Portland State Vikings
2016-17 record: 15-16, 7-11 in the Big Sky
Head coach: Barret Peery
Tenure at Portland State: First year
Career coaching record: 0-0
Home court: Pamplin Sports Center (temporary for 2017-18 season)
Starters: G Bryce Canda, G Deontae North, C Traylin Farris, F Braxton Tucker, F Brandon Hollins
Bench: F Brendan Rumel, G Tyrell Henderson, G Devyn Wilson, C Ryan Edwards
Overview: After a mediocre 2016-2017 campaign, the Vikings head into this season with unfamiliarity at both the coaching position and their arena. Barrett Perry will coach the majority of his first season’s home contests at the Pamplin Sports Center at Lewis and Clark College, a Division III school in Portland. Pamplin will serve as the interim home of the Vikings as they await completion of the $50 million Viking Pavilion, slated to open in April 2018.
Last season, Portland State was second in the nation in steals with 9.9 per game and ninth in points per game at 85.3. This pace is unlikely to change under Perry’s leadership—his 2012-2013 Indiana Hills junior college team averaged 97.9 points per game. Perry's stated goal for this season’s Viking squad is to have the ball hit the rim within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock.
Portland State returns starters Bryce Canda, Traylin Farris and third-leading scorer Deontae North. The Vikings will also get a boost from the return of senior forward Baxton Tucker, who led the team in scoring until a recurring knee issue forced him to sit out much of last season.
One thing that needs to go right: Tucker stays injury-free and returns to his early junior-year form, taking control of a majority of the scoring load previously held by last year’s seniors.
One thing that could go wrong: Portland State—after graduating its top three leaders in steals— fails to create the turnovers that its fast-paced offense is predicated on.
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