NORTHERN ARIZONA LUMBERJACKS (14-11, 5-7)
AT PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (14-10, 6-5)

Thursday, February 13, 2025, 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

Home happiness begins for the Portland State Vikings this week as they return from a four-game road trip. The Vikings, who are 8-1 at home this season, will play five of their final seven games in the friendly confines of Viking Pavilion.
           
PSU (14-10, 6-5) has been very good at home this season. The Vikings just haven't played enough games at home... yet. Game 25, this Thursday against Northern Arizona, will be only the 10th home game of the season. But the home/road ratio will begin to even out over the final weeks of the season, and the Vikings hope to take advantage of the favorable schedule.
           
Portland State lost three of the four games during its two weeks away, but has been able to hang to third place in the Big Sky Conference - albeit in a tie with Idaho State at 6-5. The six teams between third and eighth place are all separated by a mere game-and-a-half, so volatility in the standings will be high depending on outcomes this week.
           
Here is the good news: PSU currently has a six-game home winning streak. The Vikings have won seven Big Sky home games in a row dating to last season. Over the past two years, Portland State has won 19 of 22 home games. The Vikings also won at NAU, 80-69, on Jan. 18.
           
Going into this week's play, SR G Jaylin Henderson leads PSU in scoring (14.0), while SR G Qiant Myers continues to lead the Vikings and the Big Sky in assists (6.4). SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott comes off one of the best games of his career as he tied his career highs in scoring (16), blocked shots (4) and steals (3) while setting a new career-high in rebounds (13) at Eastern Washington. SR F Isaiah Johnson had two big games last week, averaging 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals. His 22 points (10-13 FG) at Idaho was a career-high as he led the Vikings to a 76-69 victory.
           
Northern Arizona (14-11, 5-7) is in a three-way tie for sixth-place in the Big Sky, one-and-a-half games behind Portland State. NAU lost its most recent game, 83-80 at home against Montana. Like the Vikings, the Lumberjacks have lost three of their last four games. NAU has a 5-7 road record this season.
           
The 'Jacks Trenton McLaughlin ranks third in the nation in scoring (21.6), though the Vikings held him to seven points in Flagstaff. Carson Towt leads the nation in rebounding at 13.0 per game. He had a 19-rebound game against the Vikings.
           
Thursday's game at The Ship tips off at 7 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+. Live statistics can be found at www.ViksLive.com. Tickets are available at www.GoViks.com.      
 

COMING UP

Portland State will host co-Big Sky Conference leader Northern Colorado (10-2) on Saturday. The Bears play at Sacramento State on Thursday night.
           
The Vikings' final road trip is Feb. 20-22 at Idaho State and Weber State. PSU then comes home to host Montana State (Feb. 27), Montana (Mar. 1) and Sacramento State (Mar. 3).
           
The Big Sky Conference Tournament takes place Mar. 8-12 at Boise's Idaho Central Arena.
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. NORTHERN ARIZONA

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series with Northern Arizona, 34-27, and the Big Sky Conference series, 32-26...the teams split last year's series with each winning on their home court... the Vikings won this season's earlier meeting... PSU has won six of the last seven games and 11 of the last 15 in the series... the Vikings are 21-6 in Big Sky home games against NAU.
• EARLIER THIS SEASON: Jan. 18, 2025 at JL Walkup Skydome, PSU 80, NAU 69: Portland State had a 21-4 second-half rally, then made their free throws when they counted in picking up a win at NAU. PSU was 13-16 at the line in the second half (.813) and 19-24 for the game (.792). While those numbers aren't earth shattering, they are the best that PSU has shot at the line this season.... five Vikings scored in double figures, led by 14 points and 11 assists from Qiant Myers. Cole Farrell scored 13 points off the bench, while big men Isaiah Johnson, Tre-Vaughn Minott and Terri Miller Jr. all had 12 points... PSU held the Big Sky's top scorer, Trenton McLaughlin, to just seven points in the game. Carson Towt had 14 points and 19 rebounds for the 'Jacks. Diego Campisano led the way with 18 points. 
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his fourth season as Head Coach. He spent eight previous seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Associate Head Coach. Coburn's overall record is 57-61. He is 6-1 against Northern Arizona... the Lumberjacks are coached by Shane Burcar (Ottawa, 2004) in his sixth season. He has a 71-106 career record, including 3-7 against the Vikings.

 

SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS

• Northern Arizona joined the Big Sky Conference in 1970. NAU has won four Big Sky regular season championships and two Big Sky Tournament titles, making two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
• This year, the Lumberjacks are 14-11 overall, 5-7 in the Big Sky Conference... NAU averages 77.6 points and allows 71.7 points per game. The 'Jacks have a +7.8 rebounding margin this season.
• Senior guard Trenton McLaughlin ranks third in the nation in scoring at 21.6 points per game. He has 72  three-point field goals to lead the Big Sky, a team-high 37 steals and averages 3.5 assists per game... junior forward Carson Towt averages 13.4 points, and leads the nation with 13.0 rebounds per game. He shoots .569 from the field... junior guard Jayden Jackson is averaging 12.5 points and 3.6 assists.

 

HOT SHOTS

• FRONT RUNNERS: With an 8-1 home record, Portland State has trailed in only three of nine home games this season, winning wire-to-wire in six games. In a total of 360 minutes played in Viking Pavilion, the Vikings have trailed for only 30:09.
• SHOOT YOUR SHOT: Portland State is shooting .484 as a team this season to rank third in the Big Sky... SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott leads the way at .676 from the field. He is currently on a school-record pace (Julius Thomas, .671, 2009-10)... SR F Isaiah Johnson has also been excellent at .554, SR F Hayden Curtiss is shooting .592 (including .423 on three-pointers), JR F Isaac Brice is at .615 and SR F Terri Miller Jr. shoots .505 from the field.
• MORE MILESTONES: Despite the loss SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott had what you might call a "career day" at Eastern Washington. Minott tied his career-high with 16 points (6-10 FG, 4-7 FT), set a new career-high with 13 rebounds and tied his career highs of four blocked shots and three steals.
• ZAY'S DAY: SR F Isaiah Johnson posted a career scoring high for the second time this season with 22 points in the win at Idaho (2/6). Johnson hit 10-13 shots, 1-1 three-pointers and 1-2 free throws. He added seven rebounds and three steals... Johnson averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals in last week's two games.. Johnson previously had a career-high of 21 points in a win over Wofford in November... for the season, Johnson is averaging career-highs of 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting .554 from the field.
• BLOCK PARTY: Portland State had a season-high nine blocked shots in a win at Pacific (12/18) and has three games of eight blocks this season. PSU currently averages 5.1 send-backs per game to lead the Big Sky... SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott has had a career-high four blocked shots four times this season (Wofford, Denver, Weber State) and ranks second in the Big Sky at 1.8 per game.
• TRENDY: Portland State is 11-2 when leading at halftime... the Vikings are 11-4 when out-rebounding an opponent and 12-2 when out-shooting an opponent... PSU is 5-5 in games decided by six points or less.
• LEADERS: Portland State currently leads the Big Sky Conference in turnovers forced (15.3), turnover margin (+2.3), steals (8.9), blocked shots (5.1) and fast break points (12.6)... SR G Qiant Myers leads the Big Sky in assists (6.4) and ranks 10th in the nation... SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott ranks 36th in the nation in blocked shot (1.75).