Portland State vs. Montana Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Big Sky Quarterfinal (Back the Vikings)
Portland State ended the regular season by snapping a three-game losing streak with a 72-57 victory over Idaho March 4. It’s been 15 years since the Vikings’ last conference tournament championship. Can they make a run in this year’s Big Sky Tournament? Portland State starts as an underdog Monday night against Montana in Boise, Idaho.
Montana, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, split a pair of regular-season matchups with Portland State. Each team won on their home floor, with Montana pulling out the most recent victory, 82-73, Feb. 24. Can the Grizzlies pull away on Monday night? Here’s the betting preview of the matchup with a best bet.
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Portland State vs. Montana Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Portland State: +7
- Montana: -7
Moneyline
- Portland State +300
- Montana: -400
Total: 140 (Over -110/Under -110)
Portland State vs. Montana Betting Trends
- Portland State is 14-14 ATS this season
- Montana is 17-11 ATS this season
- Portland State is 9-6 ATS as an underdog this season
- Montana is 13-7 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 12-16 in Portland State games this season
- The OVER is 15-13 in Montana games this season
Portland State vs. Montana How to Watch
- Date: Monday, March 11
- Game time: 10 p.m. EST
- Venue: CenturyLink Arena
- How to watch (TV): ESPN
- Portland State record: 17-14
- Montana record: 21-10
Portland State vs. Montana Key Players to Watch
Portland State
KJ Allen: The 6-foot-6 senior forward is Portland State’s leading scorer and rebounder. Allen averages 13 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and has poured in 20-plus points in three of the last five contests. That includes a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double in the loss to Montana in February.
Montana
Aanen Moody: Speaking of stellar scoring, Moody, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, has combined for 79 points over the last three games. He had 35 in a loss to Eastern Washington, then had back-to-back 22-point nights to finish the regular season in a pair of wins for the Grizzlies.
Portland State vs. Montana Prediction and Pick
Montana boasts one of the best offenses in the Big Sky but hasn’t shown it in two matchups with Portland State this season. Overall in those two contests, Montana shot just 39-of-103 from the field and were saved by 35 trips to the free-throw line in the February matchup. Previously, Portland State held Montana to a season-low 46 points in a blowout loss Jan. 25.
Should you expect those numbers to bounce back? Montana certainly has the lineup to improve on those performances as the No. 39 team in KenPom in effective field goal percentage. Montana is top-75 in the country in 3-point shooting and is No. 36 at shooting from inside the arc while taking advantage at the charity stripe as the No. 3 free-throw shooting club in the country. Portland State’s defense has been stingy against league foes, but the perimeter has been an issue all season, where they rank No. 294.
Can the Vikings play their game? The biggest component of that is forcing turnovers. Portland State is No. 1 in the Big Sky in forcing turnovers while Montana is No. 2 at protecting the rock.
Offensively, Portland State faces a below-average Montana defense that doesn’t force turnovers (No. 334 in steal percentage) and is ranked No. 268 in efficiency. Montana might bounce back offensively, but Portland State has had the Grizzlies’ number this season. They’ll hang inside the number Monday night and improve on their 9-6 ATS mark as an underdog on the year.
Pick: Portland State +7
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.