Oregon State
Idaho
Nelson Scores 16, Burton Adds 15 In Beavers Loss To Idaho
December 09, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 9, 2011
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Roberto Nelson scored 16 points off the bench and Joe Burton added 15 points and eight rebounds, but Oregon State was unable to overcome a hot-shooting night from the Idaho Vandals in a 74-60 loss at Gill Coliseum on Friday night.
The Vandals (5-4) made an opportunistic Beaver defense pay from the outset, as it started hitting shots early and often, ending the game converting 50 percent of its field goals, including a staggering 56 percent from three-point range in front of a crowd of 5,119.
"Idaho played a great game," Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said. "We didn't play as ourselves today. We usually get the hustle plays, the big rebounds and convert turnovers. I was actually not as frustrated about this as most might think. When you are close to the game of basketball as a player or coach, you realize that a guy or two will have a bad game. It is rare when your whole team has a bad game."
Vandals' senior guard Deremy Geiger had a career night offensively, finishing with 27 points, the bulk coming courtesy of a 7-for-9 performance from behind the arc. Down low, Idaho forward Stephen Madison set a career-high with 12 rebounds.
Oregon State (6-2) trailed 35-24 at intermission, its largest halftime deficit of the year, and had difficulty shooting its way back into the game in the final 20 minutes. The Beavers were 20-of-60 from the floor and sank only 3-of-23 three-pointers with several misses coming in the final two minutes of the game when they were trying to make a comeback.
Nelson's 16 points, 10 of which came in the second half, were the second-highest total of his young career and the most since he poured in 34 against Arizona State in the final regular-season Pac-10 contest last year. His six rebounds and four assists were also both just one off his career-high.
Burton added a team-high eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot, while Ahmad Starks had nine points and Devon Collier and Jared Cunningham each added seven.
"I can't wait for practice tomorrow," Nelson said. "We have to put this game behind us. Even though there is a loss on the schedule now, we just need to put it behind us and remember this feeling and take it to the next opponent and make sure we grow from it."
Oregon State plays the third game of its five-game homestand on Tuesday, Dec. 13, against Illinois-Chicago at 7 p.m. at Gill Coliseum in a game that will be televised on ROOT Sports.
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