Beavers defeat Cougars

Talisa Rhea and Haiden Palmer both had 19 points as Oregon State opened Pac-10 Conference play with a comeback 63-49 women’s basketball victory over Washington State on Friday night in Corvallis, Ore.

In winning their fifth straight game, the longest current streak in the Pac-10, the Beavers (9-2) had to overcome a 29-27 halftime deficit. They did it with a strong second half that allowed them to set a school record by holding their fourth consecutive opponent to 49 points or less.

WSU was outscored 12-6 the last 4:36.

Rhea hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 of her 19 points in the decisive second half. Palmer’s 19 are a season high.

Guard Kiki Moore led WSU (5-7) with 19 points, hitting 7 of 14 shots from the floor, including 1 of 2 3-pointers. No other Cougar was in double figures.

The Cougars “won” the turnover battle, committing 18 to OSU’s 24, but the Beavers outrebounded WSU 46-36.

Oregon State had its biggest lead of the game, 16 points, with 19 seconds remaining.

Oregon 82, Washington 71: Taylor Lilley scored 33 points and the Ducks defeated the Huskies in the Pac-10 opener for both teams in Eugene, Ore.

Mackenzie Argens had 21 points and nine rebounds for Washington (5-6), which pulled to within one point midway through the second half but couldn’t go ahead.

Oregon (10-3) jumped out to a 22-14 lead in the first half on Lilley’s 3-pointer and the Ducks led 43-30 at the break.

UW narrowed it to 56-55 midway through the second half on Sami Whitcomb’s 3-pointer and layup. But Lilley answered with a 3 to quash the rally.

Whitcomb’s layup narrowed it to 66-60 before the Ducks went on a 11-2 run, capped by Lilley’s 3 that made it 77-62 and the Ducks cruised the rest of the way.