CORVALLIS — Garrett Sim has always loved playing at Gill Coliseum.
He has a history there, having grown up an Oregon State fan before becoming a Duck back in 2008. He probably would have played all of his home games in Corvallis, had they bothered to recruit him.
But they didn’t, and Sim has spent the last four years doing all he can to make sure they regret it. He had one last chance on Sunday night as his senior year neared its close, and he made it count, scoring a season-high 25 points in Oregon’s narrow 74-73 victory.
“My last Civil War, this is a great way to go out,” Sim said. “To come into Gill and pull out a win — that was a must-win for us, and we really buckled down and made plays at the end to win.”
The Ducks (20-8, 11-5 Pac-12) wasted no time getting on the board early, as Sim hit a corner three-pointer on Oregon’s first possession. Beaver guard Ahmad Starks responded with a jumper of his own at the other end, and the two teams were off and running. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=235&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205387749@@
After essentially trading baskets throughout much of the first 12 minutes, things got a bit heated when both Sim and Oregon State guard Jared Cunningham were assessed technical fouls after bumping each other in the middle of Oregon State’s huddle while Sim tried to make his way back to the Ducks’ bench. @@http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/orst-m-baskbl-mtt.html@@
“They kind of circled around me, and I wasn’t gonna just let them push me around,” Sim said. “I had to get to my bench, and whatever happened happened.”
The game was tied at 17 at that point with 7:45 remaining in the half, and Oregon State (15-13, 5-11 Pac-12) used the brief clash of tempers to spark a quick 4-0 burst and take a 21-17 lead. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=235&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205387749@@
It wouldn’t last for long, though, as Sim — who was now being loudly booed on every touch — nailed a three-pointer at the 4:47 mark to tie the game at 21. The shot would spark a 12-2 Oregon run, as forwards Olu Ashaolu and Carlos Emory crashed the offensive glass relentlessly and scored a combined eight-straight points. With just over two minutes left in the half, the Ducks took their largest lead of the game at 29-23, and a boisterous home crowd was briefly quieted. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205335431@@
Predictably, the silence from both the Beavers and the crowd was short-lived, and a 7-0 burst allowed Oregon State to reclaim a 30-29 lead with just 45 seconds remaining. It was only by way of a wild fadeaway jump shot from Ashaolu at the buzzer that Oregon headed into the half with a one-point lead.
“Turned around, fadeaway, M.J.-style, knocked it down,” Ashaolu said with a laugh.
The boos kept coming Sim’s way in the second half, but they didn’t faze him. After several empty possessions for both teams with the game tied at 35, he made two consecutive jumpers, including one from well beyond the three-point arc as the shot clock wound down.
“I want to thank them,” Sim said of the fans, “because they fueled me today.”
Consecutive three-pointers from Oregon State’s Angus Brandt put the Beavers back in the lead at 46-42, but junior forward E.J. Singler responded with a three of his own, and yet another Sim jumper at the 13:51 mark gave Oregon a lead it would not relinquish. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205335431@@
“He hit big shot after big shot,” Altman said. “I thought he really played big.”
Though the Ducks would extend their lead to as much as 11 in the game’s waning minutes, Oregon State had one last comeback to mount, and cut the margin to three on another deep shot from Starks. All of a sudden, it was a game of free throws, and the Beavers targeted Olu Ashaolu (a 50-percent foul shooter) as the clock winded down. Yet the senior forward calmly hit three of his four freebies in the final two minutes, and Oregon managed to escape with the 74-73 victory.
In the end, Sim’s 25 points were a game and season-high, while also bringing him over the 1,000 career point mark. Ashaolu totaled 16 points and eight rebounds (three offensive), while Devoe Joseph also had 16 and Singler chipped in 13. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205335431@@
“It was a team effort,” Sim said. “Everyone made plays down the stretch.”
For the Beavers, Starks led the way with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Brandt came in with 16, while Cunningham added 13 and forward Devon Collier grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. The Beavers made six of their nine three-pointers in the second half, but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome the deficit.
“Both teams wanted to win,” Altman said. “It was a great crowd, great atmosphere for a ball game, and I think the guys had a lot of fun playing.
“It made it a lot more fun that we won.”