PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (16-12, 7-8)
at MONTANA GRIZZLIES (18-9, 9-5)

Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT • Dahlberg Arena (7,322), Missoula, MT
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com

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OPENING TIP

Portland State will seek a road victory on Saturday at Montana as it tries to maintain its positioning for a first-round bye in the upcoming Big Sky Conference Tournament. The Vikings (16-12, 7-8) meet the third-place Grizzlies (18-9, 9-5) in Missoula in a 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT game on ESPN+.
     
PSU's run to the post-season took a blow on Thursday night when the Vikings lost at Montana State, 72-67. That dropped the Vikings from fifth place in the conference to sixth. They are just one-half game ahead of a seventh-place tie between Northern Arizona and Idaho State (6-8). Sixth place or better is a key to the post-season as the top six teams in the Big Sky advance to the quarterfinal round. Teams 7-10 will have to play a first-round game in the tournament on Mar. 9.
     
The Vikings will need to step up their offensive game against one of the Big Sky's top scoring teams. Montana averages 76.9 points while shooting a stellar .480 from the field and .793 at the free throw line. The Grizzlies are in the top three in all offensive categories and average a league-low 9.8 turnovers.
     
Meanwhile, PSU had been producing on offense in recent games, but shot only .397 from the field and .250 from three-point range in Thursday's loss. SR G Isiah Kirby had 16 points (7-14 FG) to lead Portland State against the Bobcats. PSU out-rebounded MSU, 43-34, and came back from an 11-point deficit in the second half, but couldn't produce enough offense down the stretch.
     
On the positive side for the Vikings is the memory of a resounding victory over the Grizzlies on Jan. 25 at Viking Pavilion. PSU beat Montana, 72-46, forcing the Griz into their worst offensive output of the Big Sky season. That can't hurt as they enter Dahlberg Arena, a place where PSU has only won four times in its Big Sky history (4-20). PSU last won at Montana in 2019, having lost two in a row since that time.
     
In 2021, Portland State did not play at Missoula due to a COVID-altered Big Sky schedule. Last season, the Vikings also did not play there as a winter storm closed the Portland airport late in the season, preventing PSU from traveling to Missoula. The game was later deemed unnecessary to reschedule as it would not impact the standings.
     
Montana goes into the game having won two in a row and five of its last seven games. The Griz beat Sacramento State, 68-61, on Thursday. Montana is 11-3 at home this season.
     
After starting the year 5-3 in road games, Portland State has lost six in a row away from home for a 5-9 mark.
 

COMING UP

Among Portland State's final three regular season games are one at home and two on the road. After Montana, the Vikings play 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 or 11 depending on its place in the final Big Sky standings.
 
WHERE THEY STAND AND WHO THEY PLAY
#1 Eastern Washington  11-3    2/24 at UNC; 2/29 UM; 3/2 MSU; 3/4 at SAC 
#2 Northern Colorado    10-4    2/24 EWU; 2/29 at WSU; 3/2 at ISU; 3/4 at NAU
#t3 Weber State              9-5     2/24 at ISU; 2/29 UNC; 3/2 NAU; 3/4 at MSU
#t3 Montana                       9-5     2/24 PSU; 2/29 at EWU; 3/2 at UI; 3/4 ISU
#5 Montana State           7-7     2/24 SAC; 2/29 at UI; 3/2 at EWU; 3/4 WSU
#6 Portland State            7-8     2/24 at UM; 3/2 at SAC; 3/4 UI
#t7 Idaho State                  6-8     2/24 WSU; 2/29 NAU; 3/2 UNC; 3/4 at UM
#t7 Northern Arizona      6-8      2/24 UI; 2/29 at ISU; 3/2 at WSU; 3/4 UNC
#9 Idaho                             4-10    2/24 at NAU; 2/29 MSU; 3/2 UM; 3/4 at PSU
#10 Sacramento State   2-13    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

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Montana leads the all-time series with Portland State, 43-28, and the Big Sky Conference series, 35-19... the Vikings are only 4-20 in Big Sky games at Montana, with the last win coming in 2019... PSU beat the Griz earlier this season, 72-46, and the 26-point margin was the largest against Montana in 15 years.
• EARLIER THIS SEASON: Jan. 25, 2024 at Viking Pavilion, PSU 72, UM 46: Portland State trounced Montana in the first matchup of the season between the teams. 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... 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 hit 12 three-point field goals (50%)... 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. 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. for the Vikings... Brandon Whitney and Josh Vasquez each scored 11 points to lead Montana.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his third season as Head Coach and is 42-48 overall. Coburn is 1-3 against Montana. He spent eight previous seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Associate Head Coach... the Grizzlies are coached by Travis DeCuire (Montana, 1994) in his ninth season. DeCuire has a career record of 195-121 and is 13-6 against the Vikings.

 

SCOUTING MONTANA

• Montana is an original member of the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies have won 10 regular season Big Sky Championships, 11 Big Sky Tournament titles and made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances.
• The Grizzlies were 17-14 last season, 10-7 and fourth in the Big Sky Conference.
• This year the Grizzlies are 18-9 overall, which matches the best record in the Big Sky Conference. They are 9-5 and tied for third in conference play. Montana averages 76.9 points and allows 71.3 points per game. The Griz shoot .480 from the field, .352 from three-point range and lead the Big Sky in free throw shooting (.793) and fewest turnovers (9.8).
• Senior guard Aanen Moody is the team's leading scorer at 15.5 points per game. He has made 59 three-point field goals and shoots .902 at the line. Senior forward Dischon Thomas averages 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Senior guard Brandon Whitney averages 10.6 points and leads the team in assists at 4.4 per game. Senior forward Laolu Oke averages a team-high 7.2 rebounds.

 

WHO IS HOT

• KIRBY'S CONTRIBUTION: SR G Isiah Kirby has taken on a key role with the Vikings during the second half of the season. In the past 12 games he has averaged 11.8 points and shot .482 from the field and .839 at the line. He had averaged 3.9 points and shot .452/.667 prior to that. Kirby became a starter nine games ago... Kirby scored 16 points (7-14 FG, 2-3 FT) in Thursday's game at Montana State.
• BIG SKY LEADERS: SR G Bobby Harvey leads the Big Sky in three-point field goals made per game (2.5)... JR C Hayden Curtiss has dropped to second in the Big Sky in blocked shots at 1.6 per game, 2.0 in league games... he now has 62 career blocks which ranks seventh all-time at PSU. His 42 blocks for the season is 10th-most.
• 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 747 bench points (26.7 per game) to rank 41st 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... 10-3 when leading at halftime... 9-2 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 28 games, 15 have been decided by seven points or less. The Vikings are 10-5 in those games. PSU is 5-2 in games decided by three points or less and has won twice in overtime.