Vikings game day: Idaho State at Portland State
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What: Idaho State (6-16, 2-8 Big Sky Conference) at Portland State (11-12, 4-7)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Stott Center, Portland
Radio: KXFD (970)
PSUPSU coach Tyler Geving
Probable starters: Idaho State -- F Abner Moreira (5.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg), C Devidas Busma (11.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), G Chase Grabau (6.5 ppg, 2.0 apg), G Kenny McGowen (8.7 ppg), G Broderick Gilchrest (14.1 ppg, 2.0 apg); Portland State -- F Phil Nelson (5.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg), C Nate Lozeau (5.9 ppg, 2.4 apg), G Chris Harriel (14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Melvin Jones (11.1 ppg, 2.4 apg), G Charles Odum (14.3 ppg, 2.7 apg)
Noteworthy: The Vikings are coming off consecutive road losses at Sacramento State (79-72) and Northern Colorado (85-72) that dropped them into seventh place, a game behind Eastern Washington and Montana State. ... Lozeau is expected to start in place of senior forward Phillip Thomas, who PSU coach Tyler Geving said lost his starting job for at least one game for disciplinary reasons, but will still be used off the bench.
Junior forward Chehales Tapscott remains doubtful for Thursday’s game, but is expected to return for next week’s game against Weber State in Ogden, Utah. “We probably could have him Thursday, but it would be pushing our luck,” Geving said. “Better to be safe than sorry.” The Vikings have gone 1-4 without Tapscott, who was averaging 11.7 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds when he was injured in the final minute of PSU’s 71-69 victory over Weber State on Jan. 20. “It’s killed us in terms of rebounding,” Geving said. “He’s our best rebounder and it’s just showed up in the Sacramento State game at their place and at Northern Colorado. We just got killed on the glass.”
When the teams met last month, Harriel went 7 for 11 from three-point range and scored a career-high 25 points to lead the Vikings to a 79-72 victory in Pocatello on Jan. 2. PSU has won 10 of the last 12 games in the series with the Bengals, including two victories in the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals. ... The last-place Bengals have lost eight of nine games, including Saturday's 69-67 home loss to Eastern Washington.
Idaho State has a 0-12 road record and has lost 24 consecutive road games over two seasons. Last season, the Bengals lost 98-63 at PSU -- the largest margin of victory for either team in the series. Idaho State's last conference road win was on Feb. 19, 2009, when the Bengals defeated Montana State 63-56 in Bozeman.
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What: Idaho State (6-16, 2-8 Big Sky Conference) at Portland State (11-12, 4-7)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Stott Center, Portland
Radio: KXFD (970)
PSUPSU coach Tyler Geving
Probable starters: Idaho State -- F Abner Moreira (5.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg), C Devidas Busma (11.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), G Chase Grabau (6.5 ppg, 2.0 apg), G Kenny McGowen (8.7 ppg), G Broderick Gilchrest (14.1 ppg, 2.0 apg); Portland State -- F Phil Nelson (5.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg), C Nate Lozeau (5.9 ppg, 2.4 apg), G Chris Harriel (14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg), G Melvin Jones (11.1 ppg, 2.4 apg), G Charles Odum (14.3 ppg, 2.7 apg)
Noteworthy: The Vikings are coming off consecutive road losses at Sacramento State (79-72) and Northern Colorado (85-72) that dropped them into seventh place, a game behind Eastern Washington and Montana State. ... Lozeau is expected to start in place of senior forward Phillip Thomas, who PSU coach Tyler Geving said lost his starting job for at least one game for disciplinary reasons, but will still be used off the bench.
Junior forward Chehales Tapscott remains doubtful for Thursday’s game, but is expected to return for next week’s game against Weber State in Ogden, Utah. “We probably could have him Thursday, but it would be pushing our luck,” Geving said. “Better to be safe than sorry.” The Vikings have gone 1-4 without Tapscott, who was averaging 11.7 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds when he was injured in the final minute of PSU’s 71-69 victory over Weber State on Jan. 20. “It’s killed us in terms of rebounding,” Geving said. “He’s our best rebounder and it’s just showed up in the Sacramento State game at their place and at Northern Colorado. We just got killed on the glass.”
When the teams met last month, Harriel went 7 for 11 from three-point range and scored a career-high 25 points to lead the Vikings to a 79-72 victory in Pocatello on Jan. 2. PSU has won 10 of the last 12 games in the series with the Bengals, including two victories in the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals. ... The last-place Bengals have lost eight of nine games, including Saturday's 69-67 home loss to Eastern Washington.
Idaho State has a 0-12 road record and has lost 24 consecutive road games over two seasons. Last season, the Bengals lost 98-63 at PSU -- the largest margin of victory for either team in the series. Idaho State's last conference road win was on Feb. 19, 2009, when the Bengals defeated Montana State 63-56 in Bozeman.
