Portland, OR - Shown an opportunity, the Vikings took advantage as big men Tre-Vaughn Minott and Terri Miller Jr. made the difference in a 75-63 win over Idaho at Viking Pavilion.
 
The tandem combined for 33 points and 16 rebounds and controlled play inside against an Idaho team missing a pair of big men with injury. The 6-foot-8 Miller had 17 points, on 8-13 field goals, and eight rebounds. The 6-foot-9 Minott was a perfect 7-7 from the field and 2-2 at the line for 16 points, eight rebounds and a blocked shot.
 
Their performance fueled a 45-25 rebounding edge and .517 to .382 shooting advantage.
 
The Vikings picked up their sixth win in seven games, improving their overall mark to 10-6. PSU is now 2-1 in the Big Sky Conference and in the third place. They jump over Idaho in the standings as the Vandals drop to 7-10, 2-2.
 
Portland State came out hot, scoring the first 10 points of the game. The Vandals responded by switching into a zone to try to neutralize the size difference and slow down the game. 
 
It worked to a degree. The pace slowed, but the Vikings' shooting did not. Portland State hit eight of its first 11 shots and the lead grew to 21-7.
 
Meanwhile, Idaho, the Big Sky's top three-point shooting team, made only 1-11 from distance to start the game. Late in the half, the Vandals' Jack Payne hit back-to-back three pointers starting a 10-point run to cut the Viking lead to 23-21. 
 
Miller Jr. scored seven points after that, helping the Vikings to a modest 35-28 halftime lead. At the break, PSU was 14-25 shooting (.560) while Idaho was just 9-24 (.375).
 
Idaho came out hot in the second half and was able to get within a point at 41-40 on another three by Payne. But an 11-3 Vikings run got the game back under control. PSU's lead was double digits for the last 10 minutes of the contest. Minott and Miller were dominant with 20 of their combined 33 in the second half.
 
PSU's starting guards had solid games as well. Jaylin Henderson scored 14 points with six rebounds and four assists. Qiant Myers added 11 points, four rebounds and seven assists.
 
Payne led the Vandals with 15 points and seven rebounds. Kolton Mitchell scored 14 points with seven assists.
 
The Vikings held Idaho to 7-34 from three-point range (.206).
 

GAME NOTES

• The Vikings have won six straight games against Idaho and nine of the last 10.
• PSU is 6-1 at home this season.
• Portland State was back to full strength with the return of Shane Nowell (knee) and Cole Farrell (illness) who both missed Thursday's win over Eastern Washington. However, they combined to play only 13 minutes.
• In two wins this week, Minott had 29 points, 18 rebounds, four blocks, three steals and made 12-13 from the field and 5-6 at the line.
• The Vikings go on the road next week. PSU plays at Northern Colorado on Thursday, then Northern Arizona on Saturday. Both games have 5 p.m. PT tipoffs and can be seen on ESPN+.