Tournament Berth at Stake Saturday
March 5, 2004
Corvallis, Ore. -
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THEME: Oregon State enters Saturday's game controlling its own destiny for inclusion in the eight-team Pac-10 Conference Tournament March 11-13 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Beavers and Washington State are tied for eighth with 6-11 records heading into the final game of the season Saturday. The Beavers would earn the tiebreaker edge since they defeated WSU twice this season. OSU would be left out of the tournament only if it loses to USC Saturday and WSU wins at home over California. The Beavers will know exactly what they have to do by tipoff, as Cal at WSU tip at 2 p.m. The Beavers could actually finish tied for sixth. A closer look at the multiple-tie situations (ties broken by cumulative record against other tied teams):
USC, UCLA, OSU all tie -- USC (2-2), OSU (2-2), UCLA (1-3) USC #6 (beat #2 UW), OSU #7, UCLA #8
USC, OSU, WSU all-tie - USC (1-3), OSU (3-1), WSU (2-2) OSU #7, WSU #8, USC - out
USC, UCLA, OSU, WSU all tie -- OSU (4-2), USC (3-3), WSU (3-3), UCLA (2-4) OSU #6, WSU #7 (2-0 vs. USC), USC #8, UCLA -out
*If OSU finishes #6 ... vs. Arizona *If OSU finishes #7 ... vs. Washington *If OSU finishes #8 ... vs. Stanford
Bracket Schedule #1 vs. # 8 and #4 vs. #5 -- winners meet Friday #2 vs. #7 and # 3 vs. #6 -- winners meet Friday
NOT BAD, CONSIDERING: Oregon State was almost a unanimous selection for 10th place in the Pac-10 Conference standings before the season began, but now have a chance to finish as high as tied for sixth. Media who routinely cover the conference and almost every national publication selected OSU 10th. Head coach Jay John guided the program to a tie for sixth last season after the preseason prognosticators had the Beavers ninth.
FOUR OUT OF SIX? A win Saturday would give Oregon State four wins in its last six regular season games for the first time since Gary Payton guided the Beavers to four out of six to end the 1990 season. The Beavers also have an opportunity to post a winning mark over the last half of the conference slate for the first time (possible 5-4) since that 1990 campaign (7-2).
SENIOR DAY FESTIVITIES: We'd have one if we had one. Actually OSU will recognize its only senior member on the team, manager Quinton Harold, during the pregame. "Q" has been with the program since 2001 and will graduate this year in health care administration.
SERIES: According to Pac-10 Conference records, USC has a 55-53 advantage in the series that dates back to the 1924-25 season. The two programs have split the last six games, with USC posting a come-from-behind 91-82 victory Jan. 4. OSU scored the first 13 points of the game at the Sports Arena before USC made a methodical comeback to take a 42-41 lead at the half. OSU had the lead twice early in the second half , but could not hold back the hot shooting Trojans who hit 16 of 27 (.593) after the break. Loderick Stewart paced USC with 19 points and Rory O'Neil added 18. Chris Stephens paced five Beavers in double figures with 19 points. OSU won last season in Gill vs. the Trojans, 61-60.
THOSE DARN DAWGS! Oregon State would be battling for an upper division finish in the conference standings Saturday if it wasn't for two gut-wrenching losses to the Washington Huskies. The Beavers lost a 16-point lead late in the game and fell in overtime to UW Jan. 17 at Gill Coliseum, 103-99. OSU scored 15 straight to take a four-point lead with 3:28 left, only to see the Huskies score seven of the game's final nine points to win 80-79 on Valentines Day in Seattle. The Beavers missed a 15-foot jumper at the buzzer to win the game. Oregon State might get another shot at Washington in next week's Pac-10 Tournament.
TURNOVER TALK: Oregon State has turned the ball over less than 10 times in three conference games this season, all victories (vs. UO, @ WSU, vs. UA). On the other side of the court, the Beavers have forced 18-plus in five consecutive games, well above their opponents' season averages. Over those five games, OSU has averaged 13.8 turnovers, its opponents 19.0. OSU leads the conference with a plus-2.8 turnover margin.
DOUBLE THREAT: OSU's David Lucas (17.4) and Chris Stephens (15.6) have become the top double scoring threat at the school in many seasons. The last time two Beavers averaged 15-plus points in the same season was in 1995 -- Brent Barry (21.0) and Mustapha Hoff (18.6).
SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES: Of late, OSU has been a force on the offensive boards, highlighted by its conference team-high 19 at Washington. The Beavers have 113 (14.1) offensive boards over the last eight games, compared to 75 (9.4) for their opponents. The Beavers are second in the league averaging 13.3 offensive boards per game,
GEOGRAPHY LESSON: Junior forward Jim Hanchett would likely do pretty well in a geography class. Hanchett has resided in Brazil, Germany, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Colorado, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Georgia.
YOUTHFUL LOOK: Three true-freshmen have played this season, with the trio combining for 24 starts. Oregon State is one of only six schools in the nation without a senior on its roster, joining Pepperdine, Wake Forest, Tennessee, UNC-Asheville, and Harvard.
THE "START" OF SOMETHING: Entering Saturday's contest, Oregon State's eligible players have combined for 188 career Division I starts -- the lowest number in the Pac-10 Conference. Counting games through March 4, the rest of the league shapes up with California (233), UCLA (237), Oregon (238), Arizona State (242), Arizona (260), Washington (271), Stanford (286), Washington State (311), and USC (333).
WELL WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION: Seven overtime periods in 27 regular season games, plus another during the exhibition slate. The Beavers have played two single overtime games (at Hawaii/vs. Washington), double overtime (vs. Portland), and triple overtime (vs. Kansas State). The four games that have gone to extra periods are the most since the 1985-86 season. The last time OSU played five overtime games in one season was the 1966-67 campaign (4-1). The total of seven overtime periods is a school record, eclipsing the five played by the 1982-83 club.
10TH NO MORE: Oregon State entered the week seventh in the Pac-10 for scoring, currently at 72.5. Seventh would be a significant improvement from recent years. A closer look.
Year Avg. Rank 2003 68.0 10th 2002 64.3 10th 2001 61.9 10th 2000 69.6 8th10TH NO MORE, PART II: Further evidence of head coach Jay John's belief in "pushing the ball," Oregon State has scored 80-plus points 15 times in the 55-game John era. The program hit the 80-point plateau just six times in 59 games during the two-year reign of Ritchie McKay, and 16 times during the Eddie Payne 130-game tenure.
SHOOTER! SHOOTER! A common exclamation coming from coaches during games when a known shooting threat has the ball; maybe that should be the cry every time a Beaver has possession. Nine of OSU's 12 eligible players have attempted at least one three-point field goal, only Kyle Jeffers, Michael Johnson, and Derek Potter have failed to attempt a three, and only Potter is not a realistic threat from that range.
HOME TEAM: Oregon State's 17 regular season home dates are the most in the program's modern history. The team made only two non-conference road trips this season, Dec. 1 at Colorado and Dec. 15 at Hawai'i.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Junior guard J.S. Nash and sophomore guard Lamar Hurd have been elected team captains for this season.
MAJOR MINUTES: Oregon State players haven't had too much to complain about regarding "their" minutes. Eight players are averaging in double figures, with three averaging 32.5-plus. Point guard Lamar Hurd, who led the team last year for minutes played at 33.7, is playing 34.3 per game -- that does include a 45-minute double-overtime stint vs. Portland and a 43-minute effort vs. Kansas State. Guard J.S. Nash, who entered the year averaging 21.6 minutes for his 55-game career, is up to 32.7 for the season, which includes 46 vs. KSU. Chris Stephens is averaging 32.1.
HUGHES TO REDSHIRT: Freshman center Liam Hughes will redshirt this season. The 7-2, 306-pound center from Hullbridge, England is in his third year of organized basketball. Junior guard Jason Fontenet is redshirting after transferring from New Mexico State, and junior forward Nick DeWitz is redshirting after transferring from Iowa during the year -- DeWitz will be eligible for competition at the conclusion of fall term 2004 (Dec. 11).
THE MURAL OF THE STORY: A quick peek to the south rafters in Gill Coliseum will present you a look at a mural of some of the Oregon State University men's basketball greats. The recently completed mural includes the 1980-81 team, plus individuals Ralph Miller, Paul Valenti, Slats Gill, Steve Johnson, Charlie Sitton, Gary Payton, Lester Conner, Brent Barry, Scott Haskin, Wally Palmberg, Ed Lewis, Cliff Crandall, Mel Counts, Dave Gambee, Jose Ortiz, Jim Jarvis, A.C. Green, Charlie White, and Red Rocha. The mural was painted by Art FX Murals of Portland.
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED: The OSU coaching staff signed one prospect to a national letter of intent during the November period. Joining the Beavers next season will be Marcel Jones from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. The 6-7 guard averaged 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season for the CIF champions.
BEAVERS IN THE NBA: Currently three former Beavers are residing in the National Basketball Association. NBA all-star Gary Payton is in his 14th year in the league and first with the Los Angeles Lakers. Brent Barry is in his ninth year in the league and fifth with the Seattle Sonics. Lester Conner is in his fifth year as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics, after a lengthy pro career. A total of 26 former Beavers have played in the NBA.
