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PSU VS UW 12/14

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 by wiviking in Portland State, basketball

On Sunday, the Portland State Vikings take their 7-1 record to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies. Phil Nelson and Ken Bone return to their old stomping grounds where the Viks have had very little success. Unfortunately, this game is just the beginning of what will be a tough non-conference schedule the rest of the way. One plus is that the game will be televised on Fox Sports Net, so Viking fans will get to see their team play on tv for just the second time all season.

Match-Ups
Center
UW: Jon Brockman PSU: Jamie Jones
Although Jones is just as tall as Brockman, that is about the extent of their similarities, aside from a knack for scoring around the basket. Brockman is a big-bodied bruiser and All-American candidate, whereas Jones is a wiry finesse player who has difficulty rebounding. Unfortunately for the Vikings, they are matched up against each other. The one positive going for PSU is that Brockman is not the strongest defender. As long as Jones can score on his first opportunities, he should be able to put up 10 points. Even if Jones produces 10 points and 5 rebounds, that isn’t going to keep it close here. You can mark Brockman down for at least 20 and 10, maybe more if they go to him more often.
Advantage: Huskies

Power Forward
UW: Darnell Gant PSU: Kyle Coston
Although Gant is a very talented freshman, he does have a propensity to get into foul trouble. He also has limited range on his jump shot. Look for the Viks to try to exploit those weaknesses in any way possible. If Coston can draw him out to the perimeter, it will take away one of the strongest rebounders the Huskies have. Coston is the ideal size match-up here, so Mara may not see as much time as he’s used to. Even though Washington doesn’t depend on Gant to score, he has the ability to do so, and if Dentmon or Thomas have difficulty with their defenders he may get a chance to show the coaching staff what he can do. If Coston can step up and score 12-15 points, it should help keep this one fairly close.
Advantage: Push

Small Forward
UW: Quincy Pondexter PSU: Phil Nelson
Nelson has been dreadfully inconsistent. His average of 10.1 points per game comes from a combination of a 24 point game with 0 points the next week. He seems to be tentative when his shot isn’t dropping. However, in this game they need him to produce. His best games have come when he is shooting a lot and creating contact. If he can drive to the rim, and help draw fouls on the Huskies big men, it will help Jones. Going up against Nelson is inconsistent number two. Pondexter began the season by dropping a goose egg against the Pilots, then scoring 15 three days later. He has come on of late averaging 14 points in his last three contests. If he can score 12, it would really hurt PSU’s chances. The advantage as far as production goes is awarded to Nelson because of his importance keeping this one close. If he has less than 15, it’s unlikely that spread will be less than 20.
Advantage: Vikings

Shooting Guard
UW: Justin Dentmon PSU: Andre Murray
Although he’s not very tall, Justin Dentmon produces like a prototypical shooting guard. His production is up in almost every statistical category from last year, and appears ready to help his team back to the NCAA tournament. Murray has been great in all but two games when he didn’t score. However, he took a combined five shots in those two games, both of which were won by the Vikings. He will need to have one of his better games if he is going to keep up with the all-around production of Dentmon. Andre is plenty capable of doing just that, and I expect this to be one of the better one-on-one match-ups all season.
Advantage: Push

Point Guard
UW: Isaiah Thomas PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez/Dominic Waters
Jeremiah Dominguez is questionable going into the match-up on Sunday. If he can’t go, the Viks will go with Waters, who has been solid in most of his appearances. Unfortunately, that bad appearance was against the speedy guards of Cal State Fullerton. The Vikings will need him to keep up with the explosive true freshman if they want to keep him from scoring 20+. After dominating his high school competition, Isaiah Thomas (not that one) has averaged 13.5 points per game, saving three of his four biggest games for Kansas, Florida, and Oklahoma State. All of this changes if Dominguez plays. Whether or not he can be effective on the offensive end, I think he has to play. Without him on the court, the Vikings have had no flow to their offense, and have lacked the key piece to their defense. I think Waters will see starter minutes even if Dominguez does go, because they will need the points Dom can produce.
Advantage: Push

Bench
Originally, the group of reserves looked very solid for the Viks. Unfortunately, the losses of Guede and Visockis hit hard. Aside from Waters, none of the players can be counted on to produce on a consistent basis, and they are dreadful free throw shooters. The Huskies have a very solid bench composed of potential future stars like Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Elston Turner as well as solid contributor Venoy Overton. The Huskies may not need much from their bench, but if they do, they’ll be ready.
Advantage: Huskies

I think the outcome will ultimately be decided by whether or not Jeremiah Dominguez plays, and how well the Vikings can shoot the 3 ball. Shutting down Brockman isn’t a real possibility, so the Viks will need to focus on the things they can do — forcing bad shots by the guards, and taking advantage of the younger players. The Huskies don’t shoot the 3 ball well or often, so forcing them to do that could get them out of their comfort zone. Even if the Viks have a perfect game, it will be tough for them to beat UW on the home floor.
Prediction: UW 78-67

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NMSU to leave WAC? USU and UI to?

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 by Jeremy in Big Sky, football

The Las Cruces Sun reports that New Mexico State’s FBS status may be put on hold if their attendance continues to fall, Karl Benson says that if they were to fail to meet the requirements they would be reinstated if they could prove to meet up to the FBS standard. “They would be out of 1A, that is correct,” Benson said. “It would not affect any of the other sports at New Mexico State. They would remain at the 1A level.”  The program’s status in WAC would be up in the air. “Their standing in the conference would be subject to review,” Benson said.

A few other WAC schools face similar scenarios as New Mexico State. Utah state and Idaho are alspo below the standard. All three programs entered the conference three years ago. NCAA requirements mandate that all Division 1A football programs average 15,000 fans in paid attendance for a rolling two-year period.

If at the end of the 2 years one of these 3 schools fails to meet the standard, the WAC would be forced to get rid of that team until they can show they can manage FBS football. This could open an opportunity for a BSC team that can meet the requirement. Mainly Montana, who currently averages enough to play in the WAC. This is a topic all BSC should watch for the next 2 years, someones name could be called….

Las Cruces Sun Article

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Posted in Big Sky, football | 2 Comments »

Big Sky Players in the Draft

Monday, April 28th, 2008 by catbob in Big Sky

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

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Posted in Big Sky | 4 Comments »

Big Sky QB Rankings

Thursday, April 17th, 2008 by catbob in Big Sky

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.

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PSU VS Kansas (3/20)

Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 by wiviking in Big Sky, Portland State

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

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PSU VS CSU (Top of the World Championship)

Sunday, November 18th, 2007 by wiviking in Portland State


The Colorado State Rams come into the championship game with wins over Oregon State and Tennessee State. The wins came with two very different playing styles. In the first game, Willis Gardner had 20 points for the Rams. Today, Marcus Walker scored 43, and Gardner only had four. At first glance, this sort of offensive ability for a team in a more powerful conference might look insurmountable, but this is another team who isn’t deep. They only play eight guys, so if the Viks can tire out the starters like in the IUPUI game, they should have a shot. The Rams are a bigger, physical team than the others in the tournament. They have two 7-footers, and a freshman who is 6’9.” Walker shoots the ball the most, so Lucas putting pressure on as he did against George Hill is essential to the Viks’ success.

Match-Ups
Big Men
CSU: Stuart Creason PSU: Scott Morrison
This should be a big challenge for Morrison going up against a player who is the same size, if not bigger, and who is a talented scorer and rebounder. Scotty tends to come up with his better efforts in games where the pressure is on him, so he should have quite a few opportunities for some blocked shots. This senior, 7-footer match-up should have a real impact on the game, even if the points aren’t there.
Advantage: CSU

Power Forward
CSU: Andre McFarland PSU: Tyrell Mara
Though Mara was able to explode for 18 points against IUPUI, his role for the remainder is probably about 10 points per game, tough defense and rebounding. McFarland is a 6’6″ freshman out of Las Vegas, and he should provide about the same thing for the Rams. I’m leaning towards Mara due to his added experience.
Advantage: PSU

Guard/Forward
CSU: Josh Simmons PSU: Deonte Huff
Another true freshman starter for the Rams. He and Huff are the same size, but Huff is much more put together. I believe Huff should win this match-up because of his superior athletic skills and experience, but I wouldn’t count out Simmons from scoring 5-10 points in this match-up.
Advantage: PSU

Off Guard
CSU: Marcus Walker PSU: Dupree Lucas
This is the battle of two former CC stars who have the ability to explode for points at times. Walker started his college career at Nebraska, while Lucas started at Xavier. If Lucas can find his offense, this should be a very exciting match-up. Because Walker has been hot recently, especially on Saturday afternoon, I’m leaning towards him.
Advantage: CSU

Point
CSU: Willis Gardner PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
This is another bigger point guard match-up for Dominguez, probably similar to what he’ll see all year. Gardner should almost certainly score more points, but as Dominguez has shown so far, the game can’t be judged solely by points scored.
Advantage: Push

Unless Montana is ridiculously better than PSU, the Vikings should be able to beat the Rams. The Viks’ bench should see more time against CSU, and should hopefully be more effective, especially scoring. They will need to for PSU to have a shot in this one. I’ll pick the Vikings again, because it seems to be working for them.

Prediction PSU 76-74

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PSU VS IUPUI Preview

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 by wiviking in Portland State

4_jagbackground_th.jpgIUPUI-pronounced ‘ooey pooey’ is a subsidiary of Indiana University and Purdue University in Carmel, a northern suburb of Indianapolis. They play in the Summit League, formerly known as the Mid-Continent.

IUPUI was created in 1969 as a partnership by and between Indiana and Purdue Universities, with IU as the managing partner. With over 29,000 students, IUPUI is the second-largest campus in the Indiana University state wide system.

The Jaguars should come in to the Top of the World Classic with a lot of confidence. On the 10th they played Marquette very close in Milwaukee, and beat up IU-South Bend by 35 yesterday. They were picked as the favorites to win the Summit League, and boast preseason player of the year George Hill.

Coming off a tough loss against UCLA, the Vikings will look to get rid of the goose egg in the win column for the 2007-08 season. If they can exploit some of the mismatches, it might happen. However, the Jaguars won’t be pushovers.

Matchups
Big Men
IUPUI: Billy Pettiford PSU: Scott Morrison
IUPUI has one player over 6’8″ on their roster, and he doesn’t play much (when he does he’s not very good on offense, and picks up lots of fouls on defense). Due to this, I’ll compare the guys who should see significant PT. Pettiford is a solid all-around player who can score, rebound, and pass the ball. Morrison should be able to slow him down significantly with the threat of the shot block against the 6’7″ forward. If he has a good game passing, look for PSU to go with a smaller lineup. However, at only 220 pounds, he may be unable to keep Morrison away from within 4 feet of the hoop where Scotty actually has an offensive game.
Advantage: PSU (Slight)

Forward #2
IUPUI: Jon Avery PSU: Tyrell Mara
This appears to be a good match up for both guys. Tyrell is a strong physical player, and Avery likes to play inside. On the flip side, Tyrell’s three-point shooting ability will force Avery away from his comfort zone. I look for a lot of fouls here, and not very many points.
Advantage: Push

Guard/Forward
IUPUI: Austin Montgomery PSU: Deonte Huff
Two players who do a little bit of everything. They can both score, defend, and rebound. I look for Huff to be a bit more physical than Montgomery is used to. If Huff can use his athletic superiority, he might score 15+.
Advantage: PSU (Slight)

Off Guard
IUPUI: George Hill PSU: Dupree Lucas
Hill is another exceedingly tough match up for Lucas after Shipp last week. This one may be another huge gap. It seems that Lucas is a lot more productive when he doesn’t have to exert himself on the defensive end. Add to that, he seems to be a slow starter. However, PSU doesn’t need 30 from Dupree in this game. If he can get 10-15, I’m sure coach Bone would be happy.
Advantage: IUPUI

Point Guard
IUPUI: Gary Patterson PSU: Jeremiah Dominguez
After a great debut against UCLA, JD will look to continue his success. Patterson is also a smaller guard, so that should be a better match up. On the other hand, he did score 15 points against Dominic James, so this should be a good challenge.
Advantage: Push

Bench
PSU should have a huge advantage here if Bone can afford to have them in. The Vikings have more quality players on their bench than the Jaguars do, and certainly more scoring ability. Look for the Viking bench to dominate if the Jaguars want to rest some of their starters.

Prediction: This game is one that could easily go either way. I’m going to pick the Vikings because they have a shorter trip, and the more physical team. Because the Jaguars will probably be a bit slowed down in their first game, the size should give them fits.

Score: PSU 67-62

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PSU VS UCLA Postgame

Friday, November 9th, 2007 by wiviking in Portland State

Shipp.UCLA started the game with a big lineup-Love, Aboya, Mbah A Moute, Shipp, and Westbrook. Love was completely dominant on the offensive side of the ball, and certainly the best player on the court during the first half-he even hit a 3 pointer. Shipp was the next best player on the court, he was able to hit a few outside shots and shut out Lucas. Collison was out with an injury, but it didn’t seem to matter. The Bruins ran a double team at Morrison every time he had the ball, and it worked.

PSU was completely ineffective on the offensive side. Lucas seemed lost, and got into foul trouble, and Morrison turned over the ball multiple times. The Viks couldn’t score or rebound. Huff had six at half time, and Dominguez was very good defensively. Off the bench, Coston hit a three ball, and Julius Thomas was tough on the boards. Andre Murray couldn’t score, in fact, the guards couldn’t really score at all outside a steal and lay-up by Dominguez.

Halftime Score: 36-17 UCLA

The Viks started the second half quickly, cutting the lead to 13, but Shipp put the dagger in by hitting back to back 3 balls.

The remainder of the second half went back and forth, with neither team making much progress.

The Viks won the power forward battle, even though Mara was overmatched physically. PSU also won the point guard and small forward battle, but the SF battle was by a small margin. Unfortunately, Dupree Lucas didn’t score a single point, and Scott Morrison was completely dominated by Kevin Love. Josh Shipp was also great on the offensive end.

Final score 69-48

The real concern for the Vikings going forward is Mickey Polis. He’s not a formidable option at point guard. Even against WOU he couldn’t keep control of the ball. Dominguez can’t play the full 40 every time out.

PSU should do better on the offensive end against a more level playing field. The Bruins showed their superior athleticism, and skill at times, but the toughness and quickness of some of the Vikings created success at times. Going forward, the Vikings should be competitive in all of their games the rest of the way with the exception of maybe the Washington State game. The Cougars play a physical game as well, but with lower calibre athletes than the Baby Bears.

The Vikings should be in the running for the crown at the Top of the World Classic next weekend in Fairbanks, AK, and at this point seem to be one of the favorites with Colorado State’s huge loss to the Griz earlier this evening.

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PSU VS UCLA Pregame

Monday, November 5th, 2007 by wiviking in Portland State

UCLA is #2 in the nation. Does that mean that they’ll beat PSU by 40? Perhaps. However, if J.R. Moore is healthy by this weekend, PSU should have match ups that seem favorable for the game to stay close. Rather than match up the starters, then the bench, I’ll just go by position.

Center: Kevin Love/Lorenzo Mata VS Scott Morrison/J.R. Moore
Morrison will have the height advantage, however, the question is whether he can compete with Love’s power and whether he is mobile enough to cover his outside shots. Most likely, UCLA will outscore PSU, however, PSU might be able to compete on the boards. Morrison cannot get into foul trouble if PSU wants to have a chance.
Advantage: UCLA

Power Forward: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute/Alfred Aboya VS Tyrell Mara/Julius Thomas
If there is anywhere where UCLA really outclasses PSU, it is here. Any one of the three for UCLA would start at PSU. If Mara can stay out of foul trouble, it would greatly help the Vikings’ chances. Again, UCLA will outscore PSU here, so the Viks will have to make the points up somewhere else.
Advantage: UCLA

Small Forward: Josh Shipp/Chace Stanback VS Deonte Huff/Kyle Coston
This position is one that the Viks need to win the battle at if they expect to win. However, I think Huff will need to use his physical tools to score, because his outside range doesn’t appear to have arrived yet this year. Shipp, on the other hand, is a shooter, and Huff will need to press to try to lock him down. If Huff gets into foul trouble, Coston’s outside shot will be essential.
Advantage: Push

Shooting Guard: Russell Westbrook VS Dupree Lucas/Andre Murray
PSU should outscore the Bruins here. The Viks will need the same type of effort they got from Lucas and Murray in the exhibition with 20 points each. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but they should both do well.
Advantage: PSU

Point Guard: Darren Collison VS Jeremiah Dominguez/Mickey Polis
Dominguez should get some steals, but Collison is far too strong for him to cover. Dominguez should be able to keep up, but Collison will likely force him into foul trouble.
Advantage: UCLA

Prediction: UCLA wins 84-61

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Northern Colorado Wins First Big Sky Conference Game

Monday, October 29th, 2007 by GoBears in Big Sky, Northern Colorado

Zak BigelowThe University of Northern Colorado broke several nasty streaks this week in notching their first ever Big Sky Conference win with a 16-13 victory over #19 Montana State at Nottingham Field in Greeley, CO. The Bears were on a 16 game loosing streak (the longest in school history) and an 8 game home loosing streak (the longest at Nottingham). This is the first home victory for second year head coach Scott Downing. With the win the Bears improve to 10-13-1 all time against MSU and 6-5 in Greeley. The game also marked the first successful field goal attempts of the season, with RS-Freshman kicker Zak Bigelow connecting on all three attempts from 25, 40, and 37 yards. The win did not come easily, as the Bears who lead for most of the second half, gave up a game tying touchdown with only 48 seconds remaining. However a 51 yard kickoff return by Cory Fauver followed by a 26 yard completion from Dominic Breazeale, to Ryan Chesla set up the final field goal with 8 seconds left on the clock.

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