GAME NOTES: With city-wide bragging rights on the line, the Portland Pilots will host the Portland State Vikings at the Chiles Center on Wednesday night in non-conference action.

PSU came out of the gate firing this season, opening the campaign with four straight victories for the first time since 2008. The Vikings suffered their first setback in a difficult road contest with Oregon on Sunday, 81-59, in the second of a four-game road trip.

Following a similar trend as PSU, Portland began the season on a five-game win streak only to lose its last time out. The Pilots advanced to the title game of the Challenge in Music City with wins over Murray State (64-61) and Drake (71-59) but fell short of championship glory with a 70-55 loss to Valparaiso.

Portland has doubled up PSU in the all-time series, 34-17, which includes wins in three straight meetings.

The Vikings were outmatched by Oregon from the opening tip their last time out, as they went into intermission trailing 50-30 before eventually losing by 22. They shot a woeful 25.8 percent from the field in the contest, including 4-of-20 from 3-point range, and the blowout would have been even worse had it not been for a solid showing at the free-throw line (21-of-29). DaShaun Wiggins provided a spark off the bench with 15 points, while Bryce White and Braxton Tucker netted 10 apiece.

Despite getting outshot by its opponents this season, 45.8 percent to 41.5 percent, PSU still scores more points (74.4 ppg) than it allows (70.8 ppg), which is mostly due to its 6.8 3-pointers per game made on a 42.5 percent clip and its +7.2 turnover margin. Pacing five players in double figures is Wiggins, who provides instant offense as the sixth man with 15.8 ppg. Tucker scores 12.8 ppg and hauls in a team-high 7.5 rpg. White (12.4 ppg), Tim Douglas (12.0 ppg) and Tiegbe Bamba (11.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) round out the balanced attack.

The Pilots dug themselves an early hole against Valpo in the championship bout of the Challenge in Music City, falling behind by 22 at the half and never getting closer than 15 the rest of the way. Although they shot a modest 40.8 percent from the field, they allowed Valpo to make 50 percent of its tries from the floor, and they lost out on several possessions by getting outrebounded, 38-23. D'Marques Tyson did his best to lift his team, as he connected on 6-of-8 from 3-point range for 25 points in just 17 minutes off the bench, but no one else scored in double figures.

It was a rare showing for Portland, which shoots greater than 45 percent from the field for 70.8 ppg, while allowing just 61.7 ppg on the other end of the floor, and it lives in the green in terms of both its turnover (+1.3) and rebounding (+7.8) margins. Kevin Bailey leads the way with 15.3 ppg, Tyson nets 12.0 ppg off the bench and Volodymyer Gerun mans the paint with 11.2 ppg and 6.8 rpg. Alec Windering (9.3 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Thomas van der Mars (8.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg) are also integral pieces.

These well-matched teams should be in for a hard-fought matchup from wire-to- wire, but expect the Pilots' home crowd to give them a boost down the stretch.