Saturday marks the third game of the Pacific-10 Conference season for the Ducks, but more importantly, it begins an important stretch for head coach Ernie Kent’s team.
That is, Oregon takes on Oregon State in Corvallis, which is the first of three games in two weeks against Northwest foes. After the Ducks take on the Beavers, Oregon hosts Washington and Washington State next week.
The three teams represent a recipe of success for the Ducks, who have gone 24-7 over the past five seasons against them. That, however, is not on the Ducks’ minds.
Throw out Oregon’s 9-1 record against the Beavers in the past five years. That has no bearing on the game that will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Gill Coliseum.
Bear in mind, the Beavers are still winless in conference play, having lost to UCLA and USC last week.
“I think that would make any team dangerous,” Oregon guard Brandon Lincoln said. “They definitely are hungry and they definitely will come out and fight hard. Looking at us as a team, we just want to come out, play hard and get some things done. We just want to compete with them.”
Oregon (6-3 overall, 1-1 Pac-10), too, is coming off a shaky outing against the Bruins, losing 81-74, but trailing at one point by 22. The Ducks also will be without the services of point guard Aaron Brooks, who injured his hand in the first half. Lincoln will be making his first career start in an Oregon uniform.
The Ducks, to say the least, are still confident heading into the first Civil War game of the season, even with the myriad injuries they’ve suffered so far this season.
“It’s hard to get in a good rhythm with all your players as a team, especially when each guy is kind of going down week by week and you have to get a new set of players in there,” Oregon forward Luke Jackson said. “But I think we’ve adjusted well and our players kind of adapt to that and accepted their roles pretty well as far as who’s been down and who has to step up.”
The Beavers are coming off a 91-82 loss at the hands of USC. Chris Stephens, who leads the Beavers with 15.8 per game, had 19 in the loss.
“He’s definitely playing well,” Oregon guard James Davis said. “I see that in his first two games. I don’t know what his average is, but he shot the ball real well.”
The Beavers match up well with Oregon on the perimeter, having made at least 30 percent of their three-point attempts in four of their last five games. Sophomore Lamar Hurd runs the offense and has started at the point guard position in each of the 40 games he’s played in his career for Oregon State.

Hurd averages 4.4 assists per game, including a season-high eight in the Beavers’ 82-80 loss to Boise State on Dec. 20.
“I know he’s taller (now) and he just runs the show, usually,” Davis said. “They’ve definitely got a good perimeter game now. They’re shooting the ball and getting up and down from the little film I’ve seen. It’s definitely going to be a tough game.”
Where the Beavers don’t match up well is down low. Both teams have three players that stand 6-foot-10 or taller, but where Oregon gets consistent production from Ian Crosswhite and Matt Short; only Kevin Field and Derek Potter have seen action for the Beavers.
Field and Potter combine to average 3.5 points per game. Crosswhite and Short, combined, average 15.4.
“Our team chemistry is good and they understand they’ve got a lot to learn still,” Oregon State head coach Jay John told the Corvallis Gazette-Times after the loss to UCLA. “But they’ve been ready to compete, and from that standpoint I’ve been real pleased with them.”
Of course, matchups go out the window when the Ducks and Beavers meet. Even though the Ducks have won the last nine games between the teams, no contest has been tilted too much in Oregon’s favor.
A 91-62 Oregon win at McArthur Court two years ago represents the largest margin in the last five years.
The last time Oregon State won? That would be Jan. 30, 1999, a 48-45 victory in Corvallis.
“These are always tough games for us,” Kent said. “These are never ever easy basketball games. I expect this wouldn’t be any different.
“The success has been we’ve had an opportunity to just pull games out. I think we’ve shot it well when we’ve gone over there and played and when we play (at McArthur). But at the same time, with Jay putting his system in, maybe we’ve had a little bit more continuity in place. All of a sudden now, they’ve continuity in place as well.”