Portland State University gave the Viking men’s basketball team a hearty sendoff before Thursday’s NCAA playoff game against Kansas.

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Students and fans rallied at 1 p.m. near the Stott Center on SW Jackson Street as the team loaded up, bound for Omaha.

Portland State makes its tournament debut when it meets Kansas on Thursday.

There will be a game-watching party in the Parkway Commons on the first floor of Smith Union. Festivities start at 9 a.m. tip-off is at 9:25 a.m. There will be coffee, doughnuts, raffles, and prizes.

The Vikings have won 14 of their last 15 games, but haven't met anyone as tough as Kansas. The Big-12 champs are 31-and-3 and knocked off Texas by ten points in the championship game of the conference tournament.

Portland State is zero for three all-time against the Big 12, while Kansas is a perfect 8-0 against teams from the Big Sky.

The Vikings and Jayhawks have never met.