PORTLAND, Ore.-Monday evening, Southern Utah University men’s basketball (7-4) opens up Big Sky Conference play by visiting the Portland State Vikings (7-6, 1-0 in Big Sky Conference play).
The Thunderbirds are coached by fourth-year head coach Todd Simon (43-67, .391 at SUU; 52-75, .409 as a collegiate head coach). Having started the season 7-4, this portends to be Simon’s best season at Cedar City to date.
The proficient Thunderbirds score 77 points per game. This ties them for 82nd nationally in scoring offense with Valparaiso and Saint Francis (Pa.)
Presently, redshirt guard senior/forward Cameron Oluyitan (12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds per game, a team-best 19 steals and 25 assists) is SUU’s leading scorer.
Junior guard John Knight III (12.5 points) and redshirt senior forward Dwayne Morgan (11.3 points per game, a team-best 8 blocked shorts) also score in double figures on average for the Thunderbirds.
Sophomore guard Harrison Butler posts a team-best 8 rebounds per game to pace SUU.
The Thunderbirds rank 76th nationally in scoring defense by surrendering 63.6 points per contest headed into conference play.
SUU ranks 14th nationally in rebound margin per game (+9.2), out-rebounding opponents 40.7-31.5 per game on-average.
The Vikings, who edged Northern Colorado 69-65 Saturday, are coached by former SUU stand-out Barret Peery who is 43-36 (.544) in his second season at the helm.
Peery is a native of Payson, Utah and starred for Payson High School, Snow College and SUU (1994-95).
The Vikings post 79.2 points per game, ranking them 47th nationally in scoring offense.
Junior guard Holland Woods (17.3 points per game and team bests in assists [70] and steals [25]) is Portland State’s overall statistical leader.
Senior guard Matt Hauser (15.7 points, 5.1 rebounds per game) is the Vikings’ only other double-figures scorer on-average.
Senior center Sal Nuhu leads Portland State with 14 blocked shots and senior forward Rashaad Goolsby averages a team-best 8 rebounds per contest.
The Vikings surrender 73.4 points per game, which ranks them 278th nationally in scoring defense.
The Vikings lead the Thunderbirds 11-2 all-time and are 7-0 at home against them.
