The Portland State Vikings took down their crosstown rival University of Portland 87-78 on Dec. 5, maintaining their perfect record at Viking Pavilion.
Vikings got off to a slow start, making fewer than half of their attempted shots in the first half. PSU kept it close, however, never allowing the Pilots to pull ahead by more than eight points. Led by starting sophomore starting guard Holland Woods, as well as junior guard Michael Nuga who came off the bench, the Vikings finished the game strong, pulling ahead at the end of the first half and never forfeiting the lead.
The game featured one of several strong performances by Woods during the 2018–19 campaign. He ended the night with a game-high 27 points and six assists, 17 of those points coming in the first half. As Woods cooled down in the second half, Nuga heated up. Nuga recorded 13 points in just 15 minutes of gameplay, showcasing his positive impact off the bench.
Junior forward Sal Nuhu gave the Pilots trouble in the first half, blocking five shots to go with a single steal. He ended the night with 10 points and six steals. Nuhu was one of five Viking players to score in double digits. Along with Woods and Nuga, senior forward Jamie Orme and senior guard Derek Brown also finished the night with 10 points each.
The Vikings improved to 5-3 on the year with the win over Portland and will have a week off before traveling on Dec. 12 to Provo, Utah to take on Brigham Young University. Their next game is scheduled for Dec. 15 against Loyola Marymount University at Viking Pavilion.
