CORVALLIS — Despite outshooting and outrebounding the Beavers, the
Oregon men’s basketball team made too many careless mistakes in its
76-72 loss Saturday.
The Ducks (11-8 overall, 3-7 Pacific-10 Conference) committed 21
turnovers while losing their fifth consecutive game and falling to
ninth place in the conference.
Oregon State (12-9, 4-6) shot only 40.3 percent from the field —
compared to Oregon’s 50.0 percent — but took 17 more shots and
scored 27 points off of Oregon’s turnovers to give them the victory.
The Beavers were led by the 22 points and nine rebounds each from
forwards Nick DeWitz and David Lucas. DeWitz added four assists, two
steal and a block.
Oregon received another solid game from swingman Malik Hairston. The
freshman went 8 of 12 from the field, including 2 of 3 from behind the
arc, for 20 points — tying a career-high.
Oregon point guard Aaron Brooks also got back into the swing of
things with a 21-point performance and shot 4 of 7 from behind the
three-point line.
The game started with the Ducks jumping out to a 6-0 lead, but the
Beavers countered with a 7-0 run of their own to take the lead.
They would trade the lead back in forth for most of the first half
until Oregon State went on a 10-2 run to end the half, capped off with
a Sasa Cuic fade-away jumper to give the Beavers a 34-30 halftime
lead.
The Ducks would crawl back in it and gain a 43-41 lead when they blew
two good opportunities to take an even bigger advantage.
Oregon was on a fast break and center Ray Schafer found himself wide
open underneath the basket, but couldn’t convert. The next time down
the floor Hairston was on the lower block and was just about to make a
move toward the basket when he traveled and turned the ball over.
The Beavers would put the game away on a late 7-0 run, highlighted by
a Chris Stephens three-pointer.
The loss for the Ducks marks the first time they have lost when
shooting over 50 percent in a game this season.
Oregon will welcome the Washington schools to town next week, with
No. 13 Washington coming to Mac Court Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
