Portland State Men’s Basketball is smokin’ this season! With a few seasoned veterans and the addition of some spicy new talent, Portland State is heating up the courts.
If you haven’t come out to see the Vikings play basketball this season you are missing out! With more wins already than last season’s total (5 wins in 2002-03), Men’s basketball has greatly improved. The Vikings are looking for recognition this season, and have the players get it.
After playing two games on the road last week, the Viking boys are back in town! They will be playing against Eastern Washington University, Saturday January 24 at 7:05 p.m. at our home court in the Stott Center.
EWU has played well so far this this season. The team has a 3-1 record in Big Sky Conference play and stands 7-10 overall for season games.
One Eastern Washington player to watch out for is Junior Marc Axton who brought in 22 points for the 68-62 win over Sacramento State last week. Additionally, Seniors Josh Barnard and Alvin Snow both had 14 points in that same game, and Snow was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week after Eastern Washington smothered Montana State with a 70-55 win.
Portland State lost to the Bobcats 54-61 on January 8. The fact that EWU beat Montana State and PSU didn’t, could very well turn up the heat in the Stott Center on Saturday night.
The Eagles are going to bring a tough game to Portland this weekend. Eastern Washington has outscored its opponents in the first half of each game by an average of 12.8 points. The Vikings will need to start off playing strong and keep up that smart defense they have been playing.
Last week, PSU endured both a loss and a win on the road. Sacramento State took the win from the Vikings 76-64. This was Portlands State’s first Big Sky loss. Until Thursday, the Vikings had been playing well defensively and it is possible they were just having a bad game. With PSU allowing Sacramento 46 points in the second half of the game, the Hornets both outrebounded and outscored the Vikings.
Thursday’s leading player was Junior Antone Jarrell. He scored 20 points for the Vikings and brought in five rebounds. Jarrell was 9-13 for field goals and sank two three-point shots. Seamus Boxley raked in 14 points and eight rebounds, and the usually high scorer, Blake Walker, only had 10 points, sinking two three-point shots. Playing only 18 minutes, Senior Seth Scott made the most of it. He pulled in eight rebounds and had 7 points. For the Hornets, Cedric Thompkins had 19 points and Brandon Guyton had 16 points.
Maybe it’s a Saturday thing, but the Vikings took the win against Northern Arizona 71-65. With a slightly shaky beginning of the first half, PSU eventually took the lead 34-29 at the half and never gave it up. Junior Seamus Boxley was the top scorer with 23 points. Boxley brought in 15 rebounds landing him a career high in rebounding. This was Boxley’s third 20-point game, and he now averages 9.4 rebounds per game- a Big Sky-best!
Senior Seth Scott showed the Lumberjacks a thing or two by bringing in five rebounds and 11 points! With that kind of playing in two games last week, we might just be seeing some more of him on the courts in upcoming games. From the other team, Aaron Bond was the leading scorer with 26 points and eight rebounds.
With an improved team that is now 2-2 in Big Sky Conference and 8-9 on the season, there is no reason to shun those Vikings. Put on your Viking-wear and get yourself into the Stott Center this Satruday by 7:05 p.m.! We need you to help scream and cheer for our Vikings as they battle Eastern Washington.