Like the rest of their fellow Big Sky Conference members, the Portland State Vikings had a weak defense that got bombed for a lot of points game after game. Unlike the rest of the league, however, Portland State lacked the strong high voltage offense to offset their defensive weaknesses, which is what ultimately led to their demise in 2005-06. It also didn’t help matters that the Vikings would spend the first month of the season and eight of their first nine games on the road, which put them at a tremendous disadvantage and contributed to a fatigue factor that hurt them both on the court and on the betting boards.
Opened with mixed signals
Portland State opened the 2005-06 season with an embarrassing 69-107 loss at Arkansas as 24-point dogs. That was followed with a 79-62 unlined win at Bethune-Cookman. Back on the board at Iowa State, the Vikings suffered a 64-72 loss at Iowa State, but covered the spread as 23.5-point dogs.
Portland State Vikings next traveled to play a pair of neutral site games, starting with a 75-81 loss/push against Iona as 6-point dogs. That was followed by a 81-53 loss to Howard that was unlined.
Back on the board at highly ranked and touted Gonzaga, the Vikings lost 80-89 in an impressive moral victory which they covered with ease as whopping 25-point dogs.
Portland State Vikings suffered something of a hangover after Gonzaga, however, as they failed to cover their next two games against the spread starting with a 62-65 loss to Middle Tennessee State, which was the Vikings’ home opener, as 1-point chalks. That was followed by a 52-70 loss at Portland as 6-point dogs. In their next game at Idaho, however, the Vikings rebounded with a 61-59 win as 2-point dogs. Portland State opened with mixed signals to gamblers as they were now 3-3 against the spread.
Peaked early
Portland State Vikings returned to unlined action in their next two games starting with an 85-59 home win over Lewis and Clark, which was followed by a 84-75 home win over Warner Pacific.
Back on the board for their game at the Pac-10’s Oregon Ducks, Portland State scored a shocking 54-52 upset win as whopping 16-point dogs. Their strong play continued in the following game which was an 81-48 blowout win over Idaho as 10-point home chalks. Portland State peaked early with a mark of 5-3 against the spread and three straight covers.
Conference correction
Portland State Vikings opened conference play with a bad 60-76 loss at Sacramento State as 4-point dogs. This was followed by a 77-86 loss at Northern Arizona as 6.5-point dogs. The conference correction against the betting market continued with a 70-89 loss at home to Eastern Washington s 5.5-point overlays as the Vikings dropped their third consecutive game against the spread.
Portland State got a brief break against the red ink with a 73-59 win over Weber State as 7-point home chalks. The red ink resumed its flow, however, in their next two games. First was a 66-68 loss to Idaho State as 7.5-point home overlays which was followed by a 77-98 blowout loss at Montana as 13-point dogs. The Vikings had now dropped five of their last six against the spread.
The Vikings were able to pick themselves up with a 68-69 loss/cover at Montana State as 6.5-point dogs but then went on to blow their next three games against the spread starting with a 63-65 home loss to Northern Arizona as 1-point chalks. That was followed by a 65-68 loss to Sacramento State as 1-point chalks and then a 64-72 overtime loss at Eastern Washington as 7.5-point dogs.
Bounceback
Just when Portland State reached its maximum at lack of appeal they went on to win and cover their final four regular season games in a bargain bounceback before losing SU&ATS in their conference tourney game.