Arizona at Oregon St. - The 'Cats Come Calling

#7 Arizona (14-1, 2-0) at Oregon St. (10-4, 1-1) / Gill Coliseum / 7 PM PST / Fox Sports 1 / KEJO 1240 AM / KEX 1190 AM

Game Notes / Arizona Game Notes / Rosters

Oregon St. hosts Arizona tonight, and the Beavers' unbeaten record at home this season will be under serious assault by the 7th ranked Wildcats.

The Beavers got their first conference win, and got to a double digit win season that surpasses a lot of people's expectations for the entire season Thursday night by beating Arizona St. 55-47.

Malcolm Duvivier led the way, making 10 of 11 free throws, on his way to a game high 15 points.Duvivier, who is the Beavers' leader in assists, dished out a game high 5 assists, as well as getting 5 rebounds from his guard spot.

Gary Payton II, Oregon St.'s leading scorer, added a dozen, and was one of three Beaver starters with 5 rebounds, while the other 2 each had 4. Balance on the boards complimented the defensive effort that held the Sun Devils to their lowest first half point production of the season, which created a deficit Arizona St. could never quite overcome.

Just a little later, down the road in Eugene, the 'Cats were cruising by Oregon by a score of 80-62. All 5 Arizona starters were in double figures, led by T.J. McConnell's game high 21.

Stanley Johnson, who leads the 'Cats in both scoring and rebounding, at 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds, was right on average, with 14 and 7 against the Ducks.

Kaleb Tarczewski added a double double, with 11 points and a game high 10 rebounds, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson just missed one, with 13 points and 9 boards for the well balanced 'Cats.

The Beavers are 9-0 at Gill so far this season, and an upset of the 'Cats would equal their 10-0 home start to the 1998-99 season, the last time Oregon St. started that well at home.

If they are to do so, it may be without forward Olaf Schaftenaar, who left the Arizona St. game early in the second half, after spraining his left ankle when he stepped on the foot of a Sun Devil player. Schaftenaar is questionable for tonight's contest.

It's been 14 years since the Beavers upset a top 10 team, but that 70-69 win on Deaundra Tanner's 3 pointer at the buzzer in overtime was against the 'Cats, who were #3 in the nation at the time.

No time like the present for Wayne Tinkle's over-achievers and the Beaver Dam to defend home court!

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com