The Portland State Vikings completed the 2009-10 basketball season at 13-19, reaching the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals before losing to regular season league champion Weber State. For PSU it ended a two-year run of Big Sky titles and trips to the NCAA Tournament, but  the Vikings continued to be a force in the conference.

Portland State overcame the challenges of a coaching change, significant player turnover, injuries and a formidable schedule during the year, but maintained a solid foundation.

Tyler Geving came on as new head coach last April as only five letterwinners returned from the 2008-09 season. SR G Dominic Waters suffered a dislocated shoulder at the start of the season, but was able to play without missing any games. More significant was the loss of JR F Phil Nelson (12.9 ppg) after 20 games when he broke a bone in his left foot.

Portland State played nine non-conference games against teams with at least 19 wins in 2008-09. Including Big Sky Conference opponents, PSU played seven 20-win teams (and two 19-win teams) from 2008-09.
   
2009-10 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• The Portland State Athletics program named Tyler Geving as Head Coach last April, maintaining the continuity of the basketball program that had experienced the two best years in school history. Geving, a first-year head coach, is in his fifth season at PSU, spending the past two seasons as Associate Head Coach and the previous two as assistant coach.
• Portland State picked up a win over a nationally-ranked team for the second year in a row when it knocked off 25th-ranked Portland, 86-82, at the Chiles Center on Dec. 2.
• The Vikings reached the Big Sky Tournament for the sixth consecutive season - exceeded only by Montana. The sixth-seeded Vikings beat third-seeded Montana State, 68-65, in a quarterfinal round game in Bozeman. PSU reached the Big Sky semifinals for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons.
• SR F Jamie Jones was named first team All-Big Sky Conference. Jones averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots while shooting .583 from the field. Jones led the Big Sky in rebounding, blocks and double-doubles (8)... SR G Dominic Waters was named second team All-Big Sky Conference for the second year in a row. Waters averaged 18.6 points to rank fourth in the conference and led the Big Sky in assists (4.7) and free throw percentage (.902) while hitting 70 three-pointers.
• SR F Julius Thomas earned All-Big Sky Tournament honors after scoring 37 points with 17 rebounds and three blocked shots in two games. He hit 15-22 shots in the two games (.682) and tied a career-high with 19 points in a quarterfinal win at Montana State.  It marked the second year in a row he has earned All-Tournament honors.
• PSU players won three Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors. SR G Dominic Waters was honored twice (12/7, 3/3) and JR F Phil Nelson was selected once (12/14).
• The Vikings broke five significant school records during the season. As a team, PSU broke the school mark for shooting percentage twice. First the Vikings shot .674 (31-46) from the field in a win over Cal Poly on Nov. 21. Two weeks later the Vikings broke that mark, shooting .688 (33-48) against Eastern Washington on Dec. 5... SR F Julius Thomas set Portland State records for career games played (121), career shooting percentage (.663) and season shooting percentage (.671)... SR F Jamie Jones set a new school record for blocked shots in a season (75).

SIGNIFICANT LOSSES, BUT A STRONG LOOKING FUTURE
Portland State will lose three significant players to graduation this year, SR Fs Jamie Jones and Julius Thomas, and SR G Dominic Waters. Those three represent 55% of the team's scoring, 49% of the team's rebounding, 57% of the team's assists and 77% of its blocked shots.

Making up for the contributions of those three will be challenging, but Portland State will have more returning letterwinners, two returning redshirts and a strong recruiting class in 2010-11. PSU will return three starters (JR F Phil Nelson, JR F Paul Guede, JR G Melvin Jones), 10 letterwinners and two redshirts. The Vikings have already signed two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent: freshman-to-be Brandon Cataldo (6-10, C) and junior-to-be Chehales Tapscott (6-5, F). Tapscott is a two-time junior college league player of the year and post-season tournament Most Valuable Player. Head Coach Tyler Geving anticipates signing two more during the spring.

Next year's anticipated roster is listed below:

2010-11 PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS ROSTER (with updated class status)

    2    Austonn Lazoff          G    6-2    160    SO    1V    Portland, OR (Konawaena (Hawaii))
    3    Nigel Peter-Denman   G    6-3    190    JR    RS    Seattle, WA (Ballard/Denver)
    4    Melvin Jones             G    5-10  165    SR    1V    Seattle, WA (Chief Sealth/North Idaho JC)
    12    Paul Guede           G/F    6-5   205    SR    2V    London, England (Grace Christian/Tallahassee CC)
    13    Phillip Thomas         F    6-8    245    SR    1V    Oakland, CA (San Leandro/Idaho/Eastern Utah JC)
    14    Alonzo Brandon       G    6-1    180    SR    1V    Las Vegas, NV (Valley/Arizona Western JC)
    15    Dane Johnson         G    6-1    180    JR    1V    Columbus, OH (St. Francis DeSales/W. Oregon)
    21    Phil Nelson              F    6-8    220    SR    2V    Keizer, OR (McNary/Washington)
    23    Chris Harriel            G    6-4    185    SO    1V    Moreno Valley, CA (King)
    30    Kenton Bansemer    F    6-8     210    SO    1V    Brookings, OR (Brookings-Harbor)
    42    Nate Lozeau            C    6-10  270    JR    RS    Marysville, WA (Marysville-Pilchuck/San Diego)
    50    Steve Christensen    C    6-8    230    SR    1V    Portland, OR (Wilson/Lane CC)
NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNEES
        Chehales Tapscott        F    6-5    210    JR    JC    Hillsboro, OR (Century/Clackamas CC)
        Brandon Cataldo          C    6-10  270    FR    HS    Rainier, OR (Rainier)

PORTLAND STATE AND THE BIG SKY TOURNAMENT
Portland State reached the Big Sky Conference Tournament for the sixth straight year - exceeded only by Montana's nine straight appearances. The Vikings also reached the Big Sky semifinals for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six years - matched only by Weber State.

As the number-six seed in this year's tournament, the Vikings picked up a rousing 68-65 quarterfinal round win at third-seeded Montana State. In a game that featured 18 lead changes, including nine in the last six minutes, Portland State prevailed. Down 65-63 with 35 seconds to play, JR F Paul Guede made two free throws to tie the game. The Vikings quickly forced an MSU turnover, then with 3.7 seconds to play, JR G Melvin Jones buried a game-winning three-point field goal. SR F Julius Thomas had 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks for the Vikings. Jones added 17 points on 5-9 three-pointers.

Portland State battled top-seeded Weber State in the semifinal at Ogden, UT and came away with a 69-60 loss. That ended PSU's run of five straight Big Sky Tournament wins, dating to the 2007-08 season.

The Vikings trailed by single digits throughout the second half but lost the battle on the boards and at the free throw line. WSU outrebounded PSU, 48-32, and got more and better opportunities at the line (22-31 to 6-17 for PSU). SR G Dominic Waters had 19 points, five assists and a career-high five steals, while Thomas posted 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Thomas was named All-Big Sky Tournament after totaling 37 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks and shooting .682 from the field (15-22).

PSU has reached the Big Sky Tournament in nine of the 12 seasons it has been eligible. The Vikings are 7-7 all-time in Big Sky Conference Tournament games with titles in 2008 and 2009.

JAMIE JONES, DOMINIC WATERS EARN ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE
Portland State's Jamie Jones was named first team All-Big Sky Conference and Dominic Waters earned second team All-Big Sky in balloting done by league coaches.

Jones, a 6-7 senior forward from El Segundo, CA, had a brilliant season as perhaps the most unstoppable inside player in the Big Sky. Jones averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocked shots, shot .583 from the field and .739 at the line for the season. In Big Sky games, his numbers were even better at 16.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.

Jones led the Big Sky in rebounding and blocked shots in both season and league games, as well as double-doubles for the second season in a row (8). With 75 blocked shots, Jones set a new Portland State record. Jones ranked fourth in shooting percentage and ninth in scoring this season.

Waters, a 6-1 senior guard from Portland's Grant High School, earned second team honors for the second year in a row after leading the Big Sky in assists and free throw percentage. For the season, Waters averaged 18.6 points, 4.7 assists, shot .485 from the field, .424 from three-point range and .902 at the line. He ranked third in the league in scoring, fifth in three-point percentage and fifth in three-pointers made (70).

In Big Sky games, Waters averaged a league-leading 20.9 points per game. Waters was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week on two occasions this year.

Portland State has had at least two players earn All-Big Sky Conference honors each of the last three seasons.

BIG SKY CONFERENCE POST-SEASON HONORS
Most Valuable Player: Damian Lillard, Weber State
Newcomer of the Year: Franklin Session, Weber State
Freshman of the Year: Glen Dean, Eastern Washington
Defensive Player of the Year: Yahosh Bonner, Northern Colorado

1ST TEAM ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE
*Will Figures, Northern Colorado
Bobby Howard, Montana State
*#Anthony Johnson, Montana
*Cameron Jones, Northern Arizona
Jamie Jones, Portland State
*#Damian Lillard, Weber State
*Unanimous Selection • #Repeat Selection

2ND TEAM ALL-BIG SKY CONFERENCE
Devon Beitzel, Northern Colorado
Amorrow Morgan, Idaho State
Steve Panos, Weber State
Franklin Session, Weber State
Dominic Waters, Portland State

Honorable Mention: Glen Dean, Eastern Washington; Broderick Gilchrest, Idaho State;  Will Cherry, Montana; Ryan Staudacher, Montana; Marquis Navarre, Montana State; Justin Eller, Sacramento State

VIKING FAST BREAKS
WINNING LINES
• Portland State went 8-4 at home... the Vikings were 5-3 in Big Sky home games... since the start of the 2007-08 season, PSU is 33-6 at home, including 22-4 in Big Sky home games.
• PSU has won 30 of its last 34 home games.
• The Vikings were 5-15 in road games, with two of those losses being neutral site games... PSU went 2-6 in Big Sky road games.
• PSU is 32-16 in Big Sky games since the start of the 2007-08 season, 37-17 including tournament games.
• Portland State is 7-7 all-time in the Big Sky Tournament.
• Portland State was 0-2 in overtime games this year... PSU is 22-22 all-time in overtime games.
• PSU has gone 101-33 in 134 games at the Stott Center since the 1996-97 season. Including home games at Memorial Coliseum (12-6) and the Rose Garden (19-9), the Vikings are 132-48 at home over the past 14 seasons.
• In non-conference games, PSU was 2-1 against the West Coast Conference, 1-0 vs. the Big West, 0-3 vs. the Pac-10 and 0-1 against the WAC, Atlantic Sun and Horizon League.
• The Vikings are 2-14 against nationally-ranked teams since reinstating the program and joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996-97. That includes wins each of the last two years over ranked teams (Gonzaga in 2008-09, Portland in 2009-10).

IRON MAN: In more ways than one, SR F Julius Thomas is a Viking Iron Man. For one, he brought strength and toughness to the court every night and did so for four seasons. Now, Thomas has set the Portland State record for career games played at 121 (old mark 119, Scott Morrison, 2004-08).

AND A WINNER: With 78 Portland State wins over the past four seasons, Thomas played a role in more victories than any Viking in history... included is a 6-2 record in Big Sky Tournament games.

BLOCK PARTY: Another Portland State record held by Scott Morrison went down when SR F Jamie Jones finished the year with 75 blocked shots. That broke Morrison's record of 70, set in 2006-07... Jones led the Big Sky Conference in blocked shots (2.3 pg).

SENIOR SPECIAL: The older you get, the better the deal... that's how it went for the three Viking seniors playing in their final home game on Feb. 28 against Weber State at Stott Center. The Vikings knocked off first-place Weber State, 84-79, behind the play of Dominic Waters, Jamie Jones and Julius Thomas. That trio combined for 66 points (24-36 FG, 4-9 3-pt FG, 14-18 FT), 19 rebounds, 12 assists, six blocked shots and five steals.

BACK TO NORMAL AT HOME: After starting the season 6-0 at home, the Vikings had brilliant numbers. Then, the Vikings lost four straight home games for the first time since a span covering the late 79-80 season and early 80-81 season. All was back to normal as the Vikings won their last two home games, beating Idaho State (98-63) and Weber State (84-79)... the difference between winning and losing is big. When the Vikings won at home their numbers were off the charts... Here is a comparison of the eight home wins and four home losses at the Stott Center:

Eight home wins: 91.6, .532 FG%, .399 3-pt FG%, .796 FT%, +6.7 rebounding margin
Four home losses: 77.5, .447 FG%, .319 3-pt FG%, .703 FT%, -7.9 rebounding margin

THE MAGIC NUMBER WAS 84: Offensive production is always better for a team when it wins than when it loses. However, Portland State took that truism to the extreme in 2009-10. Portland State averaged 87.8 points when it won. PSU only won twice without scoring at least 84 points. Portland State's 68-65 win over Montana State was the only win by the Vikings when scoring less than 70 points... the Vikings were 11-5 when scoring 80 or more points, 6-0 when scoring over 90 points... PSU averaged 71.3 points when it lost... Here is the breakdown:

In PSU's 13 wins: 87.8 ppg, .522 FG%, .438 3-pt FG%, .786 FT%, 9.3 3-pt FG pg
In PSU's 19 losses: 71.3 ppg, .447 FG%, .333 3-pt FG%, .655 FT%, 7.3 3-pt FG pg

THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE: The Vikings were 9-1 when leading at halftime, 1-0 when tied, 3-18 when trailing... PSU was 9-3 when outrebounding an opponent and 4-16 when outrebounded or rebounding is even... the Vikings were 12-4 when outshooting an opponent, 1-15 when being outshot.

SCORING LEADERS: The Vikings led the Big Sky in scoring (78.0) while shooting very well from the field (.477)... shooting defined Portland State's season as the team to shoot the higher percentage has won 27 of 32 games, with shooting in the Willamette game virtually even (PSU, .492; WILL, .493)... PSU shot .500 or better in 11 games. In fact, PSU has lost only four times all season when shooting a higher percentage than its opponent - at Montana State, vs. Seattle, at Northern Colorado and at Weber State.

REBOUNDING GETS BETTER: Portland State improved its rebounding as the season went on. After being outrebounded in each of the first six games, PSU has won the battle of the boards as often as it lost (12-12-2 in the last 26 games)... the Vikings were 4-16 when getting outrebounded or rebounding is even, 9-3 when they win the battle... the Vikings outrebounded 10 of 16 Big Sky opponents in league play.

BIG SKY LEADERS: The Vikings lead the Big Sky Conference in scoring (78.0) and blocked shots (4.0)... SR G Dominic Waters led the Big Sky in assists (4.7) and free throw percentage (.902)... SR F Julius Thomas led the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.671)... SR F Jamie Jones led the Big Sky in rebounding (7.7) and blocked shots (2.3)... in Big Sky-only statistics, PSU led in scoring (80.7) and blocked shots (3.9)... Waters led the Big Sky in scoring (20.9) while Thomas led in field goal percentage (.692) and Jones led in rebounding (9.3) and blocked shots (2.6).

NATIONAL LEADERS: As of Mar. 7, Portland State ranked 21st in the nation in scoring (78.6), 22nd in field goal percentage (.478), and 28th in three-point field goals made (8.1)... SR F Jamie Jones ranked third in the nation in field goal percentage (.592)... SR G Dominic Waters was eighth in free throw percentage (.902).

DOUBLE VISION: SR F Jamie Jones had eight double-doubles to lead the Big Sky for the second year in a row. He also led the league in rebounding (7.7) and blocked shots (2.3)... Jones averaged 16.1 points and a league-leading 9.3 rebounds per game in conference-only games... Jones has blocked a league-high 75 shots, setting a new Portland State season record. He shot .583 from the field to rank third in the nation.
• Jones was named first team All-Big Sky Conference.
• The senior forward was fourth in the Big Sky in field goal percentage, 13th in free throw percentage (.739) and 10th in scoring.
• With 105 blocked shots in his career, Jones ranks third in PSU history... his career shooting percentage (.585) ranks second in PSU history.
• Jones led the Vikings in scoring five times and rebounding 20 times this year.
• Jones made his last five field goals against Cal Poly (11/21), then his first seven against Stanford (11/29). With 12 consecutive field goals made, he tied a PSU mark held by Seamus Boxley.
BIG GAMES: (vs. Sacramento State, 1/2), Jones had his finest game as a Viking, setting a career-high with 26 points (10-14 FG, 6-7 FT) and PSU-career-highs of 13 rebounds and five blocked shots... (vs. Weber State, 1/22), he scored 14 points, tied his career-high with 13 rebounds, blocked shots, made three steals and had two assists... (vs. Idaho State, 1/23), Jones scored 19 points (8-14 FG, 3-4 FT) with 10 rebounds... (vs. Eastern Washington, 1/30), had 26 points (12-19 FG, 2-3 FT), eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block... (vs. Seattle, 2/7), made 9-10 field goals for 18 points, nine rebounds, five blocked shots and two steals... (vs. Montana, 2/12), tied his career-highs of 26 points (11-15 FG) and five blocked shots with 12 rebounds... (vs. Northern Arizona, 2/18) scored 19 points (7-11 FG, 5-8 FT) with 11 rebounds and two steals... (vs. Weber State, 2/28) in a win over the Wildcats, Jones scored 21 points (10-14 FGs) with eight rebounds and five blocked shots.

COOL RUNNING WATERS: SR G Dominic Waters paced the Vikings all season, leading the team in scoring (18.6) and assists (4.7) while shooting .485 from the field, .424 from three-point range and .902 at the line.
• Waters earned second team All-Big Sky Conference for the second straight year... he was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week on Dec. 7 and Mar. 3.
• Waters led the Big Sky in assists and free throw percentage, ranked fourth in scoring, seventh in three-point percentage, sixth in three-pointers made, and 14th in field goal percentage.
• In conference games, Waters led the league in scoring (20.9).
• The senior from Grant High School led the Vikings in scoring 18 times and assists 25 times.
• Waters had free throw made streaks of 19 and 15 during the season... he ranked third all-time at Portland State for free throw percentage (205-235, .872).
• Waters twice set a career-high this season with nine assists in a game... he grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Saint Mary's (12/15).
• Waters had 28 double-digit scoring games and 14 20+ point games this season.
• With 130-299 three-point field goals made in his career, Waters shot .435 from long range - second-best of any Viking in school history.
• BIG GAMES: (vs. Portland, 12/2), led PSU to victory, scoring 21 of his game-high 23 points in the second half. He did so on just 11 shots (6-11 FG, 3-4 3-pt FG, 8-8 FT). Waters scored 16 in the last nine minutes and hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 2:59 to play... (vs. Cal Poly, 11/21), scored 32 points on just 15 field goal attempts in leading the Vikings to a 92-83 win. Waters hit 10-15 from the field, 2-4 from three-point range and 10-11 at the line. He also had five assists. The 32 points is just the second-best total of his career. Last season, Waters scored 41 in a four-overtime win at Northern Arizona... (vs. Sacramento State, 1/2), scored 26 points on 9-15 FG, 5-8 3-pt FG, 3-4 FT and had five assists... (vs. Northern Arizona, 2/18) had 29 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals... (vs. Northern Colorado, 2/20) scored 28 points on 10-17 FG, 5-9 3-pt FG, 3-5 FTs and handed out six assists... (vs. Idaho State, 2/26) scored 29 points on 10-17 FG, 4-8 3-pt FG, 5-5 FTs, had three assists and two steals... (vs. Weber State, 2/28) in a win over the Wildcats, Waters tallied 28 points (9-15 FG, 4-9 3-pt FG, 6-6 FT) with six assists, four rebounds and two steals... (vs. Weber State, 3/9) scored 19 points with four rebounds, five assists and a career-high five steals.

THE SHARP SHOOTER RETURNS: SR F Julius Thomas set Portland State records for field goal percentage in a season (.671) and a career (.663). He missed just 171 shots in 121 career games... Thomas was 139-207 from the field this year.
• Thomas set a new Portland State record for career games played with 121, breaking Scott Morrison's (2004-08) mark of 119... he missed seven games during his career with injuries... with 78 wins over the past four years, Thomas played a role in more victories than any Viking in history.
• Thomas led the Big Sky in field goal percentage for the season (.671) and for Big Sky games (.692). He ranked seventh in rebounding (5.9) and eighth in steals (1.5).
• The senior forward ranked fourth in PSU history with 62 blocked shots and 110 steals.
• Thomas was named All-Big Sky Conference Tournament after compiling 37 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks and shooting .682 in two games.
• JT had 18 double-figure scoring games and three double-doubles on the season... also led the team with 26 dunks.
• Thomas handed out a career-high seven assists at Idaho State (1/23).
• BIG GAMES: (vs. Boise State, 12/21), JT grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds to go with 12 points at Boise State. It was the fifth double-double of his career... (vs. Sacramento State, 1/2), had an 11-rebound game... (vs. Northern Colorado, 1/15), Thomas hit 7-8 FGs for 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 25 minutes in a win over Northern Colorado... (vs. Eastern Washington, 1/30), had one of the best all-around games of his career with 14 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a win... (vs. Sacramento State, 2/5), scoring 16 points (6-9 FG, 4-9 FT) with rebounds and two assists. It was the first time in his career that he has led the Vikings in scoring... (vs. Seattle, 2/7), scored a career-high 19 points (7-9 FG, 5-10 FT) with six rebounds and two blocks... (vs. Montana State, 2/13) scored 14 points (7-8 FG) with five rebounds, two steals, two blocks and two assists... (vs. Northern Arizona, 2/18) scored 17 points (7-8 FG) with eight rebounds and three assists... (vs. Idaho State, 2/26) he posted eight points with 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists... (vs. Weber State, 2/28) in a win over the Wildcats, Thomas had 17 points (5-7 FG, 7-9 FT), seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block... (vs. Montana State, 3/6) tied his career-high with 19 points (8-12 FG, 3-5 FT) with six rebounds, two blocks and two assists... (vs. Weber State, 3/9) scored 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-12 FT) with 11 rebounds and a blocked shot.

JULIUS THOMAS CAREER SHOOTING MARKS
2006-07: 62-97, .639 (set school record)
2007-08: 45-63, .714 (not enough attempts to qualify for school record)
2008-09: 90-140, .643 (broke his own school record)
2009-10: 139-207, .671 (again, broke his own school record)
Career: 336-507, .663 (school record)

KEEPING UP WITH MELVIN JONES: JR G Melvin Jones hit the biggest shot of his Portland State career against Montana State in the Big Sky Tournament quarterfinal, nailing a three-pointer to break a tie with 3.7 seconds left and give PSU a 68-65 win. Jones was 5-9 from three-point range in the game.
• Jones led the Vikings with 81 three-point field goals which is third-most in a season in Portland State history.
• His 81 threes ranked third in the Big Sky, while his .418 percentage ranked ninth... ranked 12th in the Big Sky in scoring (11.8).
• The junior guard had 17 double-figure scoring games and five 20-point games... he led the Vikings in scoring six times.
• BIG GAMES: (vs. Willamette, 12/29), had a career-high 27 points on just 13 field goal attempts against Willamette (9-13, 3-6, 6-7)... (vs. Pepperdine, 12/13), had a season-high eight assists and four rebounds to go with 17 points in a win at Pepperdine (12/13)... (vs. Wright State, 11/14), rang up 23 points, hitting 7-11 three point field goals... (vs. Idaho State, 1/23), scored 20 points off the bench... (vs. Idaho State, 2/26) hit 7-13 FGs, 5-8 3-pt FGs, 3-4 FTs for 22 points, six assists and two steals... (vs. Seattle, 3/2) he scored 22 points with three rebounds and three steals... (vs. Montana State, 3/6) hit the game-winner, a three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left, scoring 17 points in all (5-9 3-pt FG, 2-2 FT).

NELSON OUT: Portland State lost JR F Phil Nelson to a foot injury on Jan. 26. Nelson broke the fifth metatarsal on his left foot during practice. The injury required surgery and three months of recuperation, ending Nelson's season after 20 games. It is anticipated he will be ready to return when the 2010-11 season in the fall... Nelson was a key player for the Vikings, starting all 20 games, averaging 12.9 points while shooting .437 from the field, .387 from three-point range - all improvements over last season.
• Nelson was named Big Sky Conference co-Player of the Week on Dec. 14 (19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, .652 FG%, .563 3-pt FG% in two games).
• Nelson has started all 53 games of his PSU career. The Vikings are 31-22 in those games.
• He has averaged 11.6 points and hit 105 three-point field goals over those 53 games.
• BIG GAMES: (vs. Pepperdine, 12/13), scored a career-high 28 points in leading the Vikings to a 93-81 win, hitting 10-15 from the field and 8-12 from three-point range... (vs. Sacramento State, 1/2), scored 18 points, hitting 5-7 three-point field goals in the game.

2009-10 SEASON NOTES
A REMARKABLE STRETCH OF SHOOTING: Portland State had a seven-game stretch earlier this season when it shot lights out, setting a school-record for field goal shooting in a game twice, and compiling a .553 field goal percentage over a span that included five wins. PSU shot .460 from three-point range in those seven games (11/21-12/13), and .780 at the line, while averaging 85.4 points... PSU shot a school-record .688 against Eastern Washington (33-48) on Dec. 5, breaking the mark of .674 (31-46) set against Cal Poly on Nov. 21.

THREE MORE?: Portland State has set arena records for three-pointers made in a game twice this year. The Vikings' 15 threes against the University of Portland (12/2) tied the Chiles Center mark. With 17 three-pointers at Pepperdine (12/13), PSU established a new record for Firestone Fieldhouse... and for the record, PSU's school (and Stott Center) record is 18 three-pointers in a game (vs. Idaho State, Feb. 7, 1998).

A NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE TO BE WARY OF: Portland State knew its non-conference schedule would be challenging, but a breakdown shows just how tough. Of the 12 non-conference games against Division I opponents, nine came against teams with at least 19 wins last year (Belmont, 20; Wright State, 20; 13th-ranked Washington, 26; Stanford, 20; 25th-ranked Portland, 19; Saint Mary's, 28; Boise State, 19; Seattle, 21 (twice)). Washington State was 17-16 last year, while Cal Poly and Pepperdine won seven and nine games, respectively... including Big Sky Conference opponents, PSU played seven 20-win teams this season (and two 19-win teams).

THE 15TH: A BAD DAY FOR DEFENSE: Portland State has given up a pair of 100-point games in losses on the 15th of both November and December. PSU gave up 111 to Washington on Nov. 15 as the Huskies shot .606 from the field. The Vikings gave up 101 to Saint Mary's on the Dec. 15, allowing .618 field goal shooting... the Vikings recovered on Jan. 15, holding Northern Colorado to 69 points in an 85-69 win.

VIKINGS SIGN TWO TO NLIs: The Portland State men's basketball program signed two local players to National Letters of Intent for the 2010-11 academic year during November's early signing period.

Brandon Cataldo (kuh-TALL-doe), a 6-10 center from Rainier (OR) High School, has signed with the Vikings. Cataldo is rated as the 10th best high school center in the nation by ESPN.com and the second-best high school center on the west coast by scouthoops.com.

As a junior at Rainier, Cataldo was the Player of the Year in the Lewis and Clark League and led his team to the state playoffs. Cataldo has also played for the AAU Portland Hoop Kings.

“High school posts are hard to come by and we are fortunate to get someone from our own back yard,” said Geving. “Physically, I think Brandon is ready to go. The challenge for him is going to be coming from a small school (Oregon 3A) to major college basketball. But, he has fared very well on the AAU circuit against a lot of top players and held his own. That has been a good measuring stick for him.”

“Brandon is a good back-to-the-basket player who can step out and shoot it. He's also a gym rat which you don't find from a lot of big guys. He is always looking to get better. He has skills and over a four-year period I expect him to be dominant big man in the Big Sky Conference.'

Cataldo suffered a broken leg early in his senior season and sat out the remainder of the year.

Also signing with the Vikings, is Chehales (shuh-HAY-less) Tapscott, a 6-5 sophomore forward from Clackamas Community College, who prepped at Century High School in Hillsboro.

“Chehales is a big-time scorer and a big-time rebounder who comes from a winning program,” said Geving. “He can score in a variety of ways - post up, shoot from the perimeter - and he is a great passer.

“Chehales is a really skilled player who will bring a lot of different attributes to our program.”

As a freshman at Clackamas CC, Tapscott averaged 20.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. He ranked third in the NWAACC in scoring and second in rebounding. Tapscott shot 59% from the field and 68% at the line and was named a Southern Region All-Star.

His team went 29-3 on the season, winning the NWAACC Southern Division with a 13-1 record as well as the NWAACC title. Tapscott was also named the NWAACC Tournament Most Valuable Player.

As a sophomore Tapscott averaged 25.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. Tapscott was named NWAACC South Division Player of the Year and NWAACC Tournament Most Valuable Player, leading his team to a 25-5 record, 11-3 conference record and the a second straight NWAACC title.

At Century High School, Tapscott averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists a game as a senior. He was named first team All-State at the 5A level. Tapscott's team won back-to-back league titles reaching the Oregon State Tournament both seasons.

ESPN.COM SAYS VIKINGS RECRUITS BEST IN THE BIG SKY: ESPN.com selected the top recruiting classes during the early signing period for each conference in the nation. Portland State, highlighted by Brandon Cataldo, was picked as the best in the Big Sky (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/basketball/mens/news/story?id=4675072).

Said ESPN.com: Brandon Cataldo (Rainier, Ore./Rainier), a 6-10 center, has the size and skill to dominate the moment he steps on campus.

Why it's the best: Montana has three solid recruits coming in next season, but when you can snag a center who could have played in the Pac-10 in the massive Cataldo, Portland State gets the nod for the No. 1 class.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT REEL
• Portland State gave new Head Coach Tyler Geving his first career win with 92-83 victory over Cal Poly (Nov. 21). In so doing, the Vikings set a new school record for field goal percentage in a game (31-46, .674).
• SR G Dominic Waters posted 32 points on just 15 shot attempts in the Vikings' win over Cal Poly (Nov. 21). Waters hit 10-15 from the field, 2-4 from three-point range and 10-11 at the line. He also had a game-high five assists.
• SR F Jamie Jones tied a Portland State record by making 12 straight field goals. Jones made his last five attempts against Cal Poly (11/21), then his first seven attempts against Stanford (11/29).
• SR G Dominic Waters led the Vikings on a rousing, second-half comeback as they upset 25th-ranked University of Portland, 86-82, at the Chiles Center (12/2). Waters scored 21 of his game-high 23 in the second half, including 16 in the final nine minutes. Waters also handed out a career-high nine assists. The Vikings trailed by 12 with 9:20 to play in the game. The win was the second over a nationally-ranked team in two seasons. PSU made 15-25 three-point field goals in the win.
• For the second time in as many home games, Portland State set a school record for shooting, beating Eastern Washington, 98-75 (12/5). The Vikings hit 33-48 from the field for a .688 mark to win the conference opener. SR G Dominic Waters had 23 points (8-11 FG, 7-7 FT), eight assists and two steals to lead the Vikings.
• SR G Dominic Waters was named Big Sky Conference co-Player of the Week after averaging 23.0 points and 8.5 assists in two wins over 25th-ranked Portland and Eastern Washington (12/7). Waters hit 14-22 shots from the field, 3-6 from three-point range and 15-15 at the line. His Player of the Week honor is the second in his two seasons at Portland State.
• Five Vikings scored in double figures as Portland State routed Linfield, 85-52 (12/9). It was PSU's third straight win, and 10th straight at home dating to last season.
• JR F Phil Nelson scored a career-high 28 points in leading the Vikings to a 93-81 win at Pepperdine (12/13). PSU had another brilliant shooting game, hitting .548 from the field, and made 17 three-pointers - one shy of the school record. It was PSU's fourth straight win.
• Portland State extended its home-court winning streak to 11 games behind the career-high 27 points of JR G Melvin Jones, beating Willamette, 97-90 (12/29). Jones was 9-13 from the field, 3-6 from three-point range and 6-7 at the line. The game started nearly six hours late due to inclement weather in the Portland area, delaying the arrival of the Bearcats. It ended at 12:31 a.m. on the 30th.
• SR F Jamie Jones had a career-high 26 points and PSU bests of 13 rebounds and five blocked shots in leading the Vikings to a 94-66 win over Sacramento State (1/2). Jones hit 10-14 from the field and 6-7 at the line... SR G Dominic Waters added 26 points and five assists for the Vikings as they beat the Hornets for the sixth straight time. PSU also improved its' home court winning streak to 12 and Big Sky home winning streak to eight.
• JR G Melvin Jones led five Vikings in double figures with 18 points as PSU beat league-leading Northern Colorado, 85-69 (1/15). The win was PSU's 12th straight at home and ninth straight Big Sky home win.
• SR Fs Jamie Jones and Julius Thomas combined for 40 points, 18 rebounds, eight assists and six steals as the Vikings staged a come-from-behind 85-77 win at Eastern Washington (1/30). PSU trailed by 14 points in the second half but came back to end a seven-game road losing streak... Jones tied his career-high with 26 points, while Thomas had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• SR F Julius Thomas led five Vikings in double figures as they swept the season series from Sacramento State, 76-62 (2/5). It marked the second straight come-from-behind road win for the Vikings. Thomas scored 16 points, while JR G Alonzo Brandon came off the bench for a season-high 12 points.
• SR F Julius Thomas scored a career-high 19 points (7-9 FG, 5-10 FT) in an 80-77 loss to Seattle (2/7). It was also the second straight game he had led the Vikings in scoring.
• SR F Jamie Jones tied his career-highs of 26 points and five blocked shots in a loss to Montana (2/12). Jones hit 11-15 shots and also grabbed 12 rebounds in the game.
• SR G Dominic Waters and JR G Melvin Jones combined for 51 points in the Vikings' 98-63 win over Idaho State (2/26). Waters (10-17 FG, 4-8 3-pt FG, 5-5) had 29 points while Jones scored 22 (7-13 FG, 5-8 3-pt FG, 3-4 FT) with six assists. The win earned the Vikings the sixth seed in the Big Sky Conference Tournament, marking the sixth straight year PSU has reached the tourney.
• Vikings seniors Jamie Jones, Dominic Waters and Julius Thomas combined for 66 points, 19 rebounds, 12 assists, six blocked shots and five steals as PSU defeated first-place Weber State, 84-79, on senior day. The trio shot 24-36 from the field and 14-18 at the line.
• With a 20.9 league scoring average, SR G Dominic Waters became the third Viking in history to win the Big Sky scoring title (Jason Hartman, 24.9, 1998-99; Seamus Boxley, 22.5, 2004-05). SR F Jamie Jones led the Big Sky in rebounding (9.3) and blocked shots (2.6), while SR F Julius Thomas led in field goal percentage (.692).
• SR G Dominic Waters was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Week (3/3) after leading the Vikings to a pair of wins over Idaho State (2/26) and first-place Weber State (2/28). Waters averaged 28.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, shot .594 from the field, .471 from three-point range and 1.000 from the line in the two wins.
• SR F Jamie Jones was named first team All-Big Sky Conference and SR G Dominic Waters was named second team All-Big Sky in voting done by league coaches (3/3). It marked the second year in a row that Waters has earned second team honors. It marked the third straight year that PSU has had at least two players earn All-Big Sky Conference.
• JR G Melvin Jones hit a three-point field goal with 3.7 seconds left to give the Vikings a 68-65 Big Sky Tournament quarterfinal win over Montana State (3/6) in Bozeman. Jones scored 17 points, while SR F Julius Thomas tied his career high with 19 points.
• SR F Julius Thomas was named All-Big Sky Conference Tournament after compiling 37 points, 17 rebounds, three blocked shots and shooting .682 in a pair of games.
• SR F Jamie Jones set a new school record for blocked shots with 75 in a season.
• SR F Julius Thomas set the school record for career games played at 121. He also established new school marks for career field goal percentage (.663) and season field goal percentage (.671) - breaking his own marks.