Vikings Open Big Sky Home Schedule Thursday Against Eastern Washington

EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES (5-10, 1-1)
at PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS (8-6, 0-1)

Thursday, January 9, 2025, 7 p.m., Viking Pavilion (3,094), Portland, OR
Reside Stream: ESPN+ • Play-by-play: Matt Richert • Analyst: Devon Pouncey
Reside Stats: www.ViksLive.com
 

OPENING TIP

Portland State can have its Huge Sky Convention residence opener this week because the Vikings host Japanese Washington in a Thursday night time recreation at Viking Pavilion. PSU follows up on Saturday afternoon with one other Huge Sky recreation in opposition to Idaho. Success this week might be crucial to the Vikings as they play six of the next eight video games on the highway.
           
The Vikings (8-6, 0-1) will attempt to bounce again from a disappointing loss of their Huge Sky opener final Saturday at Sacramento State. After a poor second-half displaying, PSU misplaced the lead and the sport, 56-53. Portland State entered the competition averaging a league-best 83.4 factors, however got here away with the fewest factors in 67 begins – a span of greater than two seasons.
           
That mentioned, PSU has had a superb season thus far, with wins over groups from 4 completely different Division I conferences and a four-game profitable streak previous to final Saturday’s loss. The Vikings are 4-1 at residence and can attempt to knock off a latest nemesis in Japanese Washington on Thursday. The Eagles are the two-time defending Huge Sky common season champion (however misplaced their first recreation of the Huge Sky Match annually) and have crushed the Vikings within the final 9 conferences. PSU’s final win within the sequence was a house recreation in 2019.
           
Quite a bit has modified for Japanese Washington (5-10, 1-1) although, as former Head Coach David Riley left for Washington State (as did a number of gamers) within the low season. Veteran collegiate Head Coach Dan Monson was employed in Cheney and rebuilt a program that had solely three returning gamers.
           
The Eagles opened their Huge Sky season at residence final week, dropping to Montana, 92-81, however defeating defending Huge Sky Match Champion Montana State, 68-65. Japanese has received three of its final 4 video games – all at residence – however continues to be on the lookout for its first highway win (0-7).
           
Thursday’s contest is the primary of 9 Huge Sky residence video games for the Vikings this season. All weeknight video games will tip off at 7 p.m., whereas all Saturday video games begin at 2 p.m. All Huge Sky Convention video games may be seen on ESPN+. Reside statistics can be found this week at www.ViksLive.com.
           

COMING UP

The Vikings host Idaho on Saturday in a 2 p.m. recreation. Subsequent week they go on the highway to play at Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona. That begins a stretch of six out of eight video games on the highway.
 

GAME NOTES: PORTLAND STATE vs. EASTERN WASHINGTON

• ALL-TIME SERIES: On the energy of 9 consecutive wins within the sequence, Japanese Washington leads Portland State all-time, 33-27, and in Huge Sky Convention video games, 32-24… the Vikings maintain a 15-11 edge in Huge Sky residence video games performed in Portland… PSU’s final win in opposition to the Eagles was a 78-65 residence victory on Jan. 24, 2019.
• LAST SEASON: Dec. 28, 2023 at Reese Courtroom, EWU 91, PSU 57: After a gradual begin, the Eagles received going offensively and finally pulled away from the Vikings. The Vikings raced to a 12-2 lead within the opening 4 minutes. However that was short-lived as Japanese Washington got here again with a 20-2 rally, led by 13 factors from Cedric Coward. Japanese Washington made eight photographs in a row and 11 of 12 over a stretch, extending their rally to 34-9 over the span of 11 minutes. By halftime, the Vikings trailed 46-27. Japanese continued to develop the lead within the second half.. PSU completed the sport with a season-high 21 turnovers that the Eagles changed into 26 factors. The Vikings had been 20-50 from the sector (.400) and received out-rebounded 34-25… Isaiah Johnson was the one Viking in double figures, scoring 10 factors with 4 rebounds… Japanese Washington ended the night time at 31-58 from the sector (.534). The Eagles additionally made 11-19 from behind the arc for a .579 mark… Coward completed with 21 factors. Dane Erikstrup had 18 factors and 5 steals. Feb. 5, 2024 at Viking Pavilion, EWU 90, PSU 77: Japanese Washington proved its first-place bona fides by out-shooting and out-rebounding the Vikings. Although they shot a middling 25-58 from the sector for the sport (.431), the Eagles had a 10-12 taking pictures stretch within the first half, together with 4 three-pointers, taking management of the sport and in the end resulting in their victory. Japanese Washington led 45-32 on the break and by as many as 25 within the second half… Cedric Coward led six Eagles in double figures with 26 factors and 11 rebounds… Isiah Kirby scored 18 factors with seven rebounds and 4 assists. Cole Farrell added 16 factors and 4 steals off the bench, hitting 6-8 photographs from the sector. Kendall Munson and Bobby Harvey every scored 11 factors.
• COACHES: Vikings Coach Jase Coburn (Arizona State, 2006) is in his fourth season as Head Coach. He spent eight earlier seasons on the Park Blocks as an Assistant and Affiliate Head Coach. Coburn’s total report is 51-57. He’s 0-6 in opposition to Japanese Washington as a head coach… Head Coach Dan Monson (Idaho, 1985) is in his first season at Japanese Washington. Monson, who has a 450-406 report in 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach, has by no means confronted the Vikings in earlier stops at Gonzaga, Minnesota and Lengthy Seaside State.

SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON

• Japanese Washington was 21-11 final season, 15-3 and first place within the Huge Sky Convention. Nonetheless, the Eagles misplaced their first recreation within the Huge Sky match for the second 12 months in a row. EWU has received 4 Huge Sky common season titles and three Huge Sky match titles in its historical past.
• Within the low season, Japanese Washington employed veteran coach Dan Monson to guide this system. To this point, the Eagles are 5-10 this season, 1-1 in Huge Sky video games. They common 75.9 factors per recreation, however rank final within the Huge Sky in protection, permitting 78.7 factors. The Eagles are taking pictures .467 from the sector, and have a outstanding .783 free throw share to guide the Huge Sky.
• Senior guard Andrew Cook dinner leads the Eagles in scoring at 16.3 factors per recreation whereas taking pictures .575 from the sector and .883 on the line… junior guard Nic McClain averages 15.1 factors and 4.1 assists per recreation… sophomore guard Mason Williams is averaging 13.2 factors.

HOT SHOTS

• SHOOT YOUR SHOT: PSU is taking pictures .493 as a crew this season (second within the Huge Sky, twenty ninth within the nation). That is notable because the Vikings haven’t shot above .448 during the last seven seasons. The varsity report for a season is .492, set by the 2004-05 Huge Sky Convention common season champion crew… SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott leads the best way at .674 (31-46) from the sector. SR F Isaiah Johnson has additionally been wonderful at .602 (59-98), SR F Hayden Curtiss is taking pictures .597 (43-72, together with 10-23 three-pointers) and JR F Isaac Brice is at .625 (15-24).
• STOLEN MOMENTS: SR F Terri Miller Jr. can do lots of issues – rating inside and outside, rebound and make the “wow” go – however the actually notable factor he has executed this season is steal the ball. Miller has 29 steals in 14 video games to rank third within the Huge Sky at 2.1 per recreation. A better look reveals he has the very best steals-per-minute ratio within the league. Miller averages solely 17.6 minutes per recreation, so his steals-per-40-minutes is 4.71. Huge Sky steals chief Nic McClain of Japanese Washington (2.4 pg) averages 3.15 steals-per-40-minutes. Blaise Menace of Weber State (2.3 pg) averages 2.91.
• IT’S COLE’S WORLD: One can find him at @W0rldCole on social media. The Vikings are simply glad to seek out SO G Cole Farrell doing his factor on the basketball court docket. He turned in a career-best recreation within the win at Pacific (12/18) with a career-high 18 factors (6-10 FG, 2-3 3-pt, 4-6 FT), 5 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a few stellar protection. Farrell had a steal, two rebounds and eight factors within the last 5 minutes of the sport because the Vikings held off the Tigers… that was a part of a sizzling streak during the last 5 video games by which Farrell has averaged 12.8 factors and 4.4 rebounds, had 9 assists and eight steals in 24 minutes per recreation off the bench. He shot 26-51 from the sector in these video games (.510), 7-14 from three-point vary.
• TRIPLE THREAT OFF THE BENCH: Portland State has had a really balanced assault this season with eight gamers averaging 7.2 factors or extra per recreation. Taking part in a significant position within the success have been three gamers off the bench: SR F Terri Miller Jr., SR F Hayden Curtiss and SO G Cole Farrell… Miller’s all-around recreation has him averaging 8.7 factors, 4.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a couple of.1 steals in 17 minutes per recreation… Curtiss is averaging 7.2 factors, 3.6 rebounds and taking pictures .597 from the sector and .435 from three-point vary in 16 minutes per recreation.. Farrell is at 7.7 factors and a couple of.7 rebounds with 20 assists and 12 steals in 17 minutes per recreation… PSU leads the Huge Sky in bench factors (30.8).
• BLOCK PARTY: Portland State had a season-high 9 blocked photographs within the win at Pacific (12/18). PSU has had eight blocked photographs on two events and at present leads the Huge Sky with 5.7 send-backs per recreation… SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott has had a career-high 4 blocked photographs twice this season (Wofford, Denver) and ranks second within the Huge Sky at 1.64 per recreation.
• DUNK YOU VERY MUCH: The slam recreation has been sturdy for the Vikings this season. PSU had a season-high 12 dunks in opposition to Walla Walla. For the season, they’ve 72 throw-downs (5.1 per recreation). SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott (21) and SR G Jaylin Henderson (20) paved the way.
• LEADERS: Portland State at present leads the Huge Sky Convention in turnovers compelled (16.0), turnover margin (+2.4), blocked photographs (5.7), steals (9.4) and bench factors (30.8)… SR G Qiant Myers leads the Huge Sky in assists (6.8) and ranks eighth within the nation.

NOT SO HOT

• YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS: Whereas Portland State’s area aim taking pictures has been sturdy, the free throw taking pictures has floundered. For the season, PSU shoots .622 on the line and has had just one recreation higher than .688… PSU was 5-13 on the line in final Saturday’s three-point loss at Sacramento State… the Vikings rank final within the Huge Sky in free throw taking pictures.
• NO POINTS FOR YOU: Portland State’s 53 factors scored at Sacramento State had been the fewest in 67 begins relationship again to Dec. 10, 2022, and the third-fewest in Head Coach Jase Coburn‘s 108 video games.

FUN FACTS AND MEANINGLESS TRIVIA

• CONNECTIONS: SR G Jaylin Henderson and SR F Terri Miller Jr. had been teammates at Louisiana Tech final season… JR F Isaac Brice is the son of a former Vikings assistant soccer coach, Alundis Brice (2007-08)… FR G Kelcy Phipps and SR F Isaiah Johnson attended the identical highschool (Bishop Montgomery) in southern California.
• TWO HANDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE: SR F Terri Miller Jr. is ambidextrous and can shoot with each palms throughout a recreation. He tends to shoot proper handed from distance and left handed when enjoying inside. He mentioned he would not take into consideration the hand he shoots with, it simply happens naturally.
• TV ON THE RADIO: SR C Tre-Vaughn Minott can play seven musical devices and likewise enjoys producing music. His mixes may be discovered on YouTube at Tellavision_topic… Minott can also be the long-time boyfriend of Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever (they met at South Carolina).
• BIG BRO IN THE BIG LEAGUES: SR G Shane Nowell’s older brother, Jaylen, has spent elements of six seasons within the NBA. He’s at present a member of the G-League’s Capitol Metropolis Go-Go.
• THAT WINNING FEELING: Head Coach Jase Coburn has a 25-22 report in non-conference video games in his 4 years on the helm of the Viking Ship. That features a respectable 11-15 highway report in these video games… PSU was 9-4 in non-conference play final season, and 8-5 this season.