 14) and Walla Walla (Dec. 31) at home this season.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his fourth season as Head Coach and is 43-52 overall. Coburn is 2-0 against Evergreen State. He spent eight previous seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Associate Head Coach... the Geoducks are coached by Cameron Swanson in his second season.

 

SCOUTING EVERGREEN STATE

• The Evergreen State College is located in Olympia, WA and is an NAIA member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference... a Geoduck is the world's largest burrowing clam. Indigenous to the Puget Sound, a geoduck weighs in at over two pounds on average. It's pronounced like gooey-duck.
• The Geoducks were 4-23 last season, 3-19 in CCC play. One starter and three letterwinners return from that team.
• Evergreen State suffered a pair of losses last weekend, averaging 61.0 points and allowing 96.0 points... turnovers were a problem as the Geoducks gave up 43 in the two games while forcing only 16.
• Senior guard Jourdan Joseph leads the team with a 16.5 scoring average, hitting 5-12 three-pointers and 12-13 free throws in the first two games. Junior forward Solomon Campbell averages a team-best 5.5 rebounds.

 

HOT SHOTS

• JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: SR F Terri Miller Jr., a newcomer to the Vikings this season after transferring from Louisiana Tech, had a terrific debut with 20 points (8-16 FG, 1-3 3-pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, three assists and four steals at Washington State. The points and steals were collegiate career highs.
• Q-RATING: SR G Qiant Myers, a transfer from Western Oregon, was also terrific in his debut. Myers scored 14 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 4-5 FT) with 10 assists and two steals in a team-high 33 minutes. He also had a +/- rating of +13.
• STEPPING OUTSIDE: SR F Hayden Curtiss made one three-pointer last season for the Vikings. On Monday, the Viking big man hit 3-3 from deep on his way to 13 points (5-8 FG) in 15 minutes of play.
• WATCHING TV: SR F Tre-Vaughn Minott made his first career start at Washington State. Though he played only nine minutes, Minott had seven points, five rebounds and two blocked shots - all career bests at PSU.
• THIS LOOKS FAMILIAR: Trademarks of Jase Coburn-coached teams has been forcing turnovers and bench production. Monday's performance at Washington State was no different. PSU forced 21 Cougar turnovers for a remarkable 37 points. The Vikings also got 42 bench points in 79 bench minutes played.

 

MEANINGLESS TRIVIA

• Portland State was picked to place sixth in the Big Sky Conference Preseason Coaches Poll and seventh in the Big Sky Conference Preseason Media Poll. The Vikings were sixth in 2023-24.
• PSU is 12-17 in season openers since reinstating basketball and joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97... the Vikings are 24-4 in home openers over the same span.