Nov. 14, 2016
SPARTANS CONTINUE HOMESTAND TUESDAY NIGHTSan José State hosts the University of Portland on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. inside The Event Center. It is the second game of three in a row at home for the Spartans to begin the 2016-17 season. Both teams come in after victories in their regular season openers. Video streaming is available via the Mountain West Network and the game can be heard live on KLIV 1590 AM or KSJS 90.5 FM.Game #2San José State (1-0) vs. Portland (1-0)Tuesday, November 15, 2016, 7:00 p.m. (PT)The Event Center (5,000)San Jose, Calif.Watch LiveSINGLE-GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOWThe Spartan Ticket Office is your one-stop shop for all ticket purchases for San José State men's basketball. Call the ticket office today at 408-924-7589 and have an associate build the perfect ticket plan for you.BOYCE SHINES IN DEBUTSophomore guard E.J. Boyce hit six 3-point baskets on the way to a game-high 20 points in the 109-70 win over West Coast Baptist. Boyce came off the bench midway through the first half and scored nine points in just 1:02 of game time. The transfer from the College of Southern Idaho finished 6-of-12 shooting and added three rebounds, two assists and three steals to his 20 points.BENCH COMES UP BIG IN SEASON OPENERE.J. Boyce with 20 points was one of seven players off the Spartan bench to combine for 61 points in the regular season opener. Guards Terrell Brown and Jalen James were also in double-figures scoring with 14 and 13 points respectively. Ashtin Chastain pitched in with seven points and Brandon Mitchell added five points.NEW ROLE FOR Jalen JamesWith the new wave of young guards on this year's roster, junior point guard Jalen James becomes the veteran at the position. James came off the bench in the regular season opener and scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists. He made baskets from the perimeter and at the rim in his steady performance, and he hit all four attempts from the free throw line.SPARTANS TURN TO NICHOLSFreshman guard Isaiah Nichols made the start in his Spartan debut and scored 10 points (4-of-5 shooting) in 18 minutes. Nichols, standing 6-foot-5, adds size and length to the point guard spot for SJSU. Last year he played a postgraduate season for Avon (Conn.) Old Farms where he was a first-team All-Tri-State League point guard. Nichols is a 2015 graduate of Santa Clara High School in Oxnard, Calif.IMPORTANT GAMES AHEAD WITH ROAD TRIP LOOMINGEvery contest is important, but this opening stretch of three straight home games gives SJSU a chance to settle in before a tough road trip. The Spartans take a bus trip to face #17-Saint Mary's on Nov. 22 before an extended stay in the Palouse for games at Washington State (11/27) and Idaho (11/29).LAST MEETING WITH PORTLANDThe Pilots topped the Spartans in overtime, 73-68, inside The Event Center on Nov. 16, 2014, in the last meeting between the teams. Alec Wintering hit all four of his shots from downtown in the contest for a game-high 24 points. Wintering and Gabe Taylor are the only Pilots who played in that game and are still on the Pilots roster heading into Tuesday night's tilt. Isaac Thornton is the only current Spartan that faced Portland in that game.SERIES HISTORY VS. PORTLANDTuesday's game will be the 21st meeting between the Spartans and Pilots. The two teams first met on Nov. 30, 1962 in Portland, where SJSU won 60-43. The Spartans control the all-time series 11-9, but three of the last four have gone the Pilots' direction.SAN JOSé STATE-PORTLAND CONNECTIONSSJSU head women's soccer coach Lauren Hanson won an NCAA College Cup with the University of Portland as a player in 2002, and as an assistant coach in 2005. Assistant women's soccer coach Rob Baarts spent 12 seasons as an assistant soccer coach for the Pilots after a four-year playing career there.