PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (18-9, 12-4) at
MONTANA GRIZZLIES (15-4, 9-7)

Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT • Dahlberg Arena (7,322), Missoula, MT
Television/Live Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: www.ViksLive.livestats.us
 

OPENING TIP

Portland State continues its battle for seeding at the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the regular season winds down over the next three days. Although the Vikings have already earned a share of the Big Sky regular season title, they still need to lock down the number one seed. At 12-4, PSU leads Montana State and Eastern Washington (both 10-6) by two games with two games to play. A single win by the Vikings against either Montana (Saturday) or Weber State (Monday) assures them of the outright title and number-one seed. A loss by MSU or EWU would also knock them out of contention.
     
And it won't be easy for the Vikings.
     
PSU (18-9, 12-4) plays at Montana (15-4, 9-7) on Saturday afternoon, then hosts (15-14, 9-7) Weber State on Monday night at Viking Pavilion. PSU lost to the Griz earlier this season, 64-60, and defeated the Wildcats, 95-90, in overtime. Moreover, the Vikings have seemingly hit a bump in the road. Despite leading the conference standings from day one of the season, they have lost two games in a row and three of their last four.
     
On Thursday night, PSU dropped a game at Montana State, 84-69. It was the most points the Vikings have allowed in a regulation Big Sky game this season and the largest deficit in a loss all year.
     
Portland State will try to avoid a three-game losing streak - something they have not had this season - in an extremely challenging environment in Missoula. The Vikings are 8-6 on the road this season, 6-2 in Big Sky road games, but only 4-22 all-time in Big Sky games at Montana.
     
Once again, PSU will rely on the Big Sky's leading scorer, SR F Terri Miller Jr., who had a game-high 28 points (10-15 FG, 5-7 3-pt, 3-3 FT) on Thursday at Montana State. Miller averages 19.6 points and shoots .520 from the field.
     
SR G Jaylin Henderson had 19 points and five assists against the Bobcats. He averages 17.8 points and 5.9 assists for the Vikings. SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott leads the Big Sky in rebounding (8.9), while scoring 10.6 points and shooting .655 from the field.
     
Montana (15-14, 9-7) had been in a rut as well, losing five of six games before an 81-73 win over Sacramento State on Thursday. The Griz are 10-6 at home.
     
Star guard Money Williams ranks right behind Miller in scoring in the Big Sky at 19.4 points per game with 5.0 assists. 
     
The Griz are also battling for seeding in the Big Sky Tournament. They are currently tied for fourth place, but could still finish anywhere between second and seventh place.
     
Saturday's game tips off at 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT in Missoula. The Vikings host Weber State on Monday at 7 p.m. in Viking Pavilion. Both games air on ESPN+ with live statistics available at GoViks.com.
 

PORTLAND STATE'S BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

Big Sky Regular Season Championships
2004-05: 19-9/11-3 Big Sky (Head Coach Heath Schroyer)
  Lost Big Sky quarterfinal tournament game to Weber State
2007-08: 23-10/14-2 Big Sky (Head Coach Ken Bone)
  Beat Northern Arizona in Big Sky Championship, 67-51;
  #16 seed: Lost to Kansas (eventual national champion) in NCAA Tournament, 85-61 (Omaha)
2024-25: 18-9/12-4 Big Sky (Head Coach Jase Coburn)
  Two games remaining in regular season
 
Big Sky Tournament Championships
2007-08: 23-10/14-2 Big Sky (Head Coach Ken Bone)                     
  Beat Northern Arizona in Big Sky Championship, 67-51;
  #16 seed: Lost to Kansas (eventual national champion) in NCAA Tournament, 85-61 (Omaha)
2008-09: 23-10/11-5 Big Sky (Head Coach Ken Bone)         
  Beat Montana State in Big Sky Championship, 79-77;
  #13 seed: Lost to Xavier in NCAA Tournament, 77-59 (Boise)
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. MONTANA

• ALL-TIME SERIES: Montana leads the all-time series with Portland State, 47-29, and the Big Sky Conference series, 39-20... The Griz lead 22-4 in Missoula... Montana has won seven of the last nine meetings overall.
• EARLIER THIS SEASON: Jan. 29 at Viking Pavilion, UM 64, PSU 60: Portland State's offense went missing and Montana took advantage. Behind 24 points from Money Williams, the Grizzlies beat the Vikings, 64-60... PSU shot just .383 from the field and coupled that with 17 turnovers... The Vikings made their first three shots of the game, then the offense went sideways. PSU made only two of their next 12 shots and mixed in eight turnovers. They had a span in the second half when they did not make a field goal for eight-and-a-half minutes.... PSU trailed by as many as 12, crept back within a single point, 56-55, but Montana made 6-8 free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win... Terri Miller Jr. led the Vikings with 15 points and four steals. Minott had his sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
• 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 80-73. He is 2-7 against Montana... the Grizzlies are coached by Travis DeCuire (Montana, 1994) in his 12th season. He is 241-148 in his Montana coaching career, including 17-7 against the Vikings.

 

SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES

• Montana is an original member of the Big Sky Conference. The Grizzlies have won 11 regular season Big Sky Championships, 12 Big Sky Tournament titles and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances.
• The Grizzlies were 25-10 last season, 15-3 and tied for first in the Big Sky Conference.
• This season, Montana is 15-14 overall, 9-7 and tied for fourth place in the Big Sky... the Grizzlies average 77.9 points and allow 73.9 points per game. They shoot .494 from the field, .361 from three-point range and .776 at the line... Montana leads the league in field goal percentage.
• Junior guard Money Williams averages 19.4 points, 5.0 assists per game and shoots .851 at the free throw line... senior forward Te'Jon Sawyer averages 11.8 points, a team-high 5.4 rebounds and shoots .613 from the field... Tyler Thompson has made a team-high 64 three-point field goals (.416).

 

HOT SHOTS

• 20-SOMETHING: SR F Terri Miller Jr. had his 13th 20-point game of the season against Montana State (9th in a Big Sky game). He averages 19.6 points to lead the Big Sky. It is currently the highest scoring average by a Viking in 21 seasons (Seamus Boxley, 20.6, 2004-05).
• 1K AND COUNTING: SR G Jaylen Henderson passed 1,000 points in his collegiate career at Montana State. Henderson scored 107 points in his one season at Louisiana Tech. He has since scored 895 points at Portland State in two seasons... for what its worth, SR G Brycen Long is at 991 career points (59 at PSU, 24 at Arizona State, 908 points at Houston Christian) and SR F Terri Miller Jr. is at 951 career points (55 at Louisiana Tech, 896 at PSU).
• WINNING: PSU's 18 wins currently ranks as seventh-most in the Big Sky Conference era (30 seasons)... the Vikings' 12 Big Sky wins ties for 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)... this season Portland State reached 7-0 in league play for the first time in its Big Sky history (30th year). The Vikings had gotten to 4-0 twice previously (1997-98, 2004-05).
• SWEEPING: Portland State has swept season series from Idaho State, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona and Idaho.
• DEFENSIVE PRESENCE: Portland State leads the Big Sky Conference in three defensive categories: scoring defense (70.1), field goal percentage defense (.411) and turnovers forced (12.6).
• BIG SKY CONFERENCE LEADERS: Speaking of leaders, Portland State also leads the Big Sky Conference in scoring margin (+6.5) and winning percentage (.667)... SR F Terri Miller Jr. leads the Big Sky scoring (19.6)... SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott leads in rebounding (8.9) and double-doubles (8).
• MILLER TIME: SR F Terri Miller Jr. has made the second half of games "Miller Time," particularly in Big Sky Conference play. Miller averages 13.6 points in the second half of Big Sky games compared to 7.8 points in the first half. He has been in double figures in 12 of 16 second halves... in addition, he comes up big when most needed. Trailing NAU (2/12) by three at halftime, Miller scored 19 of his game-high 27 after the break, leading to a nine-point win... leading by a single point at Eastern Washington (1/22), Miller scored seven points with a blocked shot and an assist in the final 1:47 of the game, leading the Vikings to a 65-61 win... with SR G Jaylin Henderson on the bench with foul trouble for most of the second half at Idaho (1/24), Miller scored 20 of his game-high 29 points in a 69-66 win... in a win over Montana State (1/31), Miller scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half... earlier this season, Miller hit a three-pointer at Idaho State (1/3) with three seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime and an eventual Viking win. He had 19 points in the second half of that game... Miller also had 19 points in the second half of a win at Weber State (1/1)... Miller scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half of a road win at Sacramento State (2/7)... He was Big Sky Player of the Week on Jan. 27. 
• IRON MAN: Earlier this season, SR G Jaylin Henderson had a stretch of eight straight complete games (330 consecutive minutes) before having to sit down in the second half at Idaho (1/24) due to foul problems. His total stretch of consecutive minutes played was 354. He leads the Big Sky in minutes (36.9) and ranks 11th in the nation.
• DUNK YOU VERY MUCH: SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott broke his own school record for dunks in a season and has set a new school record for dunks in a career. Minott now has 57 dunks (previous record, 44). He has 104 career dunks, passing Scott Morrison (91) for that record... Minott's 57 dunks account for nearly half of his field goals (116). Not surprisingly, he shoots .655 from the field.
• TRENDING: Portland State is undefeated when leading at halftime (13-0) and scoring 80 or more points (8-0)... the Vikings are 14-2 when out-rebounding opponents, 17-1 when out-shooting an opponent.
• STRANGE BUT TRUE: Although they are 18-9, the Vikings have led at halftime in only 13 games (13-0) while trailing 14 times (5-9).