Courtesy: San Jose State Athletics C.J. Webster was in double-figure scoring for the first time in five games with 11 points. (Photo by Damon Tarver)
Portland, Ore.-----Guard Justin Graham scored 13 of his 15 points after intermission and forward Lance Holloway had his best game of the season adding four second-half baskets as San Jose State wiped out an 18-point first-half deficit to post a 76-73 overtime win over Portland State in a non-conference men’s basketball game.
All five starters for the Spartans (5-5) scored in double figures as San Jose State posted its second win in a row to get back to the .500 mark. Guard DaShawn Wright was the leading scorer for San Jose State with 16 points. Forward Tim Pierce, who hit three three-point field goals including one with 2:05 left in overtime that put the Spartans ahead for good, 73-71, and center Chris Oakes each added 11. Forward C.J. Webster scored 10.
Portland State got off to a 25-10 lead making 10 of their first 11 field goal tries. The Vikings stretched the lead to 42-24 before a Wright three-point basket sent the teams into halftime with Portland State on top, 42-27.
“This is a big step forward for our program. We haven’t had a win like this in a while,” said San Jose State coach George Nessman.
“We encouraged Justin to be much more aggressive. In the first half, he was too passive offensively, too concerned about passing, creating our offense and getting into our system instead of attacking. He’s an attacking point guard. When he’s attacking, he’s a good player."
Holloway had scored just eight points in the team's first nine games and had not scored any points since the season-opening tournament at Middle Tennessee.
“Lance was a big difference-maker. He went in defensively and put the clamps on (center Scott) Morrison for three or four possessions, had some big stick backs and was energetic. That’s what we need a senior to do. Our veterans need to come in and make a big contribution and he certainly did that," the San Jose State coach said about the 6-foot-8 Holloway who also pulled down a season best five rebounds in 17 minutes of action.
San Jose State got back into the game defensively limiting Portland State to five second-half field goals. The Vikings shot just 22.7 percent in the second half with 5-foot-6 guard Jeremiah Dominguez providing the only offense for Portland State. Dominguez finished with a career-high 27 points to lead all players in scoring and made Portland State's last four field goals of the second half.
“The key was effort and executing what we could do,” said Oakes, who pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. “We came out slow and didn't play with any urgency the first six minutes. We can’t play like that. It was one of our worst first halves ever.”
The Spartans kept the Vikings scoreless for a 5:19 span early in the second half and was able to get within four points, 48-44, with 10:49 remaining before Portland State built its advantage back to nine points, 57-48, with 7:22 left in the second half.
A Graham 3-point basket at the 3:10 mark of the second half tied the game at 58-58. The San Jose State freshman scored nine of the team’s last 12 points in the second half. The other points came on a 3-point basket by Mac Peterson, who had missed the last five games with a hand injury.
The lead changed hands three times in overtime before Pierce’s three-point basket put San Jose State ahead to stay. Holloway added a basket with 0:07 left in the overtime for a 75-71 Spartan lead and Graham hit 1-of-2 free throws with 0:00.6 remaining to close out the game.
Portland State (7-7) did not help itself in the overtime missing all four of its free throw tries. The Vikings made just 13 of 24 free throw attempts. Portland State center Scott Morrison was the game's only other double figure scorer with 16 points.
San Jose State (5-5) Pierce 4-11 0-0 11; Oakes 4-7 3-4 11; Webster 5-11 0-0 10; Graham 4-10 6-9 15; Wright 6-11 2-4 16; Thomas 0-1 0-0 0; Hill 0-2 0-0 0; Peterson 1-8 2-2 5; Caballero 0-0 0-0 0; Holloway 4-5 0-3 8. Totals 28-66 13-22 76.
Halftime score – Portland State 42, San Jose State 27. Regulation score - San Jose State 66, Portland State 66. Three-point field goals – San Jose State 7-20 (Pierce 3-7, Graham 1-3, Wright 2-2, Hill 0-2, Peterson 1-6), Portland State 10-29 (Huff 0-4, Tiefenthaler 1-4, Murray 1-4, Dominguez 6-9, Polis 1-2, Mara 0-2, Coston 0-1, Hammond 1-3). Rebounds – San Jose State 40 (Oakes 12), Portland State 37 (Morrison 9). Assists – San Jose State 16 (Graham 6), Portland State 14 (Dominguez, Murray 4). Total fouls – San Jose State 23, Portland State 20 . Fouled out – none. Technical fouls – Portland State bench. Attendance - 616.
Courtesy: San Jose State Athletics
