PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — Jaylin Henderson scored 19 points and dished seven assists as Portland State rallied from a halftime deficit to edge Northern Colorado 76-73 in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday at Stott Center. The Vikings trailed 33-28 at halftime but outscored the Bears 48-40 after the break. Quinn Denker led Northern Colorado with 18 points and six assists. Portland State prevailed despite being outshot from 3-point range, leveraging a 20-for-28 performance at the free-throw line and an 8-2 advantage in offensive rebounds. With the win, Portland State improved to 10-5 overall. Northern Colorado fell to 11-7.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — Jaylin Henderson scored 19 points and dished out seven assists, and the Portland State Vikings overcame a sluggish first half with a dominant second to edge the Northern Colorado Bears 76-73 in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at the Stott Center. The Vikings, who trailed by five at halftime, outscored the Bears 48-40 after the break, using a decisive 20-8 advantage in second-chance points and a 20-13 edge at the free-throw line to secure the victory. Portland State improved to 10-5 overall, while Northern Colorado fell to 11-7. The game turned in the final minute of a chaotic and tense finish. With Portland State leading 74-72, Northern Colorado’s Zach Bloch stole the ball from Terri Miller with 26 seconds remaining. Fouled on the play, Bloch went to the line for three free throws with a chance to give the Bears the lead. He missed the first but calmly sank the next two, tying the game at 74 with 25 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Portland State worked the ball inside to Miller, who was fouled by Bloch with 21 seconds on the clock. Miller missed both free throws, but the Vikings retained possession after the ball went out of bounds off Northern Colorado. Following a timeout, Henderson drove the lane and hit a tough pull-up jumper from the elbow, putting the Vikings back ahead 76-74 with 32 seconds remaining. Northern Colorado called timeout and set up a play for Quinn Denker, who was fouled by Keyon Kensie on a drive with 28 seconds left. Denker made both free throws to knot the score at 76. Portland State then inbounded to Miller, whose pass was intercepted by Bloch for another critical steal. Bloch was fouled by Henderson with 25 seconds left and again went to the line, this time for two shots. He made the first to give the Bears a 77-76 lead but missed the second. Portland State’s Brycen Long was fouled on the rebound attempt by Denker with just one second remaining. Long, a reserve guard, stepped to the line and drilled both free throws under immense pressure, putting the Vikings up 78-77. Northern Colorado’s desperation heave from beyond half-court was off target as time expired. The frantic finish capped a game of contrasting halves. Northern Colorado controlled the opening period, leading by as many as 11 points and taking a 33-28 advantage into the locker room behind 12 first-half points from Ring Nyeri. The Bears shot well from deep early, hitting 7 of 18 three-pointers in the half, while Portland State managed just 1 of 9 from beyond the arc and committed 11 turnovers. Portland State flipped the script after halftime, attacking the basket relentlessly. They attempted 20 free throws in the second half, making 14, and dominated the glass with eight offensive rebounds that led to repeated scoring opportunities. Terri Miller and Tre-Vaughn Minott provided crucial interior play for the Vikings, scoring 18 and 17 points respectively, with Minott adding three blocks. Denker led Northern Colorado with 18 points and six assists. Brock Wisne added 16 points and three assists, and Bloch finished with 11 points, three assists, and a game-high five steals. The Bears, who entered the game having lost three of their last four, shot 45.3 percent from the field but were hampered by just two offensive rebounds and 13 missed free throws. Portland State, which has now won three of its last four conference games, finished the night shooting 49.1 percent from the field and won despite making only 4 of 16 three-point attempts. The Vikings also forced 13 Northern Colorado turnovers while committing 16 of their own. The most important sequence of the game was undoubtedly the final 32 seconds, featuring two clutch free throws from Denker to tie the game, Henderson’s cold-blooded jumper to reclaim the lead, and finally, Long’s game-winning free throws with one second left after Bloch’s earlier heroics had given the Bears a brief lead. It was a dramatic conclusion that saw the lead change hands three times in the final half-minute before Portland State sealed it at the line. Northern Colorado travels to face Sacramento State on Saturday. Portland State hosts Northern Arizona, also on Saturday.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — A surging Portland State squad will look to continue its strong start to Big Sky Conference play when it hosts Northern Colorado on Thursday night at the Stott Center. The Vikings (9-5, 3-0 Big Sky) have won three straight, including two dramatic overtime road victories to open conference action. They are coming off a dominant 96-69 home win over Sacramento State on Saturday, fueled by a historic performance from forward Tre-Vaughn Minott. The standout junior recorded 23 points and a remarkable 20 rebounds, showcasing the inside presence that has keyed Portland State’s early success. Northern Colorado (11-6, 1-3) seeks to steady itself after dropping three of its first four league contests. The Bears fell 76-71 to Weber State last Saturday despite 16 points from guard Ring Nyeri. The team has shown resilience, with a notable non-conference road win at Colorado in December, but consistency has been an issue early in the Big Sky schedule. Minott enters as the conference’s hottest player, averaging a double-double in league games. For the Bears, Nyeri provides a scoring spark, though his minutes and production have fluctuated recently. Containing Minott on the glass will be a primary challenge for a Northern Colorado team looking to avoid a third consecutive loss. The matchup pits Portland State’s potent offense, which has averaged 91.3 points in conference play, against a Northern Colorado team that has struggled defensively in its losses. The Vikings also feature guard Terri Miller, who notched a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists) in the win over Sacramento State. Thursday’s game is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs. They will meet again in Greeley, Colorado, on Feb. 14. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST.