The Barometer Online

Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrew Burton Senior center Kyle Jeffers has never won on Mac Court in Eugene, but will have one last chance this weekend against No. 20 Oregon on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Kyle Jeffers has never done it. Ditto for Sasa Cuic and Marcel Jones. And Josh Tarver, well, he's just about to get his first chance. Some say it's what being a Beaver is all about: beating the Ducks in Eugene.

"I have never won at Mac Court," said Jeffers, a senior center. "So from the beginning of the year that was one thing I wanted to do."

The Beavers are looking to knock off a speedy Oregon team which is ranked 20th in the nation and is arguably one of the toughest Duck teams of the past few years.

"I am taking this week day by day, just preparing as well as I can mentally, and obviously as a team," said Jeffers, who will be suiting up for his final Pac-10 conference game as a Beaver. "Beating the Ducks at the end is always a good way to end the year."

The Ducks are coming off a tough 93-85 victory over Washington last Saturday and defeated the Beavers earlier this season at Gill Coliseum. In that game, Oregon was led by guard Bryce Taylor, who scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Oregon's lone inside starter, Maarty Leunen, chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds, including eight points in a 22-4 run for the Ducks to end the first half.

"Leunen is a solid player for the program and he fits in," Jeffers said. "I think he is one of the players that knows his role and he goes with that and makes the plays he can."

Luenen and Taylor won't be the only challenges for OSU, though: all five Oregon starters are averaging double figures, led by senior point guard Aaron Brooks. Brooks, a contender for Pac-10 Player of the Year, is averaging 18 points and 4.5 assists per game.

This will be Tarver's first trip to Mac Court since 2005, when the then-senior guard led Jesuit to the Oregon 4A state title. Tarver averaged 12 points and five assists last week, and looks forward to a return to Eugene.

"It's going to be tough," he said. "It's different when you are playing in high school. I have the feel of the court, but the Pit Crew, that's a different story.

"But I'm not worried. I have played a lot of minutes, and I have played on other courts that have big crowds too, so I'm not too shaky about it."

With wins over Washington and Arizona State the last few weeks, and close games against California and Washington State, the Beavers are playing their best basketball of the season.

"We are playing pretty well," Jeffers said. "We are playing the entire game, we are executing and putting together a solid 40 minutes. Obviously you can't win every game, but I have felt over the past couple of weeks we have became stronger as a team."

Saturday's Civil War will be the last game for the Beavers before they head to Los Angeles for the Pac-10 tournament. Tipoff Saturday is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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