Oregon State
UCLA
Tinkle Shines In First Start
January 21, 2016 | Men's Basketball
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Senior guard Gary Payton II had 17 points and seven assists but Oregon State fell 82-73 to UCLA on Wednesday night in a Pac-12 Conference game at Gill Coliseum.
Freshman forward Tres Tinkle added 15 points and eight rebounds in his first career start but the Beavers (11-6, 2-4) dropped their third consecutive conference game.
OSU trailed for the final 34 minutes after the Bruins (12-7, 3-3 Pac-12) took a 9-8 lead on a stickback by Tony Parker. The Beavers trailed 40-32 at halftime and never made a serious run at the lead after drawing within 46-43 with 15:17 remaining.
The Bruins answered with a 10-3 run to re-establish a double-digit lead (56-46) with 12:34 to play. OSU never got closer than nine points thereafter and UCLA led by as many as 18 before OSU cut that margin in half over the final two minutes.
“For whatever reason we did not have the same pop, the mental sharpness we've had” at home, OSU coach Wayne Tinkle said. “Give a lot of credit to UCLA; they made big shots but we did not have the defensive urgency we've had.
“We have to correct that. We have to go back to work, roll up our sleeves and challenge the guys so we can get better. We will keep building this thing.”
Payton II has hit double figures 11 consecutive times and in 16 of 17 games this season. He is averaging 19.2 pointss, 8.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists over his last five games.
UCLA shot 52 percent (29-56) for the game and outrebounded the Beavers 41-35. UCLA was also 18 of 22 from the foul line; the Beavers were just 12 of 24, including the front end of several bonus opportunities.
“It was disappointing that we didn't shut off some of the things we knew were coming,” assistant coach Stephen Thompson said. “If you let them get going they are a tough team to defend, and they got going.
“We were out of position several times and when you are they will make you pay. We couldn't keep the ball out of the paint [and were] in scramble mode defensively” for much of the night.
Seniors Olaf Schaftenaar and Langston Morris-Walker, junior Malcolm Duvivier and freshman Stephen Thompson Jr. scored seven points apiece. Morris-Walker added two steals and two assists.
The 82 points allowed matched a season-high by an opponent; Kansas also scored 82 in an 82-69 victory at Kansas City back on Dec. 12. It was also the fourth time in the last five games the Beavers have been outrebounded.
The Beavers resume Pac-12 action against USC at noon Sunday at Gill Coliseum. The game will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.
“We have to get back to the drawing board,” coach Thompson said. “We can't sit on this one because USC is just as a good a team as UCLA, if not better.”
Fans can purchase OSU men's basketball season tickets and single-game tickets by visiting this link or by calling 800-GO-BEAVS.
