The Barometer Online

Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Curtis Barnard Sophomore guard Lathen Wallace averages 6.5 points per game. Wallace led Oregon State in scoring earlier in the year at UA and ASU.

The Oregon State men's basketball team has vengeance on their mind this weekend, as the Beavers head north to take on Northwest foes Washington and Washington State.

Earlier this season the Beavers dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to Washington State, and were blown out by the Huskies in a sweep at Gill Coliseum.

Not only are the Beavers facing two of the tougher opponents in the Pac-10 this weekend, but also teams with polar opposites style to prepare for. The "run-n-gun" Huskies managed to put up 85 points in their trip to Gill Coliseum earlier this season, but the Cougars are a much slower-paced team that resembles the Oregon State offense quite a bit. This is a weekend where the Beavers will need to get wins on both ends of the spectrum.

The Beavers will first look to avenge the loss against second-place Washington in Seattle on Thursday.

"We know that they like to get out and pressure us and deny, but we're going to stay with our stuff," sophomore guard Calvin Haynes said. "The stuff that works, the stuff that gets us wins, the stuff that makes do what Oregon State basketball does so if we can keep our pace and keep them off the boards we'll be fine."

Keeping the Huskies off the boards will be key this week in Seattle, as Washington out rebounded Oregon State 46-19 in the previous matchup and put up 26 second chance points in their 26 point victory.

However, the last road trip the Beavers went on resulted in a 2-game sweep in the hostility of the Bay Area. This weekend will be anything but a welcoming environment, not only because both teams have a lot to play for, but also because February is not too fine a month to go on the road in Washington.

"It's cold up there, but we've had some cold winters down here too," junior guard Seth Tarver said. "They have a lot of fans so it's pretty hectic up there but I like it, I like going into someone else's house and having everybody against you."

After the trip to Seattle the Beavers get rewarded with a trip to Pullman, Wash., where Oregon State will attempt to get rid of the sour taste left in their mouths after the four-point loss in overtime to the Cougars earlier this year.

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