Oregon State Basketball: Opponent Preview - Portland State Vikings (Game 7)

Portland State Vikings (2-3)

• Head Coach: Barret Peery (4th Season, Overall: 56–47)
• Top Performer: James Scott (15.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG)
• Points For: 72.2 PPG (202nd)
• Points Against: 73.8 PPG (T-239th)
• Last Game/Streak: 74-72 Win vs. Weber State (1W)

The Skinny

Portland State got off to a late start to the 2020-2021 campaign and since it’s been a roller-coaster year for the Vikings, who can’t seem to play with any consistent nature.

Before clipping Weber State on Sunday, they were lambasted by the same exact squad by 28 points just two days prior and while Barret Peery might be comfortable with his first five, the rest of the roster leaves a bit to be desired for Portland State.

James Scott (15.2 PPG), the team’s leading scorer who had stops at both Temple and Kennesaw State, is the first name to know on the list of Oregon State’s adversaries for Tuesday night, as the 6’ 4” guard can fill a stat-sheet up with ease.

Flanked by newcomer Paris Dawson (8.2 PPG) and Charles Jones (6.4 PPG) on the perimeter, Portland State’s back-court is slowly figuring itself out. Just like their pieces up-front, led by Arizona State transfer Khalid Thomas (11.6 PPG) and Pacific addition Amari McCray (7.2 PPG), the results are continuing to be a wait-and-see type of result.

For Oregon State, as simple as it sounds, this is a big one. A defeat at the hands of Portland State after losing to Portland earlier this year would really put the question in the minds of everyone if head coach Wayne Tinkle can continue to lead this program. There’s no more fitting way to put it or other way to sugarcoat it. If the Beavers don’t handle their business now, they’ll be in deep trouble.

Player To Watch

Khalid Thomas (Senior - Forward)

Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The transfer from Arizona State might’ve made a minimal impact for the Sun Devils, but he’s found a perfect fit with the Vikings, emerging as the second-leading scorer for Portland State so far. At 6’ 9”, his ability to step away from the basket and excel on the perimeter can make him a match-up nightmare for opponents, which was on full display in his 20 point outing (7-14 FG) in the team’s most recent win over Weber State.

Game Info

• Date: Tuesday, December 22nd
• Time: 6:00 PM PT
• Location: Gill Coliseum (Corvallis, Oregon)
• Coverage: Pac-12 Networks