Bobcats Host Portland State as Madness Begins TONIGHT!

Tickets remain, but a large crowd is expected, for Montana State's first post-season home game in four years when two-time defending Big sky Champion Portland State invades Worthington Arena on Saturday night.

The high-flying Vikings, who led the Big Sky in scoring in 2010, arrive for a rematch of last year's conference championship contest, a two-point thriller won by PSU when the Bobcats missed a three-point shot at the buzzer. Portland State has won the last two Big Sky Tournaments, and Tyler Geving's first Vikings team finished strong in the league, topping Idaho State and conference regular season champion Weber State last weekend.

Montana State also reached the league post-season tournament with a flair, clinching the third seed with last Saturday's win over Montana in Missoula's Dahlberg Arena. The victory capped an exhilarating day for Bobcat fans, as Tricia Binford's Bobcat women's team beat the Lady Griz earlier in the day.

The Bobcat Ticket Office is open on Saturday beginning at noon.

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Saturday night's game marks the 11^th meeting between the schools in the past four years. The Vikings are 6-4 against MSU in that time, but the Bobcats are 3-1 in Worthington Arena.

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As two-time defending league champion, Portland State's players bring considerable experience to today's contest. Forward Julius Thomas scored 17 points against MSU in the championship game in Ogden last spring, and chipped in two points in PSU's 96-71 win over the Bobcats in the 2007 Big Sky Tourney First Round game in Portland.

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Portland State's coaching staff also boasts considerable playoff experience, with first year head coach Tyler Geving a member of the Vikings staff since 2005. The team is 5-3 in tourney action since then. One member of the Vikings coaching staff, though, has experience against MSU in the post-season that remains unique.

Vikings assistant Nate DuChesne played for Montana when the Grizzlies played MSU in Worthington Arena in the 1988 Big Sky Tournament. DuChesne started in Montana State's 60-54 win over UM, scoring three points with a pair of rebounds. DuChesne dished out four assists that day, but turned the ball over six times. MSU's win helped spur the Bobcats to the Championship Game, which it lost to Boise State.

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While the Bobcats have had mixed success against Portland State in the last four years, Erik Rush has posted some pretty good numbers. MSU's junior forward averages 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in his five starts against the Vikings, shooting 44%. Rush has 17 assists with five steals in those games, against only four turnovers.

THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT BRACKET

Saturday, March 6, Quarterfinals
No. 5 Northern Arizona (8-8, 14-13) at No. 4 Montana (10-6, 19-9), 6 p.m. PT
No. 6 Portland State (7-9, 12-18) at No. 3 Montana State (10-6, 15-13), 6:05 p.m. PT

Tuesday, March 9, Semifinals (Televised by Altitude/Comcast Sports Net) at Dee Events Center, Ogden, Utah
No. 2 Northern Colorado (12-4, 24-6) vs. Highest Remaining Seed, 3:30 p.m. PT
No. 1 Weber State (13-3, 19-9) vs. Lowest Remaining Seed, 6 p.m. PT

Wednesday, March 10, Championship (Televised by ESPN2) at Dee Events Center, Ogden, Utah
Semifinal Winners, 6 p.m. PT

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