With Nelson and Coleman in the lineup this would have been a closer game, but give Portland credit, they are a good team:
Portland 78, Portland State 64: Pilots' freshman surprises Vikings
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2010/12/post_1.html
Portland freshman Tim Douglas wasn't around for the Pilots' losses to the crosstown rival Portland State Vikings the last four years, but his teammates told him all about them.
On Saturday night, the 5-10 point guard helped his teammates snap that four-game skid with a 78-64 win highlighted by his dazzling array of layups and speed.
"They wanted to win this game really bad," he said. "I was just having fun out there."
Douglas finished with a career-high 27 points and led the Pilots game-long charge through the Vikings suspect defense at the Stott Center.
With Douglas showing the way, the Pilots blew open a close game early in the second half with a layup-fueled attack.
The Vikings' plan to shut down the Pilots vaunted outside shooters worked, but they had no answers for Portland's backcourt duo.
"I was just focused on doing my part and being aggressive and it paid off," Douglas said.
"I've been trying to be more aggressive lately and play to my advantage and my strength, which is my speed, and it has been working well."
Douglas and his fellow point guard, sophomore Derrick Rodgers, put together a 9-0 run on four layups and a free throw to extend the Pilots' lead from 42-38 at 16:04 to 51-38 at 13:47.
Rodgers finished with 12 points, also a career high, on 6 of 7 shooting.
"We couldn't stop them," Portland State coach Tyler Geving said. "If you had told me at the beginning of the game that (Jared) Stohl had two (points), (Eric) Waterford four and (Nemanja) Mitrovic eight, I would have said that we probably would have won. Those two guys kicked our butt."
Portland coach Eric Reveno was impressed, but not surprised by Douglas' star turn.
"Tim's getting a feel for us and we're getting a feel for Tim," he said. "He's getting real comfortable."
"He's really good at point of attack, and is a nice change of pace for us when we run some if our set stuff for him to just drive at a guy. ... He's pretty good."
The win was Reveno's first over Portland State, and he said the way his team made it happen made it even more special.
"It's one of those nights where we had to find other ways (to win)," he said. "As a coach you almost get more excited when you win different ways."
Coming into the game, the teams averaged nearly 15 made three-pointers a game. On Saturday, they combined for only six and shot a combined 6 of 33 from beyond the three-point line.
The Vikings three top scorers coming into the game shot a combined 7 of 26 from the floor.
Chehales Tapscott had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead Portland State.
