PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (16-13, 7-9)
at SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS (7-22, 3-13)

Saturday, March 2, 2 p.m., The Hornets Nest (1,012), Sacramento, CA
Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.com

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OPENING TIP

Portland State has two more chances in the regular season to up its stock for the Big Sky Conference Tournament which runs Mar. 9-13, in Boise, ID. The first comes this Saturday night as the Vikings take on Sacramento State in Sacramento. PSU then hosts the season finale on Monday, Mar. 4 against Idaho at Viking Pavilion.
     
PSU (16-13, 7-9) saw its Big Sky standing suffer a blow last week as the Vikings lost road games at Montana State and Montana. That dropped PSU from fifth place to seventh place in the standings. The Vikings seek a top-six finish to avoid a first-round Big Sky Tournament game on Mar. 9 and to advance directly to the quarterfinals on Mar. 11.
     
Knowing where the Vikings may finish in the standings is as confusing as the New York Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle. Though currently seventh, PSU has the good fortune of playing two teams below it in the standings. Sacramento State is 3-13 and 10th place, while Idaho is 5-10 and ninth place. However, each team won its most recent game. Certainly, there are no guarantees - that is why you play the games - and the Vikings are among four teams within one game of each other as they go into the final week. Montana State and Idaho State are tied for fifth at 7-8, PSU is seventh at 7-9, and Northern Arizona is eighth at 6-9. If there are ties in the final standings, tie-breaker scenarios come into effect. In the simplest terms, PSU has split with Montana State and Northern Arizona, but was swept by Idaho State. So, a tie with MSU and NAU would go much deeper into the tie-breaking format. (For remaining schedules of all teams, see below)
     
What is certain is the Vikings need wins. First up is Sacramento State on Saturday. The Hornets ended an 11-game losing streak with a win at Montana State on Saturday. PSU won an earlier meeting with Sacramento State, 58-51, in Portland. However, the Vikings have since lost five of seven games and have a current seven-game road losing streak. The Hornets are 5-7 at home, while the Vikings are 5-10 on the road. Saturday's game tips off at 2 p.m. in The Hornets Nest and can be seen on ESPN+. 
     
Next Monday, the Vikings will host Idaho in the regular season finale at Viking Pavilion. That game tips off at 7 p.m. and can also be seen on ESPN+. Senior Day festivites will take place prior to the game as the Vikings honor six seniors playing in their final home game.
     
The Vikings are 10-2 at home this season and won a Dec. 30 game at Idaho, 77-72. The Vandals won their last road game at Northern Arizona last Saturday and are 4-9 on the road this year.
 

COMING UP

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     12-3       2/29 UM; 3/2 MSU; 3/4 at SAC    
#t2 Montana                         10-5     2/29 at EWU; 3/2 at UI; 3/4 ISU
#t2 Northern Colorado    10-5     2/29 at WSU; 3/2 at ISU; 3/4 at NAU
#4 Weber State                 9-6      2/29 UNC; 3/2 NAU; 3/4 at MSU
#t5 Montana State            7-8      2/29 at UI; 3/2 at EWU; 3/4 WSU
#t5 Idaho State                  7-8       2/29 NAU; 3/2 UNC; 3/4 at UM
#7 Portland State              7-9       3/2 at SAC; 3/4 UI
#8 Northern Arizona         6-9        2/29 at ISU; 3/2 at WSU; 3/4 UNC
#9 Idaho                                  5-10    2/29 MSU; 3/2 UM; 3/4 at PSU
#10 Sacramento State     3-13           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. SACRAMENTO STATE

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series, 35-22, and the Big Sky Conference series, 34-21... PSU is 11-15 in games played at Sacramento State... the Vikings have won four of the last six meetings.
• EARLIER THIS SEASON: Feb. 3 at Viking Pavilion, PSU 58, SAC 51: Portland State played well when it needed to in the second half and pulled out a 58-51 win over the Hornets. PSU relied on its defense, improved second-half shooting and some timely blocked shots... The Vikings had a sputtering start on offense, falling behind 18-6. But Jorell Saterfield and KJ Allen came off the bench to combine for 16 of the Vikings' 24 points as they trailed 29-24 at the break... Sacramento State dictated the slower pace to their liking in the first half. The Hornets were 12-24 from the field and held a 20-10 rebounding advantage... Portland State trailed 36-30 early in the second half. Then Hayden Curtiss came off the bench to make his presence felt. The 6-11 center blocked four Hornet shots in the span of 1:17, igniting his teammates and the home crowd. PSU responded with a 20-4 run over a 10-minute span and led 50-40. Although the Vikings never ran away with the game, they were in control the rest of the way... Saterfield and Allen combined for 30 points, getting 15 each, and 11 rebounds... Sacramento State got 11 points each from Duncan Powell and Zee Hamoda.
• 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 42-49 record overall. He is 3-2 against Sacramento State... the Hornets are led by second-year Head Coach David Patrick (Louisiana, 2000) who is 21-40, 2-1 against the Vikings.

 

SCOUTING SACRAMENTO STATE

• Sacramento State was 14-18 last season, 7-11 and sixth place in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornet program joined the Big Sky Conference the same year as Portland State, 1996-97.
• The Hornets are 7-22 on the season, 3-13 in the Big Sky Conference... Sacramento State averages 65.7 points and allows 70.2 points per game... the Hornets lead the Big Sky in rebounding margin (+7.6) and offensive rebounds (12.2 per game) and rank last in turnover margin (-5.0).
• Sophomore forward Duncan Powell leads the team with 13.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Junior guard Zee Hamoda averages 11.5 points and has made 52 three-point field goals.

 

WHO IS HOT

• DOUBLING UP WITH KJ: SR F KJ Allen had 24 points and tied his career-high with 13 rebounds on Saturday at Montana. It was his sixth double-double of the season, which ties seven other players for eighth-most in the Big Sky Conference era. The most in a season is 13, by Chehales Tapscott (2012-13)... Allen leads the Vikings in scoring (12.6) and rebounding (7.1). In Big Sky games, he averages 14.1 points and 7.7 rebounds.
• 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 13 games he has averaged 11.3 points and shot .485 from the field and .818 at the line. He had averaged 3.9 points and shot .452/.667 prior to that. Kirby became a starter 10 games ago... Kirby scored 16 points (7-14 FG, 2-3 FT) in Thursday's game at Montana State.
• BOBBY 3-BALL: SR G Bobby Harvey made 8-18 three-point field goals last week in two games on the road. He now leads the Big Sky in three-point field goals made per game (2.5)... with 71 three-pointers made, he is about to enter PSU's all-time top 10 for a season. The record is 89, by Jeremiah Dominguez (2008-09).
• ON THE BLOCK: JR C Hayden Curtiss has only one blocked shot in his last three games, but with 42 total already ranks 10th for a season in PSU history. He is third in the Big Sky Conference... Curtiss' 62 career blocks at PSU is tied for seventh place all-time.
• 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 762 bench points (26.3 per game) to rank 45th 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... 9-3 when out-rebounding an opponent... 9-2 when out-shooting an opponent or shooting is even... 12-4 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 29 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.