Beavers upend UW

Oregon State held off Washington by turning their biggest weakness into a strength.

Down the stretch, the Beavers made their free throws – 22 of 28 in the final 2 minutes, 29 seconds.

Josh Tarver had 16 points and seven assists to lead Oregon State, which entered Thursday’s game at Corvallis, Ore., shooting just 60 percent from the line this season, to the 73-65 win.

Marcel Jones added 15 points and Wesley Washington 14 for the Beavers, whose previous conference wins had come against Arizona State.

Spencer Hawes had 22 points for the Huskies, whose NCAA tournament hopes are dim after three straight losses. Jon Brockman added 14 points and 14 rebounds and Quincy Pondexter had 13 points.

The Beavers entered the game two losses away from becoming the first Oregon State squad to lose 20 games since 2000-01. The Beavers had 14 steals, with four apiece from Tarver and Washington, and shot 42 free throws. They made 27 of those, just more than 63 percent. But when it mattered, they went in. The Beavers hit 77 percent from line in the second half.

Washington was down 51-41 when it began what Oregon State coach Jay John called it’s “hack-a-Shaq” strategy.

It seemed the right move given the Beavers’ history from the line – they are dead last in the conference in free throws, making just 56.7 percent in Pac-10 games.

“Our guys just stepped up and knocked them down,” Jones said. “We’re too old to be nervous. You just have to be able to knock them down.”

The Huskies, who entered the game second in the conference in scoring, behind Arizona, missed their season average by 13 points.

Visibly upset coach Lorenzo Romar paused and looked at the floor repeatedly as he tried to convey his frustration with Washington’s performance.

“As much as it has been talked about … as much as it has been emphasized, I don’t know how we can come out and really not be focused at a high level as a group,” he said. “It’s a very, very, disappointing loss.”

Oregon State played its most aggressive game of the year on both ends. The Beavers forced 21 turnovers, took the ball into the paint on offense, and made Brockman work for his points.

The sophomore forward, who John described as an “animal,” scored 27 at home against Oregon State in a 91-74 Huskies win Jan. 27.

“We got physically manhandled in Seattle, and that was something we were not going to allow to happen again,” John said. “I told them over my dead body that would happen again.”

Portland Trail Blazers rookie Brandon Roy, a former Washington star, attended the game.

(4) UCLA 85, California 75: At Los Angeles, Josh Shipp scored 22 points and Lorenzo Mata added 14 to lead a second-half comeback in the Bruins’ victory over the Golden Bears that extended UCLA’s home winning streak to 19 games.

USC 69, Stanford 65: At Los Angeles, Nick Young scored 22 points and Lodrick Stewart had 17 as the Trojans beat the Cardinal to take sole possession of third place in the Pac-10 with their 20th win of the season.