Before the season opener for both teams, Oregon coach Ernie Kent said he hoped the Ducks’ game against the Beavers would refresh his team after a disappointing 6-6 preseason. Saturday marked the 324th edition of the Civil War against Oregon State (7-5 overall, 0-1 Pacific-10 Conference).
Kent got his wish. The Ducks (7-6, 1-0) used a 9-0 run to open the second half and shot 77.3 percent (17 of 22) from the free throw line to defeat Oregon State 70-64 in front of 8,301 in attendance.
“If ever a team needed a win, it was certainly this basketball team,” Kent said. “I’m happy for this team. I am just thrilled that they have had some success. They just needed something good to happen, and they needed to come together as a basketball team.”
Aaron Brooks led all scorers with a season-high 19 points. Ivan Johnson added 13, and Bryce Taylor scored 10.
Chris Stephens led the Beavers with 14 points, while Marcel Jones recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
“We played well enough to win, as did Oregon,” Oregon State coach Jay John said. “It was a game that both teams, after slow starts, really heated up and played well.”
The game was not decided until the final minutes.
After both teams committed 10 turnovers in the first half, Oregon took a 30-29 lead into the break and opened the second half on a 9-0 run â?” including three free throws from Brooks â?” to take its biggest lead of the game.
Oregon State chipped into the lead and sent Jones to the free throw line with a chance to give the Beavers their first lead of the second half with 2:13 to play. Instead, Jones made the first of two, which tied the game at 60.
Then the Aaron Brooks show began.
The junior point guard made three critical plays down the stretch. His lay-in broke the tie and put the Ducks in the lead, 62-60. On the ensuing possession, Brooks stepped in front of Oregon State’s Nick Dewitz and drew a charge, Dewitz’ fifth foul.
Brooks then acrobatically connected with another bucket to push the lead to 64-60 with 41 seconds to play.
“We put it in Aaron’s hands down the stretch because I thought he was playing very, very well,” Kent said. “He had great leadership and he was under control. He did a terrific job of closing out the game.”
After a jump shot by Stephens, Oregon State attempted to foul Oregon’s Malik Hairston on the inbounds pass, but the ball came loose and Taylor scooped it up and lobbed it to Maarty Leunen. Leunen scored and was fouled on the play. He made the free throw to extend Oregon’s lead to 67-62.
Lamar Hurd’s rebound basket cut the lead to three with 14 seconds to play but Leunen again got free on the inbounds pass from Hairston and dunked the ball and gave Oregon a comfortable 69-64 lead before Taylor put the finishing touches on with one-of-two free throws in the final seconds.
“This is huge - just for confidence – and you could see signs of us getting back in our rhythm,” Leunen said. “We definently stepped up.”
Oregon, which had lost six of its last eight games entering Saturday’s game,
matched Oregon State in nearly every statistical category. Oregon State shot 25 of 51 from the floor, while Oregon shot 25 of 52. Both teams shot 3 of 16 from three-point range, and the rebounding edge was only one in favor of the Beavers.
The difference Saturday came from the free throw line. Oregon shot 17 of 22, while Oregon State struggled, shooting 11 of 21 (52.4 percent).
“We are a better free throw shooting team than 52.4 (percent), and if you’re going to go on the road and combat everything, you have to shoot 75-80 percent from the line,” John said.
The loss is Oregon State’s 13th straight at McArthur Court. While that
streak continued Saturday, two others fell.
For the first time all season, Oregon won a game when its opponent had a better shooting percentage.
Hairston also saw his streak of 11 consecutive games in double figures end. The sophomore guard, who was returning from a toe injury that sidelined him against Portland State, finished with six points in 34 minutes.
The Ducks also returned three-sport athlete Jordan Kent, who arrived back in Eugene on Friday after t
raveling with the football team in San Diego for the Holiday Bowl. It was his first action since the Pape Jam against Illinois on Dec. 10.
“Instantly I thought he gave us extra energy,” Kent said of his son Jordan Kent. “I think the thing we got out of him was exactly what we hoped to get out of him â?” energy, he talks, he’s another coach on the floor. He just brings another element that I know we need.”
Oregon also got a boost on the inside from Johnson, who had 13 points, six rebounds and was a defensive presence, sacrificing his body on numerous occasions.
“I was encouraged once he got going, but he still needs to work and learn,” Kent said of Johnson. “As long as he can stay in the game mentally, I think he has a chance to be a very good player in this league.”
Oregon will go for its second straight Pac-10 win next Thursday at California. The Ducks will then take on Stanford next Saturday in Palo Alto, Calif.
“It’s definitely a confidence boost going in there, but we’ve got to keep it in perspective,” Brooks said, referring to Saturday’s win. “We won one game the last two years I’ve been here and didn’t finish our Pac-10 schedule good. Just keeping that in perspective and taking what we did well into the next game â?” playing hard and playing together. If we continue that, we’ll be alright.”
