Against Montana State Thursday night, the Vikings shot their way to the Big Sky regular-season title, defeating the Bears 96-68 behind a school-record 70 percent shooting from the field.
With the win, Portland State (19-9, 12-2 BSC) clinches the right to host the Big Sky Tournament for the first time since 2005. The tournament is scheduled for March 11-12 at the Rose Garden, and ticket information is available at www.Goviks.com.
Portland State immediately snatched the lead and never relinquished it throughout the remainder of the game, leading by a 32-15 margin with only seven minutes remaining in the first half.
Junior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez spearheaded the Vikings’ early offensive attack, pouring in 19 points–including five shots from beyond the arc–before halftime.
After holding a 14-point lead at halftime, the Vikings fought off an early Montana State (15-13, 7-8 BSC) scoring surge to extend their lead to as many as 29 points in the second half.
A major factor for Portland State’s success was the team’s shooting from behind the three-point line, as the Vikings compiled an impressive 64.7 percent from the perimeter.
Piecing together a complete game, Dominguez scored a game-high 26 points on 5 of 6 from the three-point range, with four assists and two steals. Playing supporting roles, senior forward Deonte Huff and junior guard Andre Murray each added 15 points to fuel the Vikings’ offense.
Next up for the Vikings is a road matchup against Montana at 6 p.m. Saturday.