PSU Magazine Fall 1996

omeback attempts are a risky business. They worked for Richard Nixon and John Travolta. They flopped for Oliver North and Ali McGraw. But PSU is betting that this fall's comeback of Viking basketball will usher in a new era of hoop glory for Portland State after 15 years with no men's basketball program. The team was resurrected as part of PSU's move to put all athletic programs in Division I, eventually leading to eligibility in NCAA I playoffs and Big Sky Conference championships. It's a leap of faith with plenty of obstacles, but then so is a shot from half court. At the center of this effort is Ritchie McKay, a 31-year-old former assistant coach from the University of Washing– ton and Bradley University. Hired in August 1995, McKay is the second youngest head coach in Division I basketball. He faces the daunting job of building a basketball team from scratch. Is he nervous? "You could say that. I get more anx– ious as November rolls around," he says. With no team from the previous year to build on , the 1996-97 lineup is mostly young. Out of the 12-member team, five are freshmen. The rest are transfers, mostly from community colleges in California, Oregon, and Washington. They also are small by basketball standards. The average height is just over 6 feet 4 inches. Given their size, McKay says the team will concentrate on defense and shooting from the perimeter. Standouts to look out for include: • Tremaine Mayeaux, a 6-foot-5 fresh– man guard from Gardena, California. McKay praises his all-around skills,