The Barometer Online

Issue date: 1/8/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Peter Strong Junior guard Seth Tarver leads the Beavers on defense with 17 steals. Tarver has started all 12 games for the 6-6 Beavers.

With one win now in the books, the Oregon State men's basketball team will try to pick up their second conference win of the season Thursday night as they travel to Tempe to take on the 20th ranked Sun Devils of Arizona State.

This could possibly be the Beavers' toughest test of the young season, as it will be the first time they play a ranked opponent on the road. Yet there is good news for OSU. Arizona State starting forward Jeff Pendergraph may not play because of a sprained MCL. The senior is a key part to the Sun Devils' success, as he's averaged over 14 points and 7 rebounds per game this season.

After the Beavers play at ASU, they travel even further into the desert as they head to Tucson to take on the 9-5 Arizona Wildcats to make for one of the tougher road weekends of the season, but after the win Sunday against USC the Beavers have more momentum going into a weekend than they have had in the last year and a half.

"Our guys did a very good job and they're getting better each week," Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson said. "Just like when you make a shot you feel better about the next shot you take."

To say that it's just important that the Beavers feel good about this next upcoming shot would be an understatement. This is not just a chance to win two games, this is a chance for Oregon State to make a statement that they belong in the Pac-10 and that they can win in the Pac-10.

It certainly won't be easy, as neither Arizona nor Arizona State can afford a loss at home right now. Arizona State lost their most recent game at California on Sunday by a score of 81-71 and will most likely need a sweep this weekend to hang onto their national ranking.

Arizona was swept in the first weekend of conference play in double-digit losses to Cal and Stanford. It was the first time this season that Arizona has lost consecutive games, and they will surely be looking for an early season turnaround in their home-opening Pac-10 weekend.

However, Oregon State is anxious for the opportunity to take on yet another Pac-10 challenge.

"The great thing about winning a game like this early is it gives you another chance to win a game like this," Robinson said following the victory over USC. "That's what we're trying to do, we're not trying to just celebrate this win and not continue to get better."

Thus far the Beavers have gotten better - a lot better in fact, as Robinson has already put up six wins in 12 games with virtually the same group of guys that only won six all of last season. However, the challenges are only going to get tougher as the Beavers try to pick up their first Pac-10 road victory since the 06-07 season when they beat the Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe 67-59.



Terry Horstman, sports writer

sports@dailybarometer.com

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