TIPOFF
The Portland State men's basketball team will ring in its new season Tuesday night when it hosts Lewis & Clark at Viking Pavilion for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
 
It'll be a long-awaited return to counting games for a Viking program that won the outright Big Sky regular-season title the last time it played in front of fans at Viking Pavilion. The Vikings clinched their first conference title since the 2008-09 season with an 84-60 victory over Weber State on March 2, cutting down the nets afterwards.
 
Those nets have been replaced, but the Vikings will have one last celebration of that title Tuesday, when players and coaches from last year's squad receive their championship rings.
 
That will all happen before the start of the game. Once the ball goes up, it'll be a new season and another title chase for a Portland State team that features 13 newcomers between nine transfers – four from NCAA Division I schools, five from NCAA Division II schools – and four international signees.
 
The newcomers equated themselves well in their first public test, pushing a Nevada team that is receiving votes in the Preseason Associated Press Top 25 in an exhibition on Oct. 25. The Vikings led the Wolf Pack 70-68 with 2:36 remaining but missed their last seven shots from the field while the Wolf Pack did just enough to push ahead and beat the Vikings, 77-71.
 
Newcomer Yaroslav Nikonov led the Vikings with 23 points while adding five rebounds and two assists. Two more newcomers – Koren Johnson and Luke Kearney – also went into double figures with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
 
Those three accounted for all 10 of the Vikings' three-pointers. That was one of the Vikings' major advantages on the Wolf Pack as the Vikings outshot them 10-to-0 from three-point range. Nikonov and Kearney both hit four shots from beyond the arc, while Johnson provided the other two.
 
Three-point shooting was one of the rare things that the Vikings didn't match up well in comparison to the Big Sky Conference last season. The Vikings ranked 10th in the league in three-pointers made (6.7 per game) and percentage (.325) last season. Improve in that area while keeping the program's traditional strengths in other areas, and the Vikings should be challenging for a title again.
 
Those strengths included a league's best defense that led the Big Sky Conference in points allowed per game (70.3), field goal percentage defense (.417), steals per game (7.6) and turnovers forced per game (12.8).
 
Defense has been a hallmark of the Vikings' teams under head coach Jase Coburn. In the previous five years under Coburn, the Vikings have led the Big Sky Conference in steals four times. Additionally, they have led the conference in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense each of the past two seasons.
 
It's impossible to judge based on one exhibition game, but this year's Vikings did well against the Wolf Pack defensively. After Nevada made 11 of their first 17 shots, the Vikings held them to just 8-for-32 (.250) over the rest of the game. The one knock on the Vikings' defense was Nevada got to the free throw line for 55 attempts, which was 39 more than the Vikings.
 
Another strength of last year's team came on the rebounding glass. Tre-Vaughn Minott – the two-time Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year – led the conference with 8.81 rebounds per game individually. As a team, the Vikings ranked third in both total rebounds per game (36.9) and rebounding margin (+4.1).
 
The Vikings lost the rebounding battle against the Wolf Pack (42-40), though they won the offensive glass (16-12).
 
The Vikings added some strong rebounders among their newcomer class. Jaquay Randolph led NCAA Division II with 15.4 rebounds per game for Southern Wesleyan last season. He tied for the team lead against Nevada with six rebounds despite getting into foul trouble.
 
Fifth-year center KC Ibekwe joined Randolph with six rebounds and will be another force in the paint for the Vikings this season. Ibekwe comes to the Vikings after previous stops at Oregon State (2022-24), Washington (2024-25) and Pacific (2025-26). He led the Beavers in blocks both of his years there, including 38 as a sophomore.
 
Fellow post players Alexandros Skliros, Charles Chukwu and Antonio Pusateri also saw time for the Vikings against the Wolf Pack. Meanwhile, guards Emil Skyttä, Dennis Johnson III, Gantas Križanauskas, Nehemiah Pollard and Trevor Frank joined the rotation in the backcourt. Skyttä started alongside Nikonov, Johnson, Randolph and Ibekwe.
 
The Vikings will give themselves a long time to settle on rotations with so many newcomers. It certainly won't be settled by Tuesday's season opener against the River Otters, meaning Portland State fans should get to see a lot of the teams newcomers as well as their three returners.
 
The returners just have ring to pick up first as they ring in the new year.
 
GAME DETAILS
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (0-0) VS. LEWIS & CLARK (0-0)
INFO: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m. PT, Portland, Ore. (Viking Pavilion)
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: GoViks.com/LiveStats
SCOUTING LEWIS & CLARK:

• The Lewis & Clark River Otters are coming off a 13-13 overall record last year when they went 9-7 and finished fourth in the Northwest Conference (NWC). Their season ended with a 76-60 loss to top-seeded Whitworth in the semifinals of the NWC Tournament.
• The River Otters head into their first year under head coach Cory Coombe. He served as associate head coach at Cal State San Marcos (2025-26) and University of Redlands (2020-25) most recently. He also served as an assistant coach at Whitman College – one of Lewis & Clark's conference rivals – from 2018-20.
• The River Otters return five players off last year's team. Justin White returns after earning All-NWC third-team honors last season when he averaged 13.2 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game. Marcus Best also returns after ranking second in the NWC with 4.8 assists per game.
• Statistically, the River Otters had an efficient offense last season, leading the NWC in field goal percentage (.466), three-point field goal percentage (.363), turnovers per game (11.8) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38).
• Tuesday's game will count as an exhibition for the River Otters while it will be a counting game for the Vikings.
• This season marks Lewis & Clark's first full year using their new nickname as the River Otters. The school had been the Pioneers before.

SERIES NOTES:

• The Vikings lead the all-time series between them and the River Otters, 23-18. They have only played four counting games since 1966, however. The Vikings have won all four meetings over the past 60 years, including a 104-60 triumph at home in the teams' latest meeting on Dec. 6, 2023.

 
QUICK HITTERS

• EXHIBITION RECAP: The Vikings led a Nevada team receiving votes in the Preseason Associated Press Top 25, 70-68, with 2:36 remaining. But they missed their last seven shots from the field as the Wolf Pack made a late push to beat the Vikings, 77-71, in an exhibition on Oct. 25. Sophomore guard Yaroslav Nikonov led the Vikings with 23 points against the Wolf Pack while adding five rebounds and two assists and shooting 4-for-7 from three-point range. Redshirt senior guard Koren Johnson recorded 14 points, six assists and four rebounds. Senior wing Luke Kearney scored 12 points while shooting 4-for-7 from three-point range.
• SHARING IS CARING: The Vikings assisted on 16 of their 24 field goals against Nevada. Koren Johnson led the way with six assists, but three other Vikings recorded two assists between Yaroslav Nikonov, Emil Skyttä and Dennis Johnson III. The Vikings ranked third in the Big Sky with 14.5 assists per game last season when they assisted on 52.8 percent of their field goals.
• TRADEMARK DEFENSE: If there's one thing the Vikings have been known for under head coach Jase Coburn, it's their high-energy pressure defense. They have led the Big Sky Conference in steals in four of their previous five years under Coburn. Last year, they not only led the conference in steals (at 7.6 per game) but also scoring defense (70.3 points allowed per game), field goal percentage defense (.417) and turnovers forced per game (12.8). Against Nevada, the Vikings held the Wolf Pack to just 38.8 percent shooting (19-for-49). The Wolf Pack started the game 11-for-17, but the Vikings held them to just eight of their last 32 over the rest of the game.
• THREE-POINT SHOOTING: The Vikings believe they have bolstered their shooting capabilities over the offseason. That bore out against Nevada as the Vikings went 10-for-28 (.357) from three-point range while holding the Wolf Pack to 0-for-12 (.000) from deep defensively. Last season, the Vikings averaged 6.7 three-pointers per game while making 32.5 percent of their shots from the outside, ranking them 10th in the Big Sky in both categories.

 
HEAD COACH JASE COBURN

• GENERAL: Head coach Jase Coburn, the 2025-26 Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year, begins his sixth season leading the Vikings program. He was named Portland State's Head Coach on April 16, 2021. Coburn is the 14th men's basketball coach in PSU history and the seventh in the Big Sky era (1996-97 to present).
• THAT WINNING FEELING: Head coach Jase Coburn is sixth in career wins as a head coach at PSU. Coburn is currently 82-75... Coburn has a 31-27 record in non-conference games in his six years at the helm of the Viking Ship. That includes a respectable 13-18 road record in those games... PSU is 23-14 in non-conference play since the start of the 2023-24 season... among Big Sky schools, he has had the most success against Northern Arizona (9-1), Idaho (9-2) and Idaho State (9-3) and the least success against Eastern Washington (2-8) and Montana (2-9).
• THE CENTURY MARK: Head coach Jase Coburn needs 18 wins this season to become just the third Portland State head coach to reach 100 career wins for the Vikings. He'll join Sharkey Nelson (162 wins from 1953-65) and Tyler Geving (112 wins from 2009-17) in the 100-win club when he does. Coburn would become the second-fastest out of the three to 100 wins if he were to accomplish it this season. Nelson needed 168 games to reach 100 wins, while Geving needed 220 games. Coburn has coached 157 games entering the season.

 
PRESEASON NOTES

• POLL PREDICTIONS: The Vikings were picked to finish tied for fourth and fifth in the Big Sky Conference by league coaches and media, respectively. The Vikings were part of a clear top five in the conference. Montana State, Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington finished 1-2-3 in both polls. The Vikings matched Montana for fourth in the coaches poll but finished behind the Grizzlies in the media poll. That was only difference between both polls, as every other team slotted into the exact same spot across both predictions.
• PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: Redshirt senior guard Koren Johnson received preseason All-Big Sky honors. Johnson made the team with Northern Colorado's Langston Reynolds, who was named preseason MVP, as well as Montana State's Jed Miller, Utah Tech's Ethan Potter, Eastern Washington's Andrew Cook and Alton Hamilton IV, and Southern Utah's Jaiden Feroah.
• LAST SEASON RECAP: The Vikings were 20-11 in 2025-26, winning the Big Sky Conference regular season title for the first time in 18 seasons. It was the best record by a Viking team since a 23-10 finish in 2008-09… the Viking program has won three Big Sky Championships in 2004-05, 2007-08 and 2025-26. PSU won Big Sky Tournament titles in 2007-08 and 2008-09… Portland State's 20 wins tied for third-most in the Big Sky Conference era and were the most in eight years by a Viking team... the Vikings' 13 Big Sky wins ranked as second-most in school history (PSU was 14-2 in 2007-08)... PSU's six straight road wins (Jan. 1-Feb. 12) established a new school record. It broke a mark of five set between Jan. 21 and Feb. 15, 1954! (the Vikings' longest Big Sky road winning streak is nine games and stretched over two seasons - 2008 and 2009)... the six Big Sky road wins ties for most in a season (6-2 in 2007-08)... Portland State reached 7-0 in league play for the first time in its Big Sky. The Vikings had gotten to 4-0 twice previously (1997-98, 2004-05)... Portland State had a stretch for 15 consecutive Big Sky home wins (2/15/2024 to Jan. 17, 2026), tying a school record.
• RETURNERS: In 2026-27, Portland State will have one of its smallest returning classes in program history. Three players return to the program… two of the returning players are forwards: SR Charles Chukwu (6-9, 4.2 mpg, 1.4 ppg, 0.8 rpg) and SO Brayden Barron (6-6, 4.3 mpg, 0.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg); and one is a guard: SO Colt Ness (6-0, 5.6 mpg, 0.8 ppg, 1.1 apg)… unfortunately, an off-season injury will prevent Barron from playing in 2026-27.
• NEWCOMERS: Among Portland State's newcomers are six post players and seven guards. Four are Division I transfers, five are Division II transfers and four are foreign club players… senior guard Emil Skyttä (6-5, 3.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg) is a transfer from North Dakota State. He also spent two seasons playing against the Vikings at Sacramento State (8.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg in 2024-25)… senior guard Trevor Frank (6-1, 10.3 ppg in 106 games) is a transfer from Dallas Baptist. He was a two-time Lone Star Conference Sixth Man of the Year and All-Lone Star Conference as a junior. Frank made 220 three-point field goals in 106 games… Dennis Johnson III (6-3, 12.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg) and Nehemiah Pollard (6-4, 15.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 38 3-pt FG) are transfer guards from Western Washington… former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year senior Koren Johnson (6-1) brings his point guard bonafides to the Vikings via Louisville and Ole Miss… freshman guard Gantas Križanauskas (6-4) is a Lithuanian player who has played for the Rytas Vilnius Club… another international player is sophomore guard Yaroslav Nikonov (6-5), who has spent the past five years with CSKA Club in Moscow…  fifth-year center KC Ibekwe joins the Vikings after previous stops at Pacific (2025-26), Washington (2024-25) and Oregon State (2022-24). Ibekwe led Oregon State in blocks both years he played for the Beavers, including 38 as a sophomore. He averaged 5.1 points and 4.0 rebounds while starting 22 of his 32 appearances as a sophomore at OSU…the Vikings look forward to the talents of senior forward Jaquay Randolph (6-10, 20.8 ppg, 15.4 rpg, .610 FG%) who led the nation in rebounding and double-doubles (25) at the NCAA II level. He also had a school-record 49 points in one game and grabbed 27 rebounds in another game for Southern Wesleyan… senior forward Antonio Pusateri (6-7, 16.7 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 37 blocks, .593 FG%) brings an inside presence from Lubbock Christian. He ranked second in the nation at the Division II level with 21 double-doubles, earning All-Lone Star Conference, Newcomer of the Year and NABC second team All-District. Pusateri led the Chaps to a 27-6 record and the NCAA playoffs… freshman forward Francesco Corato (6-8) is a native of Venice, Italy where he played for Umana Reyer BC… senior forward Luke Kearney (6-7, 1.7 ppg) is a transfer from Utah State. He played two prior seasons at Air Force. As a sophomore, Kearney averaged 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and hit a team-high 52 three-point field goals… also signing with the Vikings is freshman forward Alexandros Skliros (6-8), a member of the Greece U18 International team this past year.
• HOME RECORD: As they enter their season playing in Viking Pavilion, Portland State can look back at a remarkable run at home. The Vikings were 11-3 at home last season and are 35-6 at home since the start of the 2023-24 season… Portland State had a stretch for 15 consecutive Big Sky home wins (Feb. 15, 2024 to Jan. 17, 2026), tying a school record… Portland State has lost only 17 non-conference home games in the last 17 seasons (76-17). PSU is 33-16 against Division I schools, and 43-1 against lower division schools over that span.
• DEFENSIVE PRESENCE: In 2025-26, Portland State led the Big Sky Conference in four defensive categories: scoring defense (70.3), field goal percentage defense (.417), steals (7.6) and turnovers forced (12.8).
• STOLEN MOMENTS: Portland State led the Big Sky Conference in steals (7.6) for the second year in a row and the 10th time in the last 11 seasons.

 
FUN FACTS, MEANINGLESS TRIVIA

• WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE: The Feb. 19, 2026, home game against Idaho had an attendance of 2,180, which was a new record for the eight-year-old Viking Pavilion. It marked the sixth time that a game had 2,000+ fans, and broke the old mark of 2,077, set in 2019 in a win over Montana State. Four of the top 10 attendances in Viking Pavilion history came during the 2025-26 season... it is worth noting that PSU has had larger home crowds when hosting games at Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Garden/Moda Center. The 2,180 fans marked the largest crowd since PSU drew 4,113 at the Rose Garden on Mar. 12, 2008, for the Big Sky Tournament Championship game win over Northern Arizona, 67-51.
• 2-0 ON ESPNU AT THE U: Portland State's Feb. 19, 2026, game against Idaho was televised on ESPNU (a 77-67 win). PSU games have been live streamed on ESPN+ in past seasons, but that was the first nationally televised basketball game at Viking Pavilion since it opened in 2018. PSU basketball had one previous home game televised on ESPNU – a Feb. 21, 2009, contest with Boise State (and 93-81 Viking win). That game aired from the old Stott Center gymnasium.
• BB, B2B: Freshman forward Brayden Barron can claim championships in back-to-back seasons. Barron was an All-State player on the Oregon 6A state champion Sam Barlow Bruins in 2025. He was a Big Sky Conference champion in 2026.
• UNITING NATIONS: Portland State has added six international players to its roster for 2026-27 – which is the most in one season in school history. Freshman forward Francesco Corato is from Italy, senior guard Emil Skyttä is from Finland, freshman guard Gantas Križanauskas is from Lithuania, freshman guard Yaroslav Nikonov is from Russia, fifth-year center KC Ibekwe is from Canada, and freshman forward Alexandros Skliros is from Greece. Ten others hail from the good ole' US of A.

 
TASTY VIKING HISTORY TIDBITS

• Portland State is competing in its 30th season as a member of the Big Sky Conference and Division I. PSU played basketball from 1946-1981 before discontinuing the program. Basketball was reinstated for the 1996-97 season. Portland State won Big Sky Conference regular season titles in 2004-05 and 2007-08. The Vikings won Big Sky Conference Tournament titles in 2007-08 and 2008-09, advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
• Portland State's biggest star was Freeman Williams (1974-78), who ranks third all-time in scoring in college basketball history behind Pete Maravich (3,667 in 83 games, 44.2 ppg) and Antoine Davis (3,664 in 144 games, 25.4 ppg). Williams, a Division I All-American in 1978, scored 3,249 points in his 106-game career (30.7 ppg).
• Among Vikings in the NBA, Freeman Williams and Ime Udoka each spent seven playing seasons in the league. After several seasons as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, Udoka was named Head Coach of the Boston Celtics in July of 2021. Udoka took the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first season as Head Coach. He is now the Head Coach of the Houston Rockets.
• Julius Thomas (2006-10), who holds Portland State records for games played (121), field goal percentage in a season and career (.671/.663), and career wins (78), was a two-time Pro Bowler for the NFL's Denver Broncos. Thomas played on two Big Sky Conference Championship/NCAA Tournament teams (2007-08, 2008-09) at PSU. He went on to play one season of football at PSU (2010). Thomas competed in Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. He later signed a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2015 making him the highest paid tight end in the NFL, then moved on to play for the Miami Dolphins before retiring after the 2017 season.