Lewis & Clark vs Portland State prediction: Portland State starts over almost from scratch against Lewis & Clark
The defending Big Sky regular-season champions bring back almost none of last season's production, so a Division III visitor offers a first look at who these Vikings are.
- Portland State should control a Division III visitor at home; the open question is which newcomers seize roles.
- Watch Koren Johnson, a preseason all-conference pick whose Ole Miss line last season gave little hint of a featured role.
- No spread or total has been posted; the number that matters is Portland State's 3.7% of returning minutes.
A champion with a new cast
Portland State opens nonconference play on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Viking Pavilion as the defending Big Sky regular-season champion, coming off a 20-11 season. Almost nobody from that team is back. Players on this roster account for just 3.7% of last season's minutes and 2.4% of its points.
The departures include the two players who carried the offense: Terri Miller Jr. averaged 19.1 points and Jaylin Henderson 18.2. Big Sky voters didn't pick the Vikings to repeat. Coaches tied them for fourth, and the media slotted them fifth. After this game, Portland State heads out on a four-game road trip.
The defensive baseline
Last season's identity was defense. Portland State finished 33rd of 365 in defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions) and 22nd in defensive rebound rate. With this much turnover, those numbers describe a system and a coaching staff under Jase Coburn more than the players who will take the floor. The real question is how quickly a rebuilt rotation learns that system.
Who gets the ball now
Koren Johnson earned preseason all-conference honors despite a quiet season at Ole Miss, where he shot 19.4% from three in limited minutes. Emil Skytt arrives from North Dakota State after an efficient bench role, and KC Ibekwe brings size from Pacific. Lewis & Clark, a Division III program, hasn't posted its 2026-27 roster, so this game is best read as a rotation audition for the home team.
Key players
- Koren Johnson (Portland State): Named preseason all-conference after averaging 1.8 points at Ole Miss last season.
- Emil Skytt (Portland State): Posted a 58.6% effective field goal percentage in 12.1 minutes per game at North Dakota State last season.
- KC Ibekwe (Portland State): Shot 59.6% from the field at Pacific last season but made only 29.6% of his free throws.
- Charles Chukwu (Portland State): The top returner played just 4.3 minutes per game last season.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 3.7% | Portland State's roster played almost none of last season's minutes, so last season's team stats are a weak guide. |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive efficiency rank, last season | 33rd | Defense defined last season's 20-11 team under the same coaching staff. |
| Defensive rebound rate, last season | 74.3% | Ranked 22nd nationally, a standard the rebuilt frontcourt will try to match. |
| Big Sky media poll | 236 points | Good for fifth, below where a defending champion usually lands. |
Lewis & Clark vs Portland State: quick answers
When is Lewis & Clark vs Portland State?
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 10:00 PM ET.