After losing to Southern Utah University on Thursday night, the men’s basketball team remained winless on the road this season. Despite strong play from Aaron Moore and Lateef McMullan, Portland State was dominated down low as they continue to struggle with injuries in their frontcourt. Key contributor Renado Parker continued his comeback from an ankle injury but played limited minutes in the loss.
Southern Utah started strong against the Vikings, building an 18-5 lead in the first eight minutes of the contest. “They came out and threw the first punch on us,” head coach Tyler Geving said. “I think they had a little bit more energy at the beginning of the game.”
Once their shooting warmed up a bit, PSU was able to remain within striking distance throughout the game. Moore finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, while
McMullan added 14 points and six assists. But in the end, the Thunderbirds, with a combined 40 points from Jackson Stevenett and Damon Heuir, claimed a 76-63 victory.
The Vikings are a talented team that because of injuries and streakiness has not yet fired on all cylinders this season. In particular, Michael Harthun and Dre Winston Jr. have shown flashes of brilliance but have been unpredictable. “We need more consistent play out of some other guys if we want to get over the hump,” Geving said.
Beginning with their game against conference leader the University of Montana on Thursday, the Vikings will play seven of their next nine games at the Stott Center. The Grizzlies, led by Mathias Ward and Kareem Jamar, are looking to defend their conference championship and return to the NCAA tournament. Counting on Moore and McMullan, the Vikings will also look to match Montana’s star power with Parker.
“Getting Renado back out there is key to what we’re doing,” said Geving, who commended the work ethic of the senior forward. Parker’s performance will be crucial for the Vikings as the race for a Big Sky tournament berth heats up.
Despite their troubles in conference play thus far, PSU is by no means out of contention—excluding Montana and second-place Weber State, the entire conference is muddled together in the standings. With seven of their 11 remaining games taking place at the Stott Center and 10 of 11 against conference opponents, the Vikings will have a great opportunity to find their rhythm just in time to jockey for one of seven spots in the Big Sky tournament.
Tipoff for the Montana game is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Scores and stats can be found at goviks.com.