CORVALLIS, Ore. — For the second consecutive game, the CSUB men's basketball team had trouble getting the ball through the basket. The result was another tough loss, this time a 74–39 defeat at Pac–10 foe Oregon State Sunday afternoon in Gill Coliseum.
Senior forward Trent Blakley (Alta Loma HS) led CSUB with 12 points, giving him 918 for his career. He is now just three behind Reggie Phillips for 10th on the Roadrunner career scoring list.
On the defensive end, CSUB got six steals from freshman guard Stephon Carter (Garces HS), the most by a Roadrunner player at the NCAA Division I level and the most since Dwuan Rice had six against Chico State in 2007.
The bad news began for the 'Runners before the game when they learned they would be without the services of 6–10 forward Cory Brown (Lakeside/El Capitan HS) due to illness. That left CSUB thin in the post, accentuating Oregon State's already substantial size advantage. With senior center Jose Lara (Santa Paula/College of the Sequoias) fouling out early in the second half, the Beavers ran up a 46–14 scoring margin in the paint.
CSUB (1–5 overall) shot well early, and was shooting 50 percent from the floor after a George DeLeon (Washington Heights, N.Y./Fresno CC) three–pointer gave the Roadrunners an 18–17 lead midway through the first half. But the 'Runners would go more than eight minutes until their next field goal. By the time a Carter steal and fastbreak dunk snapped an 0–for–12 shooting slump, Oregon State had built its lead to 14 points.
CSUB shot just 21 percent in the second half as Oregon State pulled away to the final margin.
Brothers Jeff and Seth Tarver, cousins of CSUB women's basketball point guard Kelley Tarver, helped lead a balanced Oregon State (4-3) offense with 12 and 10 points respectively
The 'Runners will try to rebound when they close their five–game road trip Wednesday night at San Jose State. CSUB returns to Rabobank Arena Dec. 16 to take on 2009 NCAA Tournament qualifier Utah State for Pack The House Night, with free tickets available at Bakersfield area Carl's Jr., restaurants.
