Vikings opt for continuancy

Just got word that the Vikings will announce their new men's basketball coach and the winner of the contest should come as no surprise.

For the last two years, Tyler Geving has roamed the sidelines, adjusted the defense and recruited the heck out of the Northwest and California. All of these characteristics, plus a few others made Geving a likely choice.

Portland State will be hosting a 2 p.m. press conference tomorrow at the Stott Center. Check dailyvanguard.com or back here for the full story later tomorrow or Tuesday morning.

Guest Post from our outspoken Student Commentator

Here is another guest blog post from our student contributor Marnix Brinkhoff.

My post this week is in response to the disappointing news that Coach Bone has left the Portland State Athletic Department to become a Cougar.

Dear Coach Bone,

It is with great sadness that I write to you to wish you the best of luck at Washington State University.

As a student and fan I will certainly miss your presence on the PSU campus. You were always willing to reciprocate a friendly greeting in passing on campus and you had an amazing style and approach to the game of basketball. It’s unfortunate you made the decision to leave 'Viking Nation' and I hope you have completely thought through your decision, because there are a couple points I would like to mention to you that I thought would have been enough to keep you around.

1) Potential: I understand the stigma and prowess of the Pac10 was enticing, but Viking Nation (with you at the helm) had the potential to be the next Gonzaga or even Memphis.

2) Pullman Sucks: I know you’ve been to Pullman because you have coached in the Northwest your entire career so you must realize what an awful place it is. You will never be able to recruit a Seattle-area product and will be forced to resort with the farmers of Spokane and the other surrounding rural areas.

3) Long-Term: No offense, but I hope you aren’t planning on staying at WSU for long. I hope your plan is to win at that program and step up to a better program, because not even your excellent coaching will be able to sustain a competitive program in the beleaguered WSU Athletic Department.

Again, I wish you all the best even though I think you are making a huge mistake by jumping ship just as you had a consistent program established that had the potential to become the next mid-major powerhouse. I thought you had the potential to be the next Mark Few, but you threw that all away for some larger digits in the paycheck and for that I’m disappointed.

Guest Commentary from a Portland State student and fan

Here is another guest blog post from our student contributor Marnix Brinkhoff. In between sessions of working on his jump shot and cheering on the Dutch team at the World Baseball Classic, Brinkhoff gives you his take on the upcoming spring football schedule.

As Spring Football practice begins for the football team, goviks.com is busy wasting our time with beautifully slanted articles about how the upcoming football season will be miraculously different than the last two years.

The article entitled, “Sixteen Returning Starters, Experienced Group Return for 2009 Football Season” fails to understand that those returnee’s are a combined 7-15 (win-loss record) over the past two seasons.

By all means return the entire squad from last year, but the fact remains, we sucked last year!

Even though the athletic department’s propaganda website spins a rosy picture on the upcoming season, I’m hear to explain that it will be just another failing season in the “Almighty” Glanville’s tenure.

The following are points from the article that are expected to be boosts for the upcoming season but they are really just business as usual. That business of late has been losing…

Drew Hubel and Tygue Howland return: YES!!

No one would want to miss out on the drama of who is going to start from week to week. The fact that both of these quarterback’s return doesn’t mean a damn thing, because Glanville and his staff are just going to be as wishy-washy as John Kerry on who there man is going to be.

My take is to just pick one, stick with him, and allow them to get better without fear that next week they are going to be benched!!

McClintock Returns: Wahoo!! We don’t run the ball anyways. Oh by the way, this has been bothersome ever since last year…

Mr. Davis, I realize you are considered the offensive guru, BUT when you play one of the worst run defenses in the NCAA (Washington State last year) maybe just maybe you should try to run the F%$@ing ball!!

Super Mario (D’Ambrosio) is out: And you expect to improve on a season where he was a rockstar?

3 Returning Lineman: For a team that allowed 41 sacks for a yardage loss of 243 yards (Second worse in the Big Sky) this shows promise; because the only thing to do is get better.

The Defense: Expect more basketball scores, because we lost Shantz, McCrae and Jones.

Say whatever you want about the competition in Spring Football, the fact will remain that we will have an inexperienced defense taking the field next season, which means only one thing—lots of scoring…for the other team.

But all is not lost in the Glanville camp.

For those of you worried about Special Teams there is ample competition at the kicker/punter position, which is a good thing since we will probably be punting the ball quite a bit.

Experienced Xavier ends Vikings season: Xavier uses its size advantage in 77-59 victory over Portland State

The Portland State Vikings dance in the NCAA tournament ended in the first round for the second consecutive season in a 77-59 defeat to a physical, oversized and experienced Xavier team Friday in Boise.

Four Musketeer players scored in double digits, led by senior forward C.J. Anderson who scored ten of his 14 points in the second half.

“Xavier set the tone immediately,” said Portland State head coach Ken Bone. “They were very difficult to stop on one end and hard to get good shots off against on the other.”

PSU found themselves battling from behind early in the first half when Xavier used a 10-0 run to build a 17-7 lead.

However, the Vikings would rally behind inside baskets made by junior forward Jamie Jones and senior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez. The captain would score all of his 13 points in the first half.

Portland State rallied to take a narrow one point lead, 25-24, when senior guard Andre Murray hit a three-pointer with 8:35 remaining. The one point edge was the Vikings only lead in the game.

“The momentum was definitely turning our way when we got the lead,” Murray said. “But after that we kind of beat ourselves.”

Xavier responded with a 16-4 run that resulted in a commanding 40-29 lead. Portland State’s struggled with turnovers all game long and two consecutive giveaways by the Vikings helped Xavier regain the lead and capture the momentum on transition baskets.

The Vikings would get another taste of momentum when Murray drained another three with three seconds remaining in the first half to cut the Xavier lead to just seven points at the break, 42-35.

“Xavier played off their experience playing in the tournament,” Bone said. “They reacted right away whenever we tried to get something going and never panicked.”

In the second half the Atlantic-10 regular season conference champion Xavier used their commanding size advantage to take over the game and put away the underdog Vikings.

Xavier senior guard B.J. Raymond nailed a three-pointer, which was followed by a Derrick Brown alley-oop dunk moments later to give Xavier a 49-37 lead with less than five minutes into the second half.

Portland State never seemed to match the energy that Xavier brought to the game in the second half as the Musketeer lead reached as large as 23.

Xavier’s tenacious defense led to shutouts from two of the Portland State players that the squad had leaned heavily on during the six-game winning streak that preceded the first round game. Junior starting small forward Phil Nelson and junior reserve forward Julius Thomas were each held scoreless.

“I think that we just didn’t have the motivation at the end,” said junior forward Jamie Jones who finished with a team high 16 points. “It was just tough. A tough team, a good team.”

Even though the Vikings were outplayed by a team that on this night, looked far superior, Bone was satisfied with his team’s effort.

“I’m proud of the guys,” he said. “They left everything on the court and we just happened to run into a very good Xavier team. We did the best job we could.”

Xavier advanced to face the winner of the Florida State/Wisconsin first round game on Sunday.

posted by Tom Sedun, Vanguard staff

Closing Time: Xavier 77 Portland State 59

This NCAA Tournament appearance might have felt more businesslike for Portland State and the Vikings might have felt more comfortable competing and, by all accounts had a better chance of pulling of an upset, but the outcome is the same.

It finished up Xavier 77 and Portland State 59.

Portland State didn't force anyone to crumple up their bracket today as a response to surprise victory over a favored opponent. The Vikings didn't make school history. But they did put forth a valiant effort and the pieces merely failed to fall into place.

We will have more after the team's press conferences.

Slipping Away: Xavier 68 Portland State 47

Who would have thought that it would be Xavier that showcased the impressive transition game?

No, many, including possibly the Portland State coaching staff. However, that is what has happened as the Musketeers have opened up a 21-point second-half lead that began, in part, with Xavier's ability to run the floor and cash in on easy buckets.

Combine Xavier's transition success with the fact that the Vikings have gone ice cold from the field, and it looks like Portland State will exit its second consecutive NCAA Tournament with a loss. That is unless Jeremiah Dominguez and Co. are unable to catch fire in the final few minutes.

Held Back by Miscues: Xavier 59 Portland State 45

Jeremiah Dominguez is running the offense, Andre Murray is knocking down three-pointers and Jamie Jones has his patented left-hand hook falling perfectly in the paint, however, Portland State is struggling to stay with Xavier because of mental lapses and poor decision making.

On several trips down the floor, passes have been thrown behind a player on the run or directly into the hands of a Musketeer following the play. The Vikings have also allowed the Musketeers to leak out after a Portland State made basket to score an easy layup at the other end.

If Portland State wishes to notch its first NCAA Tournament victory in the school's history this evening, then the Vikings must cut down on these mistakes and begin to play smart enough to grind out a victory in this close matchup.

We'll find out if this happens in the next 10 minutes of play.

Halftime: Xavier 42 Portland State 35

If Ken Bone found out that heading into the second half of Portland State's opening round matchup with Xavier his team would be down only seven points, he would likely grimace momentarily before shaking his head approvingly and saying, "We can work with that."

And that truly is the case. Portland State has not played perfectly by any means, however, the Vikings are still fighting hard against an Xavier team that has appeared in the NCAA Tournament eight of the last nine years. That's not a moral victory, but rather a decent start to a game that many saw unfolding much differently.

Once again the stage broadens and senior point guard Jeremiah Dominguez's play matches the challenge. Dominguez scored 13 points in the first half, but his greatest contribution has been dictating the tempo of the game. When Dominguez has had the ball in his hands, things have unfolded nicely for the Vikings. When he hasn't, it has been hit or miss.

Portland State must figure out a way to rebound better in the second half, or at least keep Xavier off the offensive boards. There were a couple times in the first 20 minutes that the Musketeers' size and strength became apparent, and almost every time this occurred it was when Xavier was jockeying for offensive rebounds. The Musketeers have four offensive boards thus far.

Surprisingly the Vikings are still contending even though they are shooting only 42 percent from the three-point line. That is a fine percentage, however, in Portland State's biggest wins this season they have shot the three ball much better. This will certainly be something to keep an eye on in the second half.

Another thing to watch is whether forwards Phil Nelson and Julius Thomas improve their production. Currently both players have been held scoreless, and considering they Nelson and Thomas were significant contributors down the stretch of the season, it will be crucial for them to pick up the pace on the offensive end.

A Lead in the NCAA Tournament: Xavier 37 Portland State 29

With a flawless Andre Murray three-pointer, Portland State captured the lead for the first time this afternoon, and the roar of the boisterous, rowdy Vikings cheering section made sure everyone in Taco Bell Arena and those watching around the nation at home knew it.

Xavier has fired back immediately, and it is clear that they will not go down easy, either. Another thing that is becoming crystal clear is that this matchup is going to be a competitive one until the end.

Both teams are executing their game plans quite well and the action has carried on at a high intensity level without an interuptions or lulls. The two teams might play completely different forms of basketball, but their pairing makes for an entertaining affair.

Beginning to Settle In: Xavier 22 Portland State 18

After the Vikings had tied the score with a Jeremiah Dominguez three-pointer a few minutes into the game, Portland State went ice cold and the Musketeers pieced together a 10-point run.

A couple quick adjustments on the part of head coach Ken Bone, another Dominguez triple and then a big Kyle Coston three-pointer in the corner has brought the Vikings back into contention.

Portland State is still demonstrating great energy and quickness on both ends, however, the difference appears to be the Vikings are settling in and feeling a bit more comfortable. In the game's opening minutes Dominguez looked like the only Viking that had calmed his nerves and was playing within the flow of the game, but now center Jamie Jones is finding his place in the low post and guard Andre Murray is running the floor with more confidence.

Jones steps to the line to shoot a pair after a hard foul.