SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS (4-10, 0-2)
at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (8-5, 2-0)

Saturday, January 10, 2026, 2 p.m. • Viking Pavilion (3,094), Portland, OR
Live Stream: ESPN+ • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Devon Pouncey
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.livestats.us
 

OPENING TIP

Portland State plays its highly-anticipated first Big Sky Conference home game this Saturday at Viking Pavilion, hosting Sacramento State. The Vikings go into the game on a modest two-game winning streak and are tied for first in the Big Sky after opening weekend. PSU will try to expand on its 12-game Big Sky home winning streak which dates back to the 2023-24 season.
      
The Vikings (8-5, 2-0) come off a pair of road wins that were about as exciting as one might hope for. With overtime wins at Weber State and Idaho State last week, the Vikings earned their first Big Sky road sweep since Feb. 27-29, 2020.
     
PSU beat the Wildcats, 95-90, on Thursday behind 34 points and seven assists from SR G Jaylin Henderson and 29 points from SR F Terri Miller Jr. Henderson hit a driving basket with two seconds left in regulation, then scored nine points in overtime to lead the win.
     
At Idaho State, Miller scored 25 points, with 19 in the second half, and buried a tying three-pointer with 3.4 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime. Again, Henderson was big with five points and three assists in the extra session.
     
The result of those two games has the Vikings at 2-0 in Big Sky play for the first time since the 2009-10 season. It's very early but PSU is tied with Montana and Montana State for first place (Idaho is 1-0).
     
Sacramento State (4-10, 0-2) came out on the wrong end of their games in Pocatello and Ogden. The Hornets lost 97-84 to Idaho State and 95-82 to Weber State.
     
Sacramento State has lost six games in a row, with all six coming on the road. The Hornets' contest with the Vikings will be their seventh straight road game. They are 0-9 on the road overall this season.
     
PSU will be playing its first home game in 28 days on Saturday. It begins a three-game home stand. The Vikings play Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona next week at Viking Pavilion.
     
Portland State will have a chance to build a formidable Big Sky record. The Vikings play six of the next eight games at home. This season, they are 4-1 in Viking Pavilion, and have gone 28-4 at home over the last three seasons.
     
Saturday's game tips off at 2 p.m. at Viking Pavilion. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and the live statistics link can be found at GoViks.com.
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. SACRAMENTO STATE

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Portland State leads the all-time series Sacramento State, 36-24, and leads the Big Sky series, 35-23. PSU is 23-5 in Big Sky home games against the Hornets... the teams split the season series last year with each team winning on its home court... Sacramento State has won four of the last six meetings overall.
• LAST SEASON: Jan. 4, 2025 at Sacramento, SAC 56, PSU 53: Portland State's shooting went south and with it a chance for victory. The Vikings entered the game leading the Big Sky in shooting (.498) and scoring (83.4). Credit the Hornets for finding a way to stifle those numbers with a game played at their pace... PSU shot a solid .542 from the field in the first half (13-24) and held a 31-25 halftime edge. But the Vikings managed only 8-27 after intermission (.296). Meanwhile, Sacramento State accomplished just the opposite, going from 8-29 (.276) to 11-22 (.500)... Isaiah Johnson led Portland State with 13 points on 5-9 from the field, 2-4 from distance and 1-2 at the line... EJ Neal scored 10 of his team-high 12 points in the second half to lead four Hornets in double figures. Jacob Holt added 10 points and 10 rebounds... Portland State's 53 points were the fewest in more than two seasons, a span of 67 games. March 3, 2025 at Viking Pavilion, PSU 59, SAC 56: The Vikings did just enough right to hang on to their perfect Big Sky home record in a regular season finale victory... Sacramento State led 19-7 early in the game, but Isaiah Johnson got them back in making three straight three-point plays. A driving hoop by Johnson completed a 13-point run and got PSU its first lead at 20-19... A 15-5 second-half run pushed the Vikings out in front 49-41. However, the offense stalled once again and Sacramento State crept back into the game. Twice in the final minutes, the Hornets pulled within one point but they couldn't complete the comeback... Johnson scored 21 points for the Vikings, grabbed nine rebounds and made three steals. Senior guard Qiant Myers added 13 points and seven assists... Sacramento State was led by 12 points and eight rebounds from Emil Skytta.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his fifth 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 70-69. He is 4-4 against Sacramento State... the Hornets are coached by Mike Bibby (UNLV, 2017) in his first season.

 

SCOUTING THE HORNETS

• Sacramento State was 7-25 last season, 3-15 and 10th 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 4-10 this season, including 0-2 in Big Sky Conference games... Sacramento State averages 77.5 points and allows 81.9 points. The Hornets shoot .407 from the field, .328 from three-point range and .754 at the line. 
• Sophomore guard Mikey Williams leads the team in scoring at 17.0 points per game and assists at 4.9 per game... senior guard Prophet Johnson averages 15.5 points and leads the Big Sky in rebounding at 8.6 per game... senior forward Jeremiah Cherry alsoi averages 15.5 points and 8.2 rebounds but has missed the last eight games with injury.

 

HOT SHOTS

• THE DYNAMIC DUO: SR G Jaylin Henderson and SR F Terri Miller Jr. were at the top of their games as the Vikings pulled off a pair of overtime road wins last week... Miller carried the Vikings through regulation in both games, scoring 29 at Weber State and 25 at Idaho State, with 19 points in the second half of EACH game. He also shot a remarkable percentage and hit the game-tying three-pointer with three seconds left at Idaho State to cap a 17-point comeback and send the contest to overtime... Henderson had big games both nights, scoring 15 points in the last six minutes at Weber State (including overtime) on his way to a career-high 34. He had five points with three assists in OT at Idaho State. Henderson hit the tying shot on a drive with two seconds left at Weber State to send that game to overtime... the final numbers? well, pretty impressive: Terri Miller Jr., 27.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3 steals, 1 block, 22-31 from the field (.710), 6-9 from three-point range (.667), 4-8 free throws (.500). Jaylin Henderson, 26.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 16-38 from the field (.421), 3-10 from three-point range (.300), 18-26 FTs (.692).
• IRON MAN: SR G Jaylin Henderson has played the entire game in the last four contests (170 minutes), averaging 42.5 minutes per game due to the overtimes. He has played five full games overall and leads the Big Sky in minutes played at 36.1 per contest. He ranks ninth in the nation in minutes played (36:08)... his career-high 34 points at Weber State was the most by a Viking since Holland Woods scored 39 on Jan. 30, 2020, a span of 169 games... Henderson averages 18.5 points to rank third in the Big Sky, and also ranks second in the Big Sky Conference in assists (6.2) and steals (2.0)... against South Dakota (12/3), Henderson set a new career high for assists with 11. It was the third time this season he has established a new career mark in that category.
• JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: Terri Miller Jr. has become a dominant figure inside and out, shooting, ball-handling and rebounding. He leads the Big Sky in scoring (19.3), while ranking ninth in rebounds (6.2), 11th in assists (3.4), third in shooting (.575) and has made 21-43 three-pointers (.488)... in the last five games, Miller is averaging 24.6 points on .625 shooting and .550 three-point shooting... Miller has six 20+-point games and two double-doubles.
• BENCH BOOST: Portland State's bench had been fairly unproductive in recent games, but got a big boost in scoring from SO G Kelcy Phipps and SR G Brycen Long at Idaho State... Phipps had the second-highest scoring game of his career with 15 points, hitting all six shots, including a three-pointer... Long made a pair of three-pointers and both of his free throws late in the game for eight points in 13 minutes of action.
• ELEVATING HIS GAME: JR G Keyon Kensie Jr. is elevating his game, both literally and figuratively, for the Vikings. The high-flying Kensie is averaging career-highs of 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, including 13.9 points in the last seven games... Kensie has four double-doubles and has scored a career-high 22 points against both South Dakota and Tulane, and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds at Weber State.
• CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARDS: Portland State has been dominant on the boards this season.  The Vikings have out-rebounded opponents by an average of 4.9 per game. The Vikings average 12.8 offensive rebounds per game to lead the Big Sky... SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott ranks second in the Big Sky with 8.4 rebounds per game. JR G Keyon Kensie Jr. ranks fourth at 7.5 per game. And SR F Terri Miller Jr. is ninth with 6.2 rebounds per game.
• TRENDING: Portland State is undefeated when leading at halftime (5-0), out-rebounding an opponent (6-0) and scoring 80 or more points (6-0).
• MORE GOOD STUFF THAT DOESN'T FIT ANYWHERE ELSE: Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in field goal percentage defense (.412), offensive rebounds (12.8) and turnovers forced (13.8)... SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott ranks seventh all-time in blocked shots (74), second all-time in field goal percentage (.622) and second in dunks (74) at Portland State... FR G Alex Dupre scored a career-high 10 points in the win at Weber State... JR F Charles Chukwu is 13-14 from the field this season (.929). Throw in his 30-game career at Tulsa a couple of seasons ago and Chukwu is a remarkable 29-37 from the field (.784) as a Division I player.

 

NOT SO HOT

• TOO CHARITABLE: Portland State has allowed opponents to shoot 70 more free throws through 13 games. The Vikings have been outshot at the line .738 to .689 and rank ninth in the Big Sky. The good news is PSU comes off a 22-26 (.846) shooting game at Idaho State.

 

SHIP SHAPE

• Portland State is 4-1 at home this season... PSU has won wire-to-wire in two home games and has only trailed for 24:14 over five games.
• The Vikings have won 12 straight Big Sky Conference home games dating back to the 2023-24 season.
• PSU is 28-4 at home since the start of the 2023-24 season.
• With a 13-1 home record last season, Portland State trailed in only five of the 14 games, winning wire-to-wire in nine games. In a total of 560 minutes played in Viking Pavilion, the Vikings trailed for only 67 minutes and 59 seconds. And the Vikings' lone home loss came by a single point.

 

SEASON HIGHLIGHT REEL

• Oct. 23: Three Named To Preseason All-Big Sky Team: Portland State's big three of SR F Terri Miller Jr., SR G Jaylin Henderson and SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott were all named to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team. They comprised half of the six-member team.
• Nov. 7: PSU 122, Northwest Indian 74: The Vikings shot .617 from the field, outrebounded the Eagles, 51-23, and made 16 steals in the game. SR G Jaylin Henderson led the way with 20 points (8-11 FG, 2-4 3-pt, 2-3 FT) and six steals. JR G Keyon Kensie added 14 points and 12 rebounds.
• Nov. 17: PSU 93, Cal State Bakersfield 80: Another great shooting night as the Vikings hit 33-55 from the field (.600) and 10-18 from three-point range (.556) extending their home-court winning streak to 13 games. SR G Jaylin Henderson scored 28 points (10-17 FG, 1-3 3-pt, 7-7 FT) with five assists. SR F Terri Miller Jr. added 20 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 3-pt, 3-3 FT, five rebounds and five assists.
• Nov. 19: PSU 90, Evergreen State 61: The Vikings overcame a slow start offensively, shooting .600 in the second half to pull away from an easy win. A 58-31 rebounding edge also aided the win. SR G Jaylin Henderson had 24 points (7-11 FG, 1-4 3-pt, 9-9 FT), seven rebounds and seven assists. SO G Kelcy Phipps added a career-high 17 points (6-10 FG, 5-8 3-pt) while SR F Terri Miller Jr. and JR G Keyon Kensie each tallied double-doubles.
• Nov. 25: PSU 68, Utah Tech 63: Trailing by five with less than 90 seconds to play, the Vikings scored 10 in a row to close out the game for their first road win of the season. PSU out-boarded the Trailblazers, 44-26. SR F Terri Miller Jr. led the way with 19 points (7-11 FG, 1-1 3-pt, 4-6 FT). SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott added 16 points and 16 rebounds, and SR G Jaylin Henderson dished off a career-high eight assists.
• Dec. 3: PSU 77, South Dakota 71: Portland State won its fourth game in a row behind a pair of 20-10 double-doubles from SR F Terri Miller Jr. (26 pts, 11 reb) and JR G Keyon Kensie Jr. (22 pts, 10 reb). SR G Jaylin Henderson added a career-high 11 assists. The Vikings held high-scoring USD to just .379 shooting while forcing 17 turnovers.
• Dec. 13: PSU 94, George Fox 50: Behind a career-high 31 points, nine rebounds and six assists from SR F Terri Miller Jr., the Vikings routed George Fox. PSU jumped to a 33-6 lead and ran away with the win. The Vikings shot .528 from the field, committed only six turnovers and out-rebounded the Bruins, 45-30.
• Jan. 1: PSU 95, Weber State 90 (ot): SR G Jaylin Henderson scored a career-high 34 points (11-24 FG, 3-6 3-pt, 9-16 FT) with six rebounds and seven assists. He had six points in the final minute to send the game to overtime, then nine more in the extra session. SR F Terri Miller Jr. added 29 points (12-16 FG, 5-6 3-pt), while SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott (10 pts, 13 reb) and JR G Keyon Kensie (12 pts, 13 reb) each had double-doubles. The Vikings came back from a seven-point halftime deficit for the win.
• Jan. 3: PSU 93, Idaho State 87 (ot): Portland State earned its first Big Sky road sweep in six seasons with a second-straight overtime win. SR F Terri Miller Jr. scored 25 points (10-15 FG, 1-3 3-pt, 4-5 FT), including 19 in the second half and a game-tying three-pointer with three seconds left to send it to overtime. SR G Jaylin Henderson scored 19 points (5-14 FG, 9-10 FT) with seven assists and six rebounds. The Vikings came back from a 17-point second-half deficit. They shot .533 for the game, including .625 in the second half and overtime.