PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (16-11, 7-7)
at MONTANA STATE BOBCATS (11-15, 6-7)

Thurs., Feb. 22, 2024, 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT • Worthington Arena (6,772), Bozeman, MT
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com

---

OPENING TIP

Portland State goes into traditionally its toughest road trip of the season this week. But the Vikings travel on a positive note. They come off two home wins last week and will take on a pair of teams they defeated earlier this season, Montana State and Montana.
     
The Vikings (16-11, 7-7) are fighting for the best possible post-season tournament positioning they can get with four games to go in the Big Sky Conference regular season. PSU defeated Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona last week at Viking Pavilion and now stand in fifth place in the Big Sky. The top six teams in the tournament get a first-round bye and a much more realistic run at a Tournament Championship.
     
This week's games with the Bobcats and Grizzlies will go a long way toward deciding where the Vikings finish. Montana is in fourth place (8-5), a game-and-a-half ahead of the Vikings. Montana State is in sixth place (6-7), one-half game behind the Vikings. Effectively, Thursday's game with the Bobcats will be for fifth place - at least in the short term.
     
Portland State will battle history as well as two of the Big Sky's original members when it travels to the Treasure State. PSU is 6-22 all-time at Montana State and 4-20 all-time at Montana in Big Sky games. That combined 10-42 mark makes it the most challenging road trip of the league season every year. PSU last won at Montana State in 2020, and last won at Montana in 2019.
     
The good news for the Vikings was their play of last week as they averaged 82.5 points and picked up a pair of quality wins. SR F KJ Allen was particularly impressive, averaging 21.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two games. Allen went for a career-high 27 points (8-12 FG, 11-13 FT) and nine boards in the victory over NAU. That came two nights after SR G Bobby Harvey posted a career-high 26 points and eight rebounds in a win over second-place Northern Colorado.
     
Also a positive was the return of SO G Ismail Habib to lead the point. The Vikings had missed Habib for four games due to an ankle sprain, going 1-3 in the process.
     
MSU (11-15, 6-7) is the two-time defending Big Sky Conference Tournament Champion. However, the program underwent a big transition in the off-season with a new head coach and significant player turnover. The Bobcats started Big Sky play well but have lost their last four in a row. MSU is 8-6 at home this season.
     
Portland State defeated Montana State, 94-91, on Jan. 27 with a remarkable come-from-behind victory. The Vikings trailed by 15 with 4:25 to go, but went on a 24-6 run to close out the game, including scoring the last 11 points.
     
Thursday's game tips off at 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT in Bozeman. The game can be seen on ESPN+ with live statistics at www.ViksLive.com.
 

COMING UP

Among Portland State's final four regular season games are one at home and three on the road.After Montana State, the Vikings play at Montana (Feb. 24) and at Sacramento State (Mar. 2). PSU completes the regular season schedule at home on Mar. 4 against Idaho.
     
The Big Sky Conference Tournament runs Mar. 9-13 at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, ID. PSU could play its first game on Mar. 9, 10 or 11 depending on its place in the final Big Sky standings.
 

WHERE THEY STAND AND WHO THEY PLAY

#1 Eastern Washington 11-2    2/22 at NAU; 2/24 at UNC; 2/29 UM; 3/2 MSU; 3/4 at SAC   
#2 Northern Colorado    9-4      2/22 UI; 2/24 EWU; 2/29 at WSU; 3/2 at ISU; 3/4 at NAU
#3 Weber State               9-5     2/24 at ISU; 2/29 UNC; 3/2 NAU; 3/4 at MSU
#4 Montana                     8-5     2/22 SAC; 2/24 PSU; 2/29 at EWU; 3/2 at UI; 3/4 ISU
#5 Portland State           7-7     2/22 at MSU; 2/24 at UM; 3/2 at SAC; 3/4 UI
#6 Montana State          6-7     2/22 PSU; 2/24 SAC; 2/29 at UI; 3/2 at EWU; 3/4 WSU
#7 Idaho State               6-8     2/24 WSU; 2/29 NAU; 3/2 UNC; 3/4 at UM
#8 Northern Arizona      5-8      2/22 EWU; 2/24 UI; 2/29 at ISU; 3/2 at WSU; 3/4 UNC
#9 Idaho                         4-9      2/22 at UNC; 2/24 at NAU; 2/29 MSU; 3/2 UM; 3/4 at PSU
#10 Sacramento State   2-12   2/22 at UM; 2/24 at MSU; 3/2 PSU; 3/4 EWU
 

2024 Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Championship Schedule

 
Saturday, March 9, 2024 (First Round)
Game 1: #9 Seed vs. #10 Seed, 5:30 p.m. MT/4:30 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Game 2: #7 Seed vs. #8 Seed, 8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
 
Sunday, March 10, 2024 (Quarterfinals)
Game 3: #1 Seed vs. Game 1 Winner, 5:30 p.m. MT/4:30 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Game 4: #2 Seed vs. Game 2 Winner, 8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
 
Monday, March 11, 2024 (Quarterfinals)
Game 5: #4 Seed vs. #5 Seed, 5:30 p.m. MT/4:30 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
Game 6: #3 Seed vs. #6 Seed, 8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (ESPN+)
 
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 (Semifinals)
Game 7: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 6:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. PT (ESPNU)
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 9 p.m. MT/8 p.m. PT (ESPN2)
 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 (Championship)
Game 9: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, 9:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. PT (ESPN2)
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. MONTANA STATE

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Montana State leads the all-time series, 40-28, and the Big Sky Conference series, 33-25... PSU ended a six-game losing streak to MSU earlier this season... MSU leads 22-6 in Big Sky games played in Bozeman... the Vikings are 4-0 against the Bobcats in Big Sky Tournament games.
• EARLIER THIS SEASON: Jan. 27, 2024 at Viking Pavilion, PSU 94, MSU 91: With 4:25 remaining in the game, the Portland State Vikings were done. Robert Ford of Montana State had just buried another three-point field goal and the Bobcats were ahead 85-70. 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. 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... 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... 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... The game appeared to belong to Ford before PSU's comeback. He finished with 26 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals to lead the Bobcats.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his third season as Head Coach. He spent eight previous seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Associate Head Coach. Coburn has a 42-47 record overall. He is 1-4 against Montana State... the Bobcats are coached by Matt Logie (Lehigh, 2003) in his first season.

 

SCOUTING MONTANA STATE

• Montana State is an original member of the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats have won five regular season Big Sky Championships, four Big Sky Tournament titles and made six NCAA Tournament appearances.
• The Bobcats are the defending Big Sky Conference tournament champions. They were 25-10 last season, 15-3 and second place in the Big Sky. In the off-season, the Bobcats hired Matt Logie as the new head coach, replacing Danny Sprinkle who went to Utah State.
• This season, Montana State is 11-15 overall, 6-7 and in sixth place in the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats average 74.1 points and allow 74.7 points per game. They make 8.6 three-pointers per game - second-most in the Big Sky - and lead the league with 8.2 steals per game.
• Senior guard Robert Ford III averages 15.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and a Big Sky-leading 2.9 steals per game. He has made 59 three-point field goals and shoots .434 from distance... Junior forward Brian Goracke averages 14.4 points per game and has 53 three-point field goals. He leads the Big Sky with an .878 free throw percentage. Sophomore forward Brandon Walker averages 13.7 points and shoots a Big Sky-best .572 from the field.

 

WHO IS HOT

• KJ'S BIG DAY: SR F KJ had his biggest game as a Viking, scoring a career-high 27 points (8-12 FG, 11-13 FT) with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal in the win over Northern Arizona... in his last four games, Allen has averaged 17.3 points and 8.0 rebounds... for the season, he leads the Vikings in scoring (12.3) and rebounding (6.8) and has a team-high five double-doubles.
• COLE'S WORLD: You can find him on X as @W0rldCole. Lately, you can find him on the floor more often for the Vikings. FR G Cole Farrell is seeing his playing time increase and his performance against Northern Arizona is a good reason why. Farrell had 10 points (4-7 FG, 2-2 FT), five assists and five steals in 22 minutes off the bench. 
• BIG SKY LEADERS: JR C Hayden Curtiss leads the Big Sky Conference with 2.1 blocked shots per game in league games... SR G Bobby Harvey leads the Big Sky in three-point field goals made per game for the season (2.4).
• WINNERS: Portland State's 16 wins marks the most wins of Jase Coburn's three seasons as a head coach. It also marks the most wins since PSU was 18-14 in 2019-20. The 10 home wins is also the most since 2019-20 (11-3)... In 28 seasons as a member of the Big Sky Conference, 16 wins is currently tied for 10th-most in the Big Sky era. The most wins is 23 (twice, 2007-08 and 2008-09 NCAA Tournament teams)
• THE BENCH BUNCH: The Vikings have been producing all season when they make substitutions. PSU has scored 728 bench points (27.0 per game) to rank 39th in the nation and second in the Big Sky... last year, the Vikings averaged 27.9 points per game off the bench to rank 12th in the nation.
• STRONG INDICATORS: Portland State is 10-2 when playing at home... 10-2 when leading at halftime... 9-1 when out-rebounding an opponent... 9-2 when out-shooting an opponent or shooting is even... 12-3 when scoring 70 or more points... 9-4 when starting a new lineup.
• LATE GAME HEROICS: Once again this season Portland State has had numerous close games and game-winning shots. Through 27 games, 14 have been decided by seven points or less. The Vikings are 10-4 in those games. PSU is 5-1 in games decided by three points or less and has won twice in overtime.