GAME NOTES: The Idaho State Bengals shoot for a rare three-game win streak today as they host the Portland State Vikings in Big Sky Conference action at Holt Arena. Of the team's five wins so far this season, two have come in the last couple of outings. First it was a 76-65 triumph over Northern Colorado last week and then a narrow 58-56 victory versus Eastern Washington on Thursday night in Pocatello. Meanwhile, the Vikings saw their own brief two- game win streak snapped three nights ago with a 73-68 setback to Weber State on the road. The loss also brought PSU down to 2-2 in conference play. With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Vikings hold an 18-12 edge over Idaho State and they have won two in a row on the road versus the Bengals.

Andre Murray scored a team-best 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Vikings earlier this week, but that was nearly enough to get PSU into the win column versus Weber State on the road. Julius Thomas converted all but one of his seven field goal attempts off the bench as he chipped in 12 points for a team that shot 45.5 percent from the field and 8-of-24 beyond the arc on the night. The Vikings don't have a single player who has started all 17 games for them this season, but Deonte Huff has come close as he leads the program with 11.9 ppg and is also first on the glass with close to six boards per outing. Jeremiah Dominguez contributes 11.4 ppg to the attack as he shoots a strong 42.4 percent from three-point range, the team as a whole checking in at 39.2 percent from out on the perimeter.

The Bengals had four players score in double figures in their narrow win over Eastern Washington earlier this week at Holt Arena. Logan Kinghorn accounted for 14 points, Lucas Steijn 13 and seven boards, while Donnie Carson and Matt Stucki both tallied 11 points. Stucki, who shot 4-of-8 from the field, also handed out 10 of the team's 18 assists in the event as well. The team shot just 2-of-10 from three-point range on the night, compared to 6-of-21 out on the perimeter for the Eagles. One of two players to have started every game for the Bengals, Stucki leads the unit in scoring (11.3 ppg) and is first with 55 assists, making him the only regular with more dishes than turnovers. Amorrow Morgan checks in with 10.1 ppg, the only other player in double figures, so it is easy to see how the squad is coming up with a mere 58.3 ppg so far this season.

Idaho State is far from an offensive force, but being at home should give the squad a little bit of a lift. However, the Vikings are a team that would love to be the first to knock off the Bengals in conference play this season.