Vikings face Seattle University in final game of the season

Despite an up-and-down season, the Portland State men’s basketball team has the opportunity to improve on last season’s 13-19 record when it plays at Seattle University this Saturday in the final game of the regular season. The Vikings finished with a record of 5-11 in conference this year, placing seventh in the final Big Sky standings. Currently, the team is 13-16 overall, matching last season’s 13-win output with three less games played.

“For me, personally, it means a lot to improve on last season,” senior guard Melvin Jones said.

For Jones and the other four seniors on the team, Saturday’s contest will be the final game of their college careers and the last time they compete as a Viking. The game will have extra meaning for Seattle native Jones, who will not only have plenty of friends and family in the stands, but also grew up playing against many of the Seattle University players.

“It’s special, but sad at the same time, so you just have to leave it all on the floor,” Jones said. “Just knowing that this is it. Your college career is over, you can never put on another college basketball uniform again. There’s not much you can do about it, but just go out, play hard and give it your best.”

“I thought about it [being the last game] this morning and it kind of hit me,” senior forward Phillip “Tree” Thomas admitted. “But I’m excited to take the next step in my life. I’m excited for the [future] more so than [feeling sad] about it.”

For the Portland State men’s basketball team, Saturday’s final regular season game against Seattle University is the team’s own version of March Madness. Without a postseason to play for this year, the Vikings are treating their last game like it’s a playoff matchup.

“There’s no reason for us to lay down just because we don’t have a postseason berth,” Thomas said. “Coach has been telling us to not have our heads down, keep playing hard and not give up. Go out and play hard every opportunity we get.”

“It’s about heart, not getting down because things haven’t gone our way this season,” senior forward Phil Nelson added. “Play hard and act like this is the postseason game that we should be in.”

“For the seniors, it’s the last time they’re putting on a jersey, so hopefully they can go out with a win and for the returning guys, keep playing hard cause we’re still building for next year,” head coach Tyler Geving reminded. “So there’s something for everyone to play for.”

Last week, Portland State played its final conference game on the road against Northern Arizona. The Vikings came out flat and were overwhelmed in an ugly 79-52 loss.

“It was a tough one,” Thomas recalled “It was [Northern Arizona’s] senior night and they had everything clicking.”

“We just let it get away from us,” Nelson noted. “We had a good start, but I think we let some of the calls go to our heads and we got a little frustrated.”

The Vikings will look to release some of the season’s frustrations in Seattle this weekend. However, Portland State is only 1-11 on the road this year and the team knows it will have to focus on keeping turnovers down and winning the rebounding battle, if it wants a happy ending to the season.

“Seattle plays hard, they play scrappy and they play fast,” Jones said. “As far as game plan, we have to match their intensity, rebound, not turn the ball over, and just play smarter.”

“We’ve struggled on the road this year,” Geving said. “So to get a road win in our last game would be very nice way to end the season.”

With all the setbacks the Vikings have experienced over the past few months, including missing 35 games total to player injuries, the team was able to fight through the adversity and still stay competitive. Although the year is almost over, with a healthy roster and the bad taste of a disappointing season still lingering, the Vikings feel like they have something to prove in their final game.

“It’s one of the bigger games we’re playing all year,” Nelson said. “Just to show who we are as people, our character. We have a full team now, we’re healthy, so we want to go out on a good note and show people what we’re really all about.” ?