Oregon State
Arizona
Beavers Fall To Arizona In Another Overtime Game, 81-73
January 12, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 12, 2012
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
TUCSON, Ariz. - Oregon State went to overtime for the second time in as many games when Ahmad Starks scored 10 points in the final 3:16 of regulation to tie it, but Arizona outscored the Beavers 9-1 in the extra frame to win a hard-fought 81-73 game Thursday night at the McKale Center.
"We didn't even play our best game and we were right there with them," Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said. "But this is where we are at this stage of our development. We have to figure out how to win these types of games. The question is how are we going to do that and that's up to me to figure out; to get these guys to the next level, the next phase."
The Beavers (11-6, 1-4 Pac-12) trailed 62-56 with 5:40 to play when Starks assisted on a layup by Joe Burton and a jumper by Eric Moreland and then scored 10 straight points on four jump shots, including two three-pointers, to give Oregon State a 72-70 lead.
Kyle Fogg made a layup with 15 seconds to play in regulation to tie it 72-72 and Starks had a three-pointer go in and out at the buzzer that would have won the game for the Beavers.
"I thought it had a chance to go in because he made his last couple," Robinson said about Starks' final shot in regulation. "I don't even know if it was a three or a two. It was just a shot that looked like it could go in. So if that shot goes in you win the game and don't have overtime."
Jared Cunningham split a pair of free throws to give Oregon State a 73-72 lead to start overtime, but the Wildcats scored the next nine points to pull out the home win.
Arizona (12-5, 3-1) was led by Fogg's 23 points who ran into Cunningham while celebrating a basket in overtime, setting off a near melee that had players from both teams pushing each other and Wildcats coach Sean Miller shoving his players back to the bench.
Arizona's Kyryl Natyazhko and Burton were ejected for leaving the bench. Fogg fouled out after being hit with a technical foul and Cunningham was also gone after getting personal and technical fouls.
Cunningham led the Beavers with 22 pointers and knocked down a career-best four three-pointers on six attempts, while Starks had 14 and Devon Collier added 11. Eric Moreland had 10 rebounds in his third career start.
The Beavers play Arizona State on Saturday at 5 p.m. PT (6 p.m. MT) at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz., in a game televised live on ROOT Sports.
Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. For more information follow this link or call 541-737-2370. Former Student-Athletes are invited to join the Varsity O Facebook Page for upcoming Alumni events.
Follow Oregon State Athletics On YouTube.
