Civil War Slips Away, Ducks Win 79-66

Final Score: Oregon 79 Oregon State 66

The Beavers dropped their first conference game of the season, and moved to 10-4 on the year after a loss to the Ducks at Gill Coliseum. The score is a bit uglier than the game really was, as the Beavers were within 5 points with 3 minutes remaining in the game. That was as close as they would get, however, as the Ducks pulled away down the stretch and put the game away, claiming the 338th battle in the Civil War, the most played rivalry in college basketball.

Oregon State led 34-28 at halftime, however they never opened up a lead of more than 6 points. The Ducks, who failed to make a 3-pointer in the first half, made 3 in the second, the first of which was Damyean Dotson's, and gave the Ducks a 37-36 lead with 16:37 left in the game. The freshman Dotson, below, had a team-high 21 points, which was also a career high, including a pair of 3-pointers.

The Beavers would get the lead back on a pair of Ahmad Starks free throws with 11:06 remaining in the half, but it was short-lived, as another Dotson jumper put the gave the Ducks the lead for good. Starks, below, had a game-high 22 points, and shot exactly 50% from the field. The sometimes out of control Starks also limited his turnovers to just 2.

The game would've been over earlier if it were not for Devon Collier, below, who had all 10 of Oregon St.'s bench points.

The Ducks started the second half on a 15-2 run, but Collier got the Beavers level with two dunks and a layup, plus the foul. That 7-0 run accounted for 7 of Collier's 10 points. But another of the Ducks' timely 3's got them the lead back.

Oregon State had just 2 field goals between 11:44 and 3:54, during which the Ducks opened up a 10-point lead. This isn't the first time the Beavers have gone cold in the second half, it happened just two games ago in the loss to Towson. On top of that, the Beavers were out-rebounded 25-13 in the second half, after leading 18-17 in the rebound department after the first half.

Eric Moreland, above, and Joe Burton, below, combined for 16 points and 13 rebounds, but both, like most of the Beavers, performed better in the first half than they did in the second. Burton was scoreless in the second half, and Moreland had just 4 points, and missed what would have been his 5th consecutive double double by 1 point and 1 rebound. The Ducks were able to out-physical the Beavers, scoring 46 points in the paint to the Beavers 26.

Roberto Nelson, below, had as quiet an 18 points as could be, half of which came in the first half. However, 6 of his 18 came in garbage time once the game was all but over.

Olaf Schaftenaar had an abysmal night, shooting 0-7, including 0-5 from 3-point range. Schaftenaar had been providing a spark off the bench this season, but he was just plain cold tonight.

E.J. Singler, above, went 5 for 5 from the line, a key part of Oregon's 78% free throw shooting that eliminated any chance of a late Oregon St. rally bearing fruit. Singler finished with 15 points, and had a co-game high (with Moreland) 9 rebounds.

The Beavers play Arizona State 8:30 PM Thursday home in their second conference game of the season. The Sun Devils downed Colorado 65-56 today, and join Arizona and UCLA atop the Pac-12, with 2-0 records after the first weekend of conference action.

Even special equipment couldn't deliver a Civil War win for the mostly pro-Beaver crowd of 8,612.

(Photos by Andy Wooldridge)

Go Beavs!