Field Level Media
Jan 27, 2018
Elijah Brown scored a game-high 20 points as Oregon used a strong first-half performance and took command early en route to a 66-57 victory over Oregon State in a Pac-12 game Saturday night at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon (14-7, 4-4 Pac-12) now has won two in a row after dropping two straight before that, and it was a solid first 20 minutes that helped the Ducks.
Brown was perfect for much of the first half. He made his first four shots from the floor along with his first seven free throws before finally missing near halftime, and his 18-point performance helped the Ducks score 41 in the first 20 minutes.
He cooled off after that and scored just two in the second half, those coming on free throws with 19 seconds remaining. Paul White also added 17 for Oregon.
This was the 350th meeting between the two schools. That's the highest number of games between two schools in college basketball at the present time.
Despite the loss, Oregon State holds a 187-163 lead over the Ducks in the series. Oregon State (11-9, 3-5) now has dropped four of its last five games this season.
The teams split the season series this year; the Beavers scored a 76-64 victory when last they met on Jan. 4.
Stephen Thompson Jr. led Oregon State with 16 points, and Ethan Thompson scored 13.
The Ducks took charge in this game in the first half, rolling to a 41-25 lead at the break. Oregon shot 68 percent from the field and went 7-for-7 from the free throw line.
However, it was a 22-2 streak that gave the Ducks a 27-11 lead with 7:21 left in the first half. Oregon State had taken an early 9-5 lead but that big run turned the game around quickly.
Brown played a big role in that with his great shooting in the first half, but Oregon didn't fare nearly as well offensively in the second half.
The Ducks made only six baskets in the final 20 minutes and that helped the Beavers slowly chip away at the lead. Oregon State cut the margin to 60-52 on a Thompson Jr. layup with 3:52 left in the game, but the Beavers drew no closer.
--Field Level Media