A pair of Montana players were drafted this weekend, along with an OT from Ogden.

4 34 133 Baltimore David Hale OT Weber State
5 19 154 Atlanta Kroy Biermann OLB Montana
6 38 204 Miami Lex Hilliard RB Montana

A few Sky players have also signed some free agent contracts:

C Brennen Carvalho, Portland State signs with Packers
DT Casey Tyler, Portland State signs with Patriots
K Dan Carpenter, Montana signs with Dolphins

EDIT TO ADD:
LB Jorden Senn, Portland State signs with Colts
FB Olaniyi Sobomehin, Portland State signs with Saints
RT Daren Heerspink, Portland State signs with Dolphins

Happy to be blogging here, many of you probably know me as RE/MAXGriz over on egriz, I was asked to add some of my long winded insight into the blog features here.  Earlier this week in a discussion about the next season I thought I’d take a look at how the conference has booked their out of conference schedule (OOC).  It’s interesting what’s been set up, and for the amount of teams that are really striving to reach the playoffs, I was pretty surprised at how difficult they set up their schedules.  So lets take a look at what each team has set up before conference play starts:

Eastern Washington - Two FBS schools in Texas Tech and Colorado, in back-to-back games, ouch.  I know that the gap between top FCS teams and many FBS teams has closed, I see both of these games as very tough ones to win for EWU.  They’ve also got a home against Western Washington and two open dates (which I’ll bet one gets filled).  I’d expect possibly a Great West team or maybe another D2 school if they don’t want to travel.  If they look to a mid-west or east coast FCS team I’d expect they’d have to travel out there.  3 road games and 1 home game OOC could be rough, however it could also really toughen them up for the conference.

Weber State - They’ve also got 2 FBS teams, Hawai’i and Utah, probably both losses, those are both very good football teams.  The two home games they have booked are lower division schools, Dixie St and Montana-Western.  So chances are they’ll be 2-2 when done with the OOC, however they’ll not have a single win to help their status with the playoff committee, they’ll have to win at least 7 conference games to be even considered, if they even go 6-2 in conference play they’ll just have 6 Division 1 wins.  So Weber must be banking on winning the conference auto-bid this year.

Idaho State - ISU has Boise and Idaho booked in their OOC, as well as North Dakota.  Boise will most likely win, Idaho… who knows, I’d think the Vandals would have the edge there.  North Dakota went 10-2 last year and beat Southern Utah (although SUU didn’t win a game).  I think this game will be tough for ISU, they’re rebuilding and they’re having budget issues, so they probably won’t book an FCS road game as well.  They could limp out of the OOC with either a 1-2 or 0-3 record.

Portland State - They’ve got an OOC that tilts to their favor, games against Cal Davis and W. Oregon.  I don’t know much about Davis, so I can’t say how competitive they’ll be.  PSU should have their system in place and I think they’ll win both of those games.  Also they travel to Washington State, Wulff, WSU’s coach will be familiar with them, but he’s rebuilding a Cougar team that could have trouble stopping the spread offense.  Could be interesting to see what happens.

Montana - The Grizzlies have a bear of an opening game, testing a defense with 8 new starters against Cal Poly’s amazing and experienced offense.  The Wofford game stung Montana, and Cal Poly could do the same.  After that Montana returns to home to host Southern Utah, Central Washington and Cal Davis.  Most likely they’ll finish the OOC 3-1.

Montana State - Another team with 2 FBS and 2 lower division schools.  The Cats play Minnesota and Kansas State back-to-back, they also host Adams State and South Dakota.  MSU could be in a similar bind as Weber State, coming out of their OOC 2-2 and relying on winning the conference to make the playoffs.  I think they might have a chance to knock off Minnesota, they beat Colorado a few years back, so who knows!

Sacramento State - CSUS has an interesting OOC, they host two lower-division schools, Humbolt State and Southern Oregon.  They also travel to Davis and to Colorado State.  Since half of the conference is playing Davis, maybe I should check up on these guys!  Sac could be 3-1 OOC when it’s all said and done, they don’t play Davis until late, as they usually do. 

Northern Colorado - They’ve got 3 games booked so far, they travel to Purdue and travel to (guess who?) UC Davis.  They also host Texas State.  Didn’t they beat Texas State last year, or the year before that?  UNC is still building, and they’re on the rise, they could come out of this 1-2 but most likely I’ll say 0-3. 

Northern Arizona - NAU plays Arizona State, New Mexico Highlands (who?), and Southern Utah.  Pretty straight forwards, ASU will most likely beat NAU, but the other two games should be wins for the Lumberjacks.  2-1 OOC is decent. 

—-

Quick, “Who is UC Davis?” note - Just looked it up, Davis went 5-6 last year, their most notable wins were against Portland State and beating San Diego late in the season.  They didn’t do much else.  A quick manual count has them losing 12 seniors to graduation from the 2007 season, which included some skill players.  They’re a younger team, probably still finding their way.

—

It amazes me how some teams almost schedule themselves right out of the playoffs, I know it’s usually because of money issues, but there’s a lot of cases where teams would have made the playoffs if they wouldn’t have booked 2 or 3 FBS teams, or didn’t book 2 or 3 Division 2 (or lower) schools.  It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out, it’s just a bummer we’ve got to wait so long until football season actually starts.

One man’s humble attempt to rank the QBs in the Sky based on how I think they will fair in their respective 2008 campaigns.

1.  Cameron Higgins, Weber State - Newcomer of the year in 2007, this freshman averaged 340 yards per game of total offense in the last 4 games of the season.  He has a strong running game to support him, a solid WR corp, and he can run the ball effectively himself.  This season will decide whether his freshman campaign was a fluke, or he is the real deal, and I am a believer.

2.  Matt Nichols, Eastern Washington - It was a tough decision between Nichols and Higgins, but I gave Higgins the nod because his coaching staff remains intact.  Nichols may be the best pure passer in the league, but the BSC is leaning towards QBs with more mobility than in years past, and Higgins has a slight advantage in this department, though Nichols is certainly no slouch.  He may have the best WR in the conference in fellow junior Aaron Boyce.

3.  Cole Berquist, Montana - What I like about Berquist is his ability to create and his accuracy under pressure.  He isn’t going to wow anyone with huge numbers (though he is capable), but he isn’t going to cost you any games.  He is also deceptively mobile as well, and is a very smart player.  I was tempted to put him below Kriesien, because I think the Griz WR corp is going to have a drop off from last year, but I think the new guys will step up and Berquist will have a great senior campaign.

4.  Lance Kriesien, Northern Arizona - Kriesien may be the worst pure passer on this list (not that he is a bad passer), but he may be the most athletic.  He averaged 15 carries a game last year, and might have to increase that total with the loss of Alex Watson to graduation.  He is a legitimate threat to pass or throw every play, and the turf of the NAU Skydome suits his style of play.  He could be near the top of the Sky in total offense output next season.

5.  Drew Hubel, Portland State - Returning for his sophomore campaign after replacing injured starter Brian White halfway through the season last year, Hubel showed flashes of brilliance in that crazy run and shoot offense that Glanville’s Vikings run.  He also showed flashes of why he is a freshman, tossing 9 picks in his final two games of the season.  Unlike the top 4 ranked QBs on the list, Hubel is zero threat to run the ball, as he is a pure pocket passer.  Another year in Glanville’s system could do wonders for this newcomer.

6.  Russel Hill, Idaho State - Another immobile QB, this freshman had a pretty good first season on a team with a first-year head coach.  He threw for over 2300 yards, but finished with 15 INTs to 14 TDs, for a rating of 128.8, good for fifth in the league last year.   This is another case of a freshman working out kinds in a situation with a new coaching staff.  I’m not sold on the WRs, or his OL, however.

7.  Jordan Rasmussen/Mark Iddins/Mark Desin, Montana State - What was originally thought to be a 2 person race, ex-WR Mark Desin has been impressing so far this spring.  Rasmussen is a sophomore, prototypical NFL-style QB with good size (6′4 222).  Iddins is a JC transfer, will be a junior, and is very mobile and has a good arm.   He was rated a 3 star JC recruit by scout.  Desin threw for over 9300 yards in his high school career in Montana, and will be a sophomore.  He is the most mobile of all, but is only 5′11 tops.  One of these three will probably finish in the top 5 but no one knows who will be starting yet.

8.  Bryan Waggener/Mike Vlahogeorge, Northern Colorado - Big things are expected of Waggener, who used his redshirt season at the University of Florida, after being a 4 star recruit out of Citrus JC. He has good size and good speed, and could be a real sleeper in a year that should be chalk full of good QBs in the Big Sky. Vlahogeorge saw time under center last season for the Bears, and looks to have the most game experience of the group of QBs vying for the starting position in Greeley.

9. Jason Smith/McLeod Bethel-Thompson - Bethel-Thompson is another big name drop-down, and has a pretty good resume, having started the Las Vegas Bowl for UCLA last season. He has good size and had a great high school in not only football, but basketball and baseball as well. Coach Sperbeck also brought in some JC WRs to help, and if everything clicks Bethel-Thompson could be looking a newcomer of the year award. He will have to get past Smith, who started every game for the Hornets last year as a freshman, though it was not an impressive season.

It should be noted that numbers 1-5 were very close, and could almost be interchanged. Numbers 7-9 are all about unknowns, I gave the nod to the Cats because of previous experience and depth of competition. But again, these could pretty much be interchanged with each other as well.

Throughout this off season I will make a quick preview of each team the Portland State Vikings will play, complete with the team facts and a quick overview. I’ll start off with the first team to play at PGE park for the 2008 season: Western Oregon.

Western Oregon Wolves
Head Coach: Arne Ferguson
Location: Monmouth, Oregon
Nickname: Wolves
Colors: Crimson Red and White
Enrollment: 4,889
President: John P. Minahan
Athletics Director: Jon Carey
Stadium: McArthur Field (2,500)
Playing Surface: Grass
Conference: GNAC
2007 Record: 9-2
Athletics Site: WOUWolves
Fan Site: The Wolves Den

Quick Overview

Coach Arne Ferguson’s Western Oregon football squad finished the 2007 season with a 26-12 Dixie Rotary Bowl victory over Colorado School of Mines on Dec. 1 in St. George, Utah. The Wolves finished the season with a 9-2 record. WOU’s nine wins in 2007 is only the fourth nine-win season in 78 years of Western Oregon University football. The Wolves visit PGE Park on Saturday August 30th and believe it or not lead the series between the 2 schools 11-8, The Wolves come to town having lost 17 seniors to graduation.

I’ll have more on this game soon….

The Vikings are finally in the big dance, and instead of excitement, fans may feel like they are looking down the barrel of a gun. As a 16 seed, going up against 30-3 Kansas, I wouldn’t blame them. Many expected to be at least the 15, with some estimates as high as a 14 against a school like Xavier. However, as bubbles burst and conference champions fell in tournaments, it became likely that the Green would not be lucky this time around. So, here we are, waiting for the blade to drop, and yet I’m still ecstatic, and I know I’m not alone. Even the NIT would have sufficed for many, but the fact that the basketball team was able to take care of its business seems to be a metaphor for PSU’s progress as a whole, and its future. Oregon being Oregon, PSU will be trumped by the Ducks’ luck slipping in to the tourney.

Why did the Vikings drop to a number 16? Interest of fairness, attendance/money. UMBC, who is statistically a worse team , got what would have been the Viks’ 15 seed. Their game is in Raleigh against 2 seed Georgetown. The hope is that UMBC will be able to get their entire allotment to the game if it is that close. Georgetown will have no trouble with that, but the proximity should also give them a pseudo home court advantage. PSU would probably only be able to get about 15 fans to a game in Raleigh, and would create much less sentimentality than they will in Omaha. In Omaha, the Viks will be the fan favorites outside the KU allotment, even though the game is close to Kansas.

The fact that they got this far amazes me. I had a lot of doubt about the season after the meltdowns against San Jose State at home and Eastern Washington on the road. The beginning of the season was marred by awful finishes to a majority of the games, and a lack of cohesion. The second half dominance began with Deonte Huff carrying the team as the only consistent presence, both physically and offensively. Next came Jeremiah Dominguez’ decision to become completely unstoppable and send a message to the Big Sky. Julius Thomas went down with a broken rib, and Scott Morrison seized the opportunity to reassert himself as the center of the team. Tyrell Mara’s injury led to the eventual evolution of Kyle Coston into a starting role, and Andre Murray was able to fill in the hole left by Dupree Lucas’ mysterious step back. So, justly the Viks deserve the 16. The committee is supposed to seed based on recent personnel and results, but consistency is also important, and the Viks certainly weren’t that.

KU, the number 1 seed, is the natural favorite to win the region and get to the Final 4. Every year the #1 has continued to be an automatic ticket to the second round. However, they face the toughest opponent of any of the 1 seeds, and will have to deal with a fairly difficult region. If you are a Jayhawk fan, don’t be fooled into thinking that the effort that beat Northern Arizona by 41 and Eastern Washington by 38 at home will produce the same result against this Viking team.

The Vikings drew a very difficult match-up, but one that is more favorable than Duke or Wisconsin due to Kansas’ balanced size and aggressive style of play. At 3 out of 5 positions, the Viking starters should be able to hold their own, and their depth may finally prove vital, as Kansas will force physicality and athleticism. At the same time, some of the normal position players will be forced to play against players who are much larger and talented than they have become accustomed to in the Big Sky.

Match-Ups
In an effort to make room for people playing out of position, I will revert to the form the previews took at the beginning of the year; position by position.

Center
PSU: Scott Morrison KU: Darnell Jackson
Julius Thomas Sasha Kaun
JR Moore
Scott will start here, and should see his normal number of minutes if Kansas plays one of these three and he doesn’t get in foul trouble. The starter here will be either Jackson, Kaun, or Darrell Arthur. If Arthur starts, or lines up at center a lot, Julius Thomas or Alex Tiefenthaler will likely see time against him. Jackson is only 6’8”, but at a chiseled 250, he is extremely powerful inside. The most similar player Morrison has gone up against was Akron’s center, Jeremiah Wood. However, Jackson is more talented offensively. Morrison has really struggled when forced away from the basket. In this game, that will almost certainly happen, and if he can’t adjust, another player may be the best option, even though it will create a huge rebound gap. If Scott gets in foul trouble with Jackson in, Thomas is the obvious replacement. However, if it’s Kaun, Moore may see some time. He won’t be able to run the court with Kaun, but should be able to bang with him in the post for a few good minutes.
Advantage: Jayhawks

Power Forward
PSU: Kyle Coston KU: Darrell Arthur
Alex Tiefenthaler
Tyrell Mara
A player who is physically ready to play power forward in the NBA, Darrell Arthur was the star of a team of stars this year. He averaged 13 points and 6 rebounds, which will only be impressive when people look at the number of players from this team on NBA rosters in 5 years. He turned down the opportunity to be the guy at Baylor for the media, history, and opportunity at Kansas, and there is a chance that this year he will be rewarded.

Physically, the only player built to match up with Arthur is Tiefenthaler. They are both 6’9” 225, and play physical basketball. The difference is that Tief resorts to an outside game on the offensive end, whereas Arthur stays down low and dominates in the post. However, Tiefenthaler has seen a sharp decline in minutes with Kyle Coston’s steady improvement. As the likely starter, Coston will have to really have to shoot the lights out from the 3 point line, because there is no way he can handle Arthur in the post. He is definitely capable, and the Viks will hope he can and keep the game from becoming a laugher. Is Tyrell Mara really healthy? All indications say no. He was unstoppable at times in Alaska, and a strong defender his freshman year. Since then, he has been out with an injury, and dropped to a reserve role. If he is available at 100%, he would be a very useful asset. If not, he can become a defensive liability, and has gone cold offensively. If he isn’t forced to play center, Julius Thomas could also be very useful here. He plays a very similar game to that of Arthur on the boards and defensively. Though he isn’t an offensive threat, he might be able to keep Arthur further away from the hoop. Realistically, nobody is going to stop Arthur. The solace the Viks can take is that they could outscore him at the power forward if their shooters can get hot.
Advantage: Jayhawks

Small Forward
PSU: Deonte Huff KU: Brandon Rush
Justynn Hammond
Why is Brandon Rush still in college? Well, an injury definitely contributed to it, but the potential future lottery pick wants the same things Arthur wants, the big stage, and the opportunity to compete for a national championship. If he and his teammates can stay grounded and shoot free throws well, they shouldn’t really be challenged until the Sweet 16.

Every Viking fan knows Deonte Huff. For those who are Kansas fans, or underdog supporters, this is the guy to watch for excitement. If he was 2 inches taller, and had a pretty shooting stroke, he would be a mirror of Rush. He brings the house down with his dunking ability, creates tons of fouls with his uncanny ability to get to the hoop, and can hit shots from the outside as well. Defensively, he doesn’t really match up, so Kansas will look to get Rush the ball to exploit Huff. The two players could easily score the same number, or one could outscore the other by 20. It really depends on whose shots are falling from distance. Although I’d love to say this was a push, I have to give the advantage to Kansas based on defensive ability and the size difference. However, it could just as easily go the other way. Justynn Hammond is an unknown at this point. To get an idea of his story, there should be links from the Oregonian website. If he is available, Hammond could fare well here. His defense is superior to that of Huff, and his long arms and superior shooting stroke give him a fighting chance. If not, Tyrell Mara or Dupree Lucas may play here, but neither really matches up well physically.
Advantage: Jayhawks

Off Guard
PSU: Andre Murray KU: Sherron Collins
Dupree Lucas Rodrick Stewart
Brian Curtis
It is rare when a 6’2” shooting guard has a height advantage after high school. Especially when he is going up against a highly rated recruit who has the ability to rebound with the big men. However, that is the situation for Andre Murray in this match-up. It should be interesting to watch, because his playing style won’t necessarily be changed as a result. He will almost certainly continue to shoot whenever he is open on the offensive end, but he may be a little more aggressive if he has a chance to get by Collins. Dupree Lucas will also have to deal with Collins, and a combination of other guards. His defense a necessity, Lucas may see the kind of minutes he became accustomed to with consistent play last year. Brian Curtis may also see playing time for his defense, here or at the point. I honestly feel that the Vikings have a chance to hold their own here, It depends entirely on the rotation Bill Self chooses. If Collins, Robinson, and Chalmers all play extended time off the ball, the Vikings have no chance, but if Collins and Murray/Lucas is the primary match-up, I feel the efforts could counterbalance each other.
Advantage: Push

Point
PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez KU: Mario Chalmers
Mickey Polis Russell Robinson
Mario Chalmers dropped 30 points against DJ Augustin on Sunday. Chalmers and Russell Robinson are the best point guard tandem in the country, a 1 and 1a combo like Jordan Farmar and Darren Collison were for UCLA. Is there anything to be positive about? Maybe.

The Vikings have Big Sky Player of the Year Jeremiah Dominguez. The 5’6” phenomenon completely tore through the entire Big Sky the second half of the season, and when he makes outside shots, he is literally unstoppable. No matter his size, he gets to the hoop. Perhaps a good comparison is Earl Boykins. He can drop a shot from anywhere, but he is inside all the time anyway. When he is at his best, he is a terror on the defensive end as well. He can strip the ball with the best, and his unparalleled quickness ensures he’s the first one to the hoop. If Dominguez gets in foul trouble, the game is over. Mickey Polis was on fire from the outside at Washington, and it’s as if he has become ash. In all fairness, Dominguez hasn’t given Polis much opportunity to prove himself since then, but the Viks will need all the help they can get, and outside shooting will be essential if the game is going to stay close.
Advantage: Jayhawks

Other players for Kansas who could make a difference: center Cole Aldrich, and guards Conner Teahan and Tyrel Reed.

I think the Viks will play one good half. However, that means the Jayhawks are up by 20 at half, and the Green keep pace with their backups, or that it’s close at the half, and KU pulls away at the end. Either way, this game will be exciting to follow, and hopefully an experience Viking fans will remember as the beginning of something great.
Prediction: Kansas 85-68

Idaho State comes into the Big Sky semi-finals on the heels of a two point victory over Montana. They are the real unknown of the four remaining teams. They are young, and should be in the upper-echelon of the Big Sky for the next few years.

For the Vikings, there is a different story. After a 23 point win at home against the Bengals, and a 10 point win on the road, there is little reason to doubt Portland State’s chances to advance to advance to the Big Sky Championship game. If there is one unknown, it is how the Viking players will react to the Rose Garden. The only other game there this year, the Vikings only beat Division III Lewis & Clark by 1 point. Needless to say the current Viking team has come a long way. They give up the friendly confines of the Stott Center for the added seating capacity and big game atmosphere of the Rose Garden. One would hope the great season Ken Bone’s squad has had would bring more than a thousand fans to championship games.

Match-Ups
Center
ISU: Lucas Steijn PSU: Scott Morrison
This match-up is not fair. Out of the 3 options the Bengals have here, none can guard Scott Morrison, none can rebound with Morrison and none can score against Morrison. In the first game, Morrison had a very solid all-around game while holding Steijn to just 3 points and 3 rebounds. The second match-up saw Morrison have a little less success offensively, while giving the Bengal centers 2 points and 4 rebounds. Even JR Moore had success. I don’t see much changing. As I said before their last game, ISU doesn’t really have any post presence, so PSU may be able to put a little more pressure on the wing players.
Advantage: Vikings

Forward
ISU: Logan Kinghorn PSU: Kyle Coston
Kinghorn was outplayed by his backup, Chron Tatum in the second game against the Vikings. If Kinghorn starts slowly this time, look for the Bengals to go to Tatum early. They can’t hold anything back, as this is likely the last game of their season. Kyle Coston had a so-so game the last time he played against the Bengals, with 8 points and 2 rebounds. Considering how ineffective the other options for the Vikings were at the 4, he had a solid game. PSU doesn’t necessarily need a great effort from this position to win the game, but a little extra cushion couldn’t hurt.
Advantage: Push

Guard/Forward
ISU: Amorrow Morgan PSU: Deonte Huff
Morgan has had decent success against Huff, going for 11 points in both contests. However, he hasn’t been able to equal Huff’s success (20 points and 6 rebounds the last game between the two.) As I pointed out the last game between the two, Morgan is only a sophomore, so he could one day become the player Huff is. However, he is not ready to beat out the Big Sky first-teamer at this point in his career.
Advantage: Vikings

Off Guard
ISU: Donnie Carson/Austin Kilpatrick PSU: Andre Murray
Kilpatrick won the last battle between the two with 14 points to Murray’s 6. However, Murray went only 2-10 from the field. Assuming he can hit an average percentage of his shots, Andre should be able to keep pace. He outrebounded Kilpatrick 5-1 in the first match-up, something he probably won’t have to do in this match-up for the Vikings to have success. Can Kilpatrick seize the initiative and provide the much-needeed scoring punch aside Stucki and Morgan? If not, this game won’t be close. Recently, Carson has been receiving a lot of playing time. Against Montana he turned that into 10 points and 5 rebounds. If he can pitch in and contribute the same amount tonight, that will help keep the game close, and perhaps Stucki can pull something out of the bag late, who knows?
Advantage: Push

Point
ISU: Matt Stucki PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Stucki may be the one player who gives Dominguez serious problems defensively. Dominguez has been great all year, but the 6’6” Stucki is a full foot taller than Dominguez. Here, I gave the advantage to Stucki in the Stott Center game based on their outputs in the first game. Dominguez was able to hit right on his averages, but Stucki was great, going for 26 points. However, Dominguez had a very solid all-around game in the second match-up that superceded Stucki. As this season progressed, one could tell Jeremiah went out every night to send a message. He was rewarded for his outstanding play with the Big Sky Player of the Year award. He is clearly the factor that made last year’s mediocre squad into this year’s Big Sky champions.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Vikings have the advantage here. The Bengals have three bench players who average 5 or more points per game, but none who is a real threat to go for a bunch of points. At home, the Viking bench players just tend to do better. Alex Tiefenthaler had 16 points the first time around against ISU, but failed to score a single point in the second contest. JR Moore stepped up with 6 points and 9 big rebounds in the second contest. With Julius Thomas healthy, Moore may not even see time. Hard to believe that even JR was dominant in the post against the Bengals.
Advantage: Vikings

Well… now comes the time for a prediction. The Bengals won only two conference games away from home: Northern Colorado and Montana. I predicted 76-60 at the Stott Center, and the game came out 81-58. This time, I’m expecting the Vikings to score a few less points in the unfamiliar atmosphere at the Rose Garden. However, I think they should still have plenty to get by the Bengals for a championship match-up with Northern Arizona or Weber State.
Prediction: PSU 73-60

It would surprise most people around the league if this game was really close, even though the Bengals are 6-4 in conference. PSU beat them by 10 in Pocatello, and Matt Stucki went for 26 in that game. It is possible he can equal that effort, but in all likelihood that won’t be enough to pull off what would be a major upset. The only way the Bengals can win this one is if the Vikings beat themselves. We have seen it happen this year, but not recently. Games that come to mind are the awful home meltdown against San Jose State, and the road loss to Eastern Washington. The current rotation for the Viks is a very confident one, and for good reason.

Match-Ups
Center
ISU: Lucas Steijn PSU: Scott Morrison
This match-up was ugly the last time around. Morrison had a very solid all-around game while holding Steijn to just 3 points and 3 rebounds. I don’t see much changing. Steijn has only averaged 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds all season. The other option for the Bengals, Demetrius Monroe, has rebounded a bit better, but is no more of an offensive threat. In fact, ISU doesn’t really have any post presence, so PSU may be able to put a little more pressure on the wing players.
Advantage: Vikings

Forward
ISU: Logan Kinghorn PSU: Kyle Coston
ISU tends to go with a 4 guard lineup, one of which being Kinghorn. However, he is the best rebounder, so he will likely match-up on whoever the Vikings have inside other than Morrison. He only managed one rebound in their first game, but he only played for 17 minutes. He has outplayed Coston in every offensive category so far this year, but in their head to head match-up he had no points and just one rebound. Factor in Alex Tiefenthaler’s 16 points in the first game, and PSU dominated at this position. You have to figure that Kinghorn will be able to fare a little better in the second game.
Advantage: Push

Guard/Forward
ISU: Amorrow Morgan PSU: Deonte Huff
Morgan had a very solid second half the first game. He had a tough time in the first half, but was able to salvage 11 points. The sophomore may become one of the better players in the conference in years to come. Like Huff, he has the ability to score in many ways. All that said, I have to again give the advantage to the consistent senior. He has been solid for the Vikings all year, and there has been no indication that he will do anything less in the future. At home, he has been even better, averaging 15 points per game. I’ll take 15 against 10 any day.
Advantage: Vikings

Off Guard
ISU: Austin Kilpatrick PSU: Andre Murray
If Kilpatrick is going to beat Murray, it will be with his size. At 6’6” he may be the tallest player Murray has to match up against. If Murray is going to win, he’ll have to beat Kilpatrick with his quickness and athleticism. As PSU should have the inside advantage in this game, Murray will be allowed to stick to the role of shooter, unless the game gets close. He has shot the ball well at home, and has adapated well to a starting role. With no clear advantage in this one, we’ll have to see what wins out.
Advantage: Push

Point
ISU: Matt Stucki PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Stucki may be the one player who gives Dominguez serious problems defensively. Dominguez has been great all year, but the 6’6” Stucki is a full foot taller than Dominguez. This match-up is an accented version of the one at shooting guard. Height and power versus speed and quickness. Here, I give the advantage to Stucki based on their outputs in the first game. Dominguez was able to hit right on his averages, but Stucki was great, going for 26 points.
Advantage: Bengals

Bench
The Vikings have the advantage here. The Bengals have three bench players who average 5 or more points per game, but none who is a real threat to go for a bunch of points. At home, the Viking bench players just tend to do better. Alex Tiefenthaler had 16 points the first time around against ISU, and will try to duplicate that on Thursday. Other players may see extended time, as they did against Sac State, if this game has the kind of spread one would expect.
Advantage: Vikings

I am hard pressed to predict the score in this one. The teams hit right on their season averages in the first match-up. On Thursday, the question is whether the Vikings are looking past ISU to their weekend match-up with Weber State. If so, this could be a close game. Both Amorrow Morgan and Matt Stucki are very solid players. I don’t think the Vikings will have trouble here. The upperclassmen have pulled the team out of their tailspin, and really righted the ship. The role players should get their minutes, and save a major injury, the Viks should roll at home.
Prediction: PSU 76-60

The rematch of the two teams at the top of the Big Sky Conference standings promises to be an interesting affair. In the first match-up this season, PSU completely dominated the Jacks in all facets of the game, especially rebounding, en route to the 80-66 final. Tomorrow night’s game looks to be different. First of all, the game is not being played at the Stott Center, where the Viks are 8-1. The first matchup was also a break-out game for Kyle Coston. Before and since that game he has done nothing to indicate he can reproduce that effort. Nobody will ever question his shooting touch, but his lack of tenacity and inability to create his own shot makes him an offensive clone of the two other options for the Vikings at the 4 spot. Tiefenthaler, Mara, and Coston all have the ability to shoot the ball well from the outside, but none have been able to produce when their shot hasn’t fallen. This, along with injuries, is one of the reasons that Ken Bone is forced to shuffle his lineup almost every game. Speaking of consistency, there are two names that come to mind for Viking fans: Deonte Huff and Jeremiah Dominguez. The two have carried the Vikings to almost all of their victories, one of the few exceptions being the first match-up with the Jacks. The pair only produced 19 points in the first game. They will need to be on their game if the Viks have any chance on the road. The last big factor for change is the rotation. Scott Morrison only played 20 minutes in the first contest, with Julius Thomas going 17. With Thomas out, Morrison will likely be depended on to go at least 30 minutes, and be given a few mintues rest by JR Moore.

On the other side, the first contest was an off night for Kyle Landry. He was able to manage 12 points, a good night for most, but not for Landry who is averaging 17.3. In his place, Zarko Comagic stepped up and had a really big game. The two of them will need to be consistent to keep pace with Huff and Dominguez. Coming off losses to Idaho State and Northern Colorado on the road, the Lumberjacks will look to get back on track, and back into first place.

Match-Ups
Center
NAU: Ryan McCurdy PSU: Scott Morrison
Though his play hasn’t been as consistent as many would like, Scott Morrison has started every game with the exception of the near disaster against Lewis & Clark. For the last 4 games Morrison has been very consistent. With increased opportunity (30+ minutes) he has delivered over 17 points per game. In the first game against NAU Morrison scored only 6 points, but was limited to just 5 shots. With renewed confidence Morrison should deliver at least 15 points against the rail-thin McCurdy. McCurdy’s advantage in this match-up is his speed. If the Jacks can create some fast-break opportunities, he should have no trouble beating Morrison down the floor and putting defenders in the position to foul.
Advantage: Vikings

Power Forward
NAU: Kyle Landry PSU: Kyle Coston
Landry is clearly the better player in this match-up, even though his production in their first contest wouldn’t indicate it. No matter who he goes up against for PSU, he should have the advantage. None are particularly good defenders, and only Mara brings the intensity necessary to be one. The challenge for the Vikings will be to get some offensive production here, because they are better at the other positions, but the outside shot here creates room for Morrison to work inside.
Advantage: Lumberjacks

Small Forward
NAU: Zarko Comagic PSU: Deonte Huff
This match-up should be the exact opposite of the one at power forward. Here, Comagic had a great game offensively while the consistent Huff made a lackluster performance. If Comagic can produce more than 10 points against Huff this time around, it bodes well for a team that will need to shoot much better than 42% to win. I expect Huff to come through with another strong performance, which should be aided by his recent hot streak at the free throw line.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
NAU: Nathan Geiser PSU: Andre Murray
Murray seems to be adjusting well to his role as the team’s unquestioned shooting guard. With his ability to rebound much larger than his stature, his play is somewhat reminiscent to that of Huff. He had a solid game against the Jacks the first time out, and should the Viks need his production, I expect him to be there again tomorrow. Geiser really struggled in the first contest, throwing a bagel up on the scoreboard. Since then, he has returned to form, and should fare better this time around. If not, Zach Filzen will be ready to pick up the slack.
Advantage: Push

Point
NAU: Josh Wilson PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Wilson is definitely one of the top point guards in the Big Sky Conference. Averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists, he would get the nod over just about anyone. The problem is that he is going up against the best point guard in the conference. Dominguez is a tenacious on-ball defender, with quickness that allows him to take the ball at any time. Add that to his recent offensive explosion, and he becomes one of the favorites for MVP. He outscored Wilson by 9 points in the first game, but the two combined for only 13. This time around, I expect them to go for 30+.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
For the Vikings, the role of the bench has decreased substantially. However, they will need to get quality minutes from JR Moore in place of Morrison, and some scoring production from the 4 spot to have a good shot at winning. For NAU, Filzen, Johnson, and Jones will have to take advantage of the Vikings weaker defenders. If they can produce 10+ points, it will go a long way towards determining the outcome.
Advantage: Push

I see the Viks giving one back here. I hate picking against them, but they aren’t a particularly good team on the road. If they get a solid performance from all the role players and Dominguez has an amazing output that might change things.

Prediction: NAU 72-70

I cannot guarantee that I will have time to do a blog for every game, but I will do my best while I am here. The upcoming contest between the Portland State Vikings and the Montana Grizzlies is an intriguing mid-season match-up as the teams have become rivals in recent years. We all remember the fight after the game two years ago, and it looks like the game on Thursday should be just as hard-fought. Montana enters the contest with two convincing wins against Big Sky opponents which were preceded by a tough home loss against Weber State. The Grizzlies are again lead by their consistent inside duo, Jordan Hasquet and Andrew Strait. Portland State is coming off an extended hiatus which should benefit the team from a health standpoint, but it remains to be seen the effect it will have on team chemistry.

Match-Ups
Center
UM: Andrew Strait PSU: Scott Morrison
The Griz will almost definitely throw everything they have at Morrison offensively. Their combination will include at least Strait and Hasquet, as well as Brian Qvale and Kyle Sharp. There is no doubt that the Grizzly coaching staff has seen how different a team the Vikings are without Morrison on the floor, and it is likely they will try to get him in foul trouble from the opening tip. The Vikings do not have anywhere near the depth of the Grizzlies at center, so it is essential that Morrison stays on the floor for as many minutes as possible and that players like JR Moore and Tyrell Mara are available to spell him inside. Julius Thomas may be the direction Ken Bone wants to go, but it will be difficult for him to compete with the height that the Griz possess at center.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Power Forward
UM: Jordan Hasquet PSU: Kyle Coston/Alex Tiefenthaler
For what has been the most inconsistent position for the Viks all year, Thursday may be a relief. Coston and Tiefenthaler have been much better players at the Stott Center, and Tyrell Mara has not been healthy since his break-out game at the Top of the World Classic. The three man combo will be assigned the Grizzlies top offensive threat, Jordan Hasquet. He has dominated the Big Sky Conference, both offensively and on the glass. If he matches up with Morrison defensively, it will be a showdown between two of the premier big men in the conference. If he matches up at the 4 it will be up to the Viking combo to run him ragged around screens outside, and keep him honest by making a good percentage of the 3 point shots they take. Hasquet and Kyle Sharp should be able to eclipse the Viking players here offensively and on the glass. The question will be whether or not the Viks can keep it close.
Advantage: Grizzlies

Guard/Forward
UM: Ryan Staudacher PSU: Deonte Huff
If the Viks have a mismatch, this is it. Staudacher is big enough to compete with Huff, but is overmatched talent-wise. If he can hold Huff to less than 10 points, I think the Grizzlies should win easily. Unfortunately for him, I do not think that he is capable of that. I think the Viks will depend on strong games from Huff and Dominguez, and it will be up to Huff to keep the game close until the last five minutes. Staudacher is a bit of an unknown to the Viks as he played less than 10 mintues per game last season. At almost 32 per game this year, it is obvious that he has become an important part of the Grizzly attack.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
UM: Matt Martin/Ceylon Elgin-Taylor PSU: Andre Murray
Murray has been a very important player to the Vikings this year. Unfortunately, he has also been very inconsistent. The Vikings need a huge effort from him on Thursday, especially if Dupree Lucas is unavailable behind him. Martin and Elgin-Taylor have both averaged 25 minutes a game, so it is up to Murray to play at least that much to provide an equal counterpart. I think Murray should be ready for the challenge if he can stay out of foul trouble.
Advantage: Push

Point
UM: Cameron Rundles PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
After a strong stretch of games, Dominguez is now leading the team in scoring. He is the go-to-guy down the stretch, and seems to relish the role, as he fares well again and again. This game should give him another opportunity to put the Big Sky on notice. Big or small, he has vanquished them all, and Rundles should provide quite a challenge as he stands 6 ft 1. Rundles is less of a scoring threat than he was last year, but has become a much better passer, an asset the tea, needs at the point. The Viks could definitely use a good shooting night from Mickey Polis, as their front-court match-ups are not likely to produce many points.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Vikings are hoping to have a bit more depth available after the extended break. The team could definitely use the intensity of a player like Mara, or the scoring punch a player like Lucas has provided in the past. The Griz only have 3 bench players who have seen extended action this year, so it is imperative that the Viks try to push the pace and use the extra legs they have available. As that has been their style of play most of the year, it should not be a task with which they have too much trouble.
Advantage: Vikings

Both teams have won their last two games. However, they are at very different places in the conference standings. Thursday will be a chance for the Grizzlies to get back towards the top, where they were expected to be all season. For the Vikings it is a chance to keep pace with Northern Arizona and Weber State at the top of the table. I see this one playing out as a slugfest. Each team is going to take their best shot at the knockout early on, but it is the team that has the most left at the end who should pull it out. In an even match, who do you take? I will go with the home team on a last second floater by Dominguez.

Prediction: PSU 70-68

Over the course of the season, the Vikings may be the most inconsistent team in the country. They have had standout games from 3 different players at the power forward position, 2 at the point, and 2 at shooting guard. The coaches have utilized offensive schemes that focused on using Scott Morrison in the post, and have benched him for long stretches in favor of a smaller, quicker lineup. With at least 13 games left, what can we expect from the Vikings? Saturday brings the UNC Bears to the Stott Center. A rapidly improving team, the Bears have already doubled their win total from last year, and have beaten defending Big Sky champion Weber State.

Match-Ups
Center
UNC: Jabril Banks PSU: Scott Morrison
No matter who matches up with Morrison, there will be a decided size advantage for the Vikings. Without Kirk Archibeque inside due to a concussion, the Bears will have to choose between two guys who are really combo forwards, Banks and Taylor Montgomery. Banks is the more talented of the two. The former Iowa Hawkeye and Indian Hills CC player is leading the team in scoring and rebounding at 13.7 per game 6.2 per game. He is also the only player who qualifies who is leading Scott Morrison in field goal percentage. He has only attempted 2 three point shots all year which means Morrison will be able to play his style of defense against Banks. Though Morrison has been less productive than Banks all year, his size advantage and style of play should allow him to out-produce Banks in this game, and ultimately lead the Vikings to victory.
Advantage: Vikings

Power Forward
UNC: Taylor Montgomery PSU: Kyle Coston/Alex Tiefenthaler
If Coston is not productive early, Ken Bone will not be hesitant to use Tiefenthaler who had the best game of his collegiate career against Idaho State on Sunday. Montgomery is not much of an offensive threat, but should be able to power past the opposition inside because they lack his power. However, the specialty of all the Viking power forwards this season has been their ability to hit the outside shot. Whoever plays here for the Viks should be more productive than Montgomery.
Advantage: Vikings

Guard/Forward
UNC: Jefferson Mason/Neal Kingman PSU: Deonte Huff
A promising player in his own right, Mason has averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds per contest this year. His height advantage should allow him some easy buckets at times in this one. However, I think it is very unlikely that he will out-produce Huff unless he can get him into foul trouble early. Mason should be able to utilize his size to keep Huff away from some of the put-backs that he normally gets, but I do not see him stopping Huff from driving and getting to the line. If the Bears are going to be competitive in this contest, they will need to minimize the damage that Huff can do because the Vikings have too many offensive weapons for them to deal with. Kingman had been the starter recently before missing the San Diego State game due to influenza. He has a very similar skill set to that of Mason with a little added bulk. He had a season high in the road loss at NAU, but seems to have lost confidence since then.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
UNC: Sean Taibi/Robert Palacios PSU: Andre Murray
If Taibi cannot play in this one, then the Bears will likely start Robert Palacios, a teammate of Jabril Banks at Indian Hills CC. Another option here is Devon Beitzel, a freshman who shared player of the week honors with NAU’s Kyle Landry, after he came off the bench for 15 points against San Diego State. The combination of these players will go up against Andre Murray, a player who has also been inconsistent and had trouble staying away from fouls against Idaho State. The Vikings do not necessarily need Murray to have a big scoring night to beat the Bears, but it would definitely help. If he cannot provide the punch Ken Bone is looking for, Dupree Lucas will be waiting for another opportunity to prove that the coaches made a mistake when they benched him in favor of Murray. I give a slight advantage to UNC, especially if Taibi is available. He is a deadly long range shooter who can score in bunches.
Advantage: Bears

Point
UNC: Thanasi Panagiotakopoulos PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
Panagiotakopoulos has been in double figures three times this year. It appears that his ability to score is similar to that of Mickey Polis in that he has trouble when his three point shots are not falling. Dominguez shoots a lot of threes himself, but he also has the ability to drive and score against the bigger players. Like the Vikings, the Bears have a short backup point guard who has the ability to score. His name is Will Figures. He had a strong showing in the beginning of the season but has cooled off recently. It would really help the Bears if he could get back on track in this one.
Advantage: Vikings

Bench
The Bears have the potential for a very strong bench with players like Mason and Figures. They do not have a lot of overall depth so they will depend on those guys to spell their starters. If they cannot handle that task, it might be a long night. For the Vikings the bench is loaded. It has endless depth and guys who could start for many teams. The issue with the bench, as it is with the rest of the team is consistency. If Tiefenthaler, Lucas, Polis, Hammond and Thomas can each score a few points, that would decrease the burden felt by Dominguez and Huff to shoot so often.
Advantage: Vikings

I think the Vikings are primed to make a run for the Big Sky title. Everyone except Tyrell Mara is healthy enough to play, and some of the guys who were expected to contribute early on are finally coming into their own. The three game home stretch is a critical set for the Vikings, who will need to win all three to compete for home court in the Big Sky tournament. It is definitely a doable task, but the Vikings will need strong play from their leaders and something from the bench to get it done. The first game against Northern Colorado is probably the easiest task, but the most important, as the team will look to start off their home stand the right way.
Prediction: PSU 72-63