Vikings win big

At the Stott Center Thursday, the Vikings moved one step closer to securing a spot in the Big Sky Conference playoffs after crushing the Sacramento State Hornets 100-73. The Vikings host Idaho State Saturday afternoon and a win will punch their playoff ticket.

Portland State jumped out to an early lead that ballooned to as many as 22 in the first half, but the Hornets weren’t ready to roll over. With the Vikings resting on their laurels, Sacramento State closed the half with a 15-4 run.

At halftime the Vikings refocused, regrouped and quickly re-built a sizeable lead just minutes into the second half.

“We’re really starting to gel,” said Deonte Huff, who tied career highs with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Many of Huff’s buckets came right on the rim. He made 10 of his 13 attempts, also a career high.

“I was just really feeling good,” Huff said of his performance, adding that coming off the bench hasn’t affected his game.

In the first half Huff converted three alley-oop dunks. One in particular brought the house down as Huff caught and slammed a pass junior guard Dupree Lucas bounced to him off the backboard.

“I hadn’t even crossed (half court),” said junior center Scott Morrison, who was blown away by the Lucas-Huff connection. “I thought Pre had missed the shot and then Huff just came out of nowhere.”

Morrison, who finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, explained that the team is more focused than they have ever been.

“We had two of the best practices, back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday, that we’ve had all year,” Morrison said. “I think that has the most to do with it. Our backs are against the wall and if we lose Saturday we might not even make the Big Sky tournament.”

As Morrison or any other Viking player will tell you, making the Big Sky tournament isn’t this season’s ultimate goal.

“Our main focus is getting to the NCAA tournament,” Deonte Huff explained.

Still, for head coach Ken Bone, it’s important just to move forward one game at a time. Bone, who admitted he’s had a pretty good week, wasn’t content to rest.

“Ask me about my week Saturday,” said Bone, who instituted another new starting lineup Thursday.

“I just wanted to go with our seniors,” he said. “Saturday is senior night, our last game at home, and I wanted it to be a senior weekend.”

And indeed, the Viking seniors came through for their team against the Hornets.

Senior center Anthony Washington, on seven of 10 shooting from the field, finished with 14 points, four blocks and three rebounds. Juma Kamara added 14 and six boards and Paul Hafford chipped in 11 points to go with four rebounds and three steals.

And though Hafford’s usually accurate shooting touch was off (0-5 from three), coach Bone was still quite happy with how Hafford found a way to leave his mark on the game.

“I’m really proud of Paul,” coach Bone said. “Tonight he didn’t hit a thing, but his defense was outstanding.”

Eastern Washington also won last night, 82-79 over the Idaho State Bengals. If the Viks don’t get a win against the Bengals Saturday, they won’t be guaranteed a spot. But the Vikings are extremely confident that the team is finally peaking.

“It might be the right time,” Dupree Lucas said, believing that the team has finally found their stride. “But we’ll see now, won’t we?”

The men’s final game comes at home this Saturday with a 1:05 p.m. tip-off time.

Notes: The Vikings tied a school record with 10 blocks…The women’s basketball team won on the road against Sac State, 76-65… A number of Portland State’s football players attended the game, campaigning with signs and chants to hire Greg Lupfer for the recently vacated head coaching slot. The players paraded around the arena, taking time to make sure both school President Dan Bernstine and interim Terri Mariani took notice.