CORVALLIS – Oregon scored a season-high 15 tries and beat Gill Coliseum 80-67 Sunday night, giving the Ducks the Pac-12 men’s basketball title for a second consecutive year.
Will Richardson nailed six three-pointers and scored a career-high 22 points, while Oregon (19-5, 14-4 Pac-12) avenged a loss to the Beavers earlier.
Facing the conference’s top three-point defense, Oregon did not cut, hitting 15 of 23 from behind the arc. The Ducks shot 57% off the floor and never stayed behind in the game.
Oregon claimed the Pac-12 title and the No. 1 series in the conference tournament by winning ten of its last 11 games.
The Ducks scored five players in double figures. Apart from Richardson, Eugene Omoyuri scored 18 points and Eric Williams 14.
Oregon States (14-12, 10-10) shot a credible 52% (28 of 54) from the floor, but could not match Oregon’s firepower. The Ducks outscored the Beavers 45-12 from three points.
Ethan Thompson scored 16 points and Warith Alatishe 14 as OSU scored four players in double figures.
The next game for both teams is the Pac-12 tournament, and both teams have a first round. The four-day tournament runs Wednesday through Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The top-seeded ducks play the winner of the state of Arizona and Washington during Thursday’s quarterfinals at 11:30 p.m. The game is followed by the Oregon State no. 5 against UCLA (17-8) at 2:30 p.m.
If the Ducks and Beavers win, they will face each other during the semifinals of the conference tournament on Friday.
Oregon led 44-31 after igniting the Oregon State defense from three points. Contrary to the Pac-12’s top three-point defense statistics, the Ducks had 8 of 12 behind the arc in the first half. Richardson was primarily responsible and hit 5 of 5 out of three. His last try was a deep one that took off from the glass.
Oregon never trailed in the first half and was led by 16 points. OSU delivered its best reaction after trailing 26-10, with a 12-1 run started by a couple of three-pointers from Lucas.
The Ducks’ lead, to 27-22, suddenly rose to 16 within minutes when Oregon hit five consecutive three-pointers, three by Richardson.
Roman Silva got underway for OSU early in the second half as he scored three layups during a two-minute stretch as the Beavers reduced the deficit to 10. But there comes Oregon with the three as Richardson and Omoyuri hit each one around the lead back to 54-41.
Oregon State has made light threats, mostly with its innings. Alatishe made the points ladder at a fast break to pull the Beavers to within nine with 8:26 left. But the Ducks immediately regained the double digit when Duarte suggested a three to 64-52 lead.
Oregon remained in control and never dropped the lead below nine points.
Starting against Oregon, Thompson tied Gary Payton with 120 for the most starts in OSU history.
–Nick Daschel | [email protected] | @nickdaschel