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Stanford (8-5, 1-1) vs. Oregon State (10-2, 1-0) / Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, OR / 8 PM PST / ESPNU / KEJO 1240 AM / KEX 1190 AM
Oregon State returns to action tonight, fresh off their wire to wire 70-57 win over Oregon Sunday evening, taking on Stanford in a late-night Pac-12 game.
The Beavers will be looking to turn around recent history against the Cardinal, who have won 5 of the last 6 meetings. Stanford downed Oregon State 75-48 in the only meeting last year between the teams, a product of the Pac-12 basketball schedule rotation, overcoming a 2 point halftime deficit to race to what turned into blowout win. The Cardinal held the Beavers to only 18 second half points, in handing Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle his worst loss since coming to Corvallis, after what had been a very promising first half of the contest.
The Beavers only win since 2011 came 2 years ago, again in the only meeting of the season, when the Cardinal last came to Corvallis, and suffered an 81-72 setback. Prior to that, Stanford had run off 4 wins in a row, a streak that started with the infamous 103-101 4 overtime win in Gill in 2012, which was the longest, and most improbable, in more ways than one, game in the history of either program.
Their recent success has allowed Stanford to edge within 5 games of Oregon State in the all-time series, which the Beavers lead 72-67 heading into tonight's 140th renewal of the series.
Tres Tinkle came off the Beaver bench to pour in a game high 19 points against the Ducks, and Olaf Schaftenaar had a complete game, with 13 points and a game high 8 rebounds, to lead the win over Oregon.
Stanford came up a point short in their comeback effort Sunday against Colorado, falling 56-55 to the Buffs. This setback snapped a 3 game winning streak, Stanford's second of the season. The Cardinal have been very streaky, also having a 3 game losing streak already on the books as well.
The loss to the Buffs came 2 days after a New Year's night 70-68 overtime upset win that helped knock Utah out of the top 25. It's essentially impossible to predict how Stanford will play half to half, never mind game to game.
In what is already shaping up to be a grinding conference season (8 of the 12 teams already have a league loss after opening weekend), its a huge home game opportunity for the Beavers.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com