Oregon State
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Beavers Triumph Over Golden Lions, 77-63
December 14, 2013 | Men's Basketball
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State returned to the floor for the first time in two weeks at Gill Coliseum on Friday and stormed to a commanding victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 77-63.
Devon Collier put together his eighth career double-double for the Beavers, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 boards. The senior boasted an impressive shooting percentage, converting on 9-of-10 shots from the floor. This performance marks the fourth consecutive game that Collier has scored 20-plus points for Oregon State (4-2).
"I just think he's more efficient this year than he's been since his freshman year," Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said. "I think a lot of that has to be attributed to Roberto (Nelson) playing well at the same time. It's hard to double when you've got two guys scoring at such a high clip. And then potentially you have Angus (Brandt) who can heat up at any time. Devon's playing with a lot of confidence.”
Roberto Nelson scored a game high 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field. The Pac-12's leading scorer also added four assists to his stat line.
The nation's top-scoring tandem of Nelson and Collier continued their dominance, combining for 46 of the Beavers' 77 points, ultimately leading Oregon State to victory over a scrappy Arkansas-Pine Bluff squad.
For the third straight game, the Beavers shot an impressive 60 percent from the floor, cashing in on 27-of-45 shots.
Oregon State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff were originally supposed to play on Dec. 7 but the game was postponed when the Golden Lions were unable to fly from Dallas to Portland due to inclement weather.
Angus Brandt was efficient from the field, adding nine points on 3-of-3 shooting. Victor Robbins also played well for Oregon State, contributing seven points and a career-high five assists.
A 22-4 run highlighted the second half of play as the Beavers proved to be too quick and strong for a feisty Arkansas-Pine Bluff team. The run gave the Beavers a 20-point advantage after only leading by four going into the half. With 9:50 remaining, Oregon State led 62-42.
“I liked how we played that second half," Robinson said. "In the first half, we gave up too many offensive rebounds and we didn't hustle after loose balls. That was the thing that bothered me the most about the first half; it just looked like we were getting out-worked. There's no need for that. It seemed like they got the message at halftime. I didn't even have to go crazy, I just had to point it out."
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-7) was led by Davon Hayes, who registered 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. DeAndre McIntyre added 12 points and guard Tevin Hammond dished out 10 assists for the Golden Lions.
Nelson led the charge for the Beavers in the first half, tallying 13 points, three assists, and two steals. It marked the 23rd consecutive game that the senior has scored in double-figures.
Collier made his impact felt early and often in the opening stanza, powering his way to 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor. The Bronx, N.Y. native also added four rebounds in the first twenty minutes of play.
Oregon State came out firing, going on a 12-2 run to start the game. The Golden Lions answered, going on an 11-2 run of their own midway through the first frame.
At the intermission, the Beavers led 36-32 after an aggressive half of basketball from both teams. Oregon State shot 57.7 percent from the field on 15-of-26 shooting in the first frame.
Oregon State found its groove early in the second half after freshman Hallice Cooke drilled a three-pointer at the 16:47 mark and Collier came up with a key steal and dunk in transition. The Beavers brought their lead to 12 with 13:18 left to play and didn't turn back from there.
The Beavers return to action at Gill Coliseum on Sunday at 3 p.m. to take on Maryland Eastern Shore in a game televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
