Feb. 24, 2007
Final Stats
Portland, OR --- The Portland State Vikings got an 18-point, 18-rebound effort and Idaho State failed to clinch a conference tournament berth for the second straight game as the Vikings defeated Idaho State 70-63 in the Stott Center.
The Bengals were ahead at one point 23-10, and they still led 33-26 with 6:22 left in the first half when ISU couldn't hit anything for the next 13:22. The Vikings ended the half on a 12-0 run to go up 38-33, and then they scored the first seven points of the second half for a 19-0 run that just crushed ISU.
The Bengals somehow managed to tie the game at 49 with 8:09 remaining on a putback by Nicholas Rhodes, the only basket by an ISU post player on the night. However, PSU answered back with two quick baskets, and eventually pushed the lead back up to seven.
Idaho State made one more run, as Matt Stucki and Logan Kinghorn each hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 61-58, and with two minutes left, ISU had a chance to tie the game, but Matt Stucki's pass to Akbar Abdul-Ahad went out of bounds, and PSU, who was atrocious for more of the night from the line, hit 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch to seal it for the Vikings.
The Bengals wasted an unreal rebound effort of their own by Nicholas Rhodes, who grabbed 19, the 16th-most in school history. Idaho State dropped to 7-7 in the league, and they now would make the tournament with one win in either of their last two games, provided ISU's RPI, which was 163 entering Saturday's game, ends up higher than Eastern Washington's, which started Saturday at 197.
Idaho State would also get in with one win and an Eastern loss to Sacramento State Saturday, or with two wins. However, if Idaho State qualifies, it will probably be as a 5-seed (25% chance) or a 6-seed (25% chance). There is only a 12.5% chance that ISU will host, and there is a 28.1% chance that ISU will finishs seventh, and there is a 12.5% chance it comes down to the RPI tiebreaker with Eastern for the final berth.
The Bengals got 17 points each from Logan Kinghorn and David Schroeder, 13 from Abdul-Ahad, and Matt Stucki chipped in 10. Paul Hafford, who hurt ISU in Pocatello, led PSU with 19. Emmanuel Jenkins added 10.
The Bengals shot just .333 for the game, but they started out on fire, hitting 11 of their first 18 (.611) before ending 8-for-39 (.205), and ISU was outrebounded 43-41.
Idaho State gets no rest obviously, as they host Montana on Monday and Montana State on Tuesday, both games at Holt Arena at 7:05 pm.
NOTES: The Bengals can now finish anywhere from third to fifth ... Scott Henry grabbed 19 rebounds against Sacramento State in 2004 ... PSU scored 26 points in the paint ... Portland State's bench outscored ISU 33-3.
