The Barometer Online

Issue date: 2/16/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Curtis Barnard Senior guard Brittney Davis shoots among a pack of Washington State defenders on Saturday night. Davis finished the game with 12 points.

In a game filled with fouls and lacking any sort of rhythm or flow, the Oregon State Beavers were able to come away with the win over Washington State.

After beating the Washington Huskies at Gill Coliseum on Thursday night, Oregon State (15-8, 6-7 Pac-10) returned to play in the annual "Pink Zone" matchup against the Washington State Cougars. The Cougars (10-14, 3-10), led by freshman guard Jazmine Perkins, came out aggressive to start the game, fouling sophomore guard Talisa Rhea within the first 40 seconds of the game and sending Rhea to the line to shoot a pair of free throws. This seemed to set the theme of the night: the Cougars sending various Beavers to the line, a total of 21 times throughout the game.

The game was choppy, as fouls were called left and right on both sides of the floor. Midway through the first half, sophomore center Alex Mitchell stepped up and began a six-point run for the Beavers, boosting the score to 9-4 with 9:45 to play in the half. Oregon State's streak was ended by a quick transition bucket by Perkins and was followed by a Beaver turnover in the form of an offensive foul called on Rhea, boosting the Beavers' team fouls to seven and putting the Cougars in the bonus.

With the Beavers leading 15-10, OSU senior center Tiffany Ducker grabbed a defensive board and transitioned it to senior guard Mercedes Fox-Griffin for a quick two-point bucket, putting Oregon State up by seven. On the in-bound play, the OSU defense forced a jump-ball and received possession. Immediately, Washington State fouled - their 10th team foul - putting the Beavers in double bonus for the remaining 2:30 of play. With Rhea at the line again, Oregon State boosted the score to 19-10. The Cougar's Perkins answered back with a quick lay-in of her own to advance the score to 19-12.

Behind a free throw from freshman guard Brittney Kennedy and a mid-range jumper from Fox-Griffin, the Beavers headed into the locker room with a 10-point lead at half. The Beavers shot 0 percent from the 3-point line and 26 percent from the field, while the Cougars shot 16 percent from behind the arch and 14 percent from the field to complete the first half of play.

Continued...

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