The Barometer Online

Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jeffrey Basinger Freshman guard Jared Cunningham goes up for a lay-in during the men's basketball team's first exhibition game, which was last Sunday. Their second exhibition game will be held this Saturday.

By Nic Adenau

The Daily Barometer

After winning their first exhibition match last Sunday, the Oregon State men's basketball team will host the Western Oregon Wolves Friday at 1 p.m. at Gill Coliseum.

The Western Oregon Wolves, led by head coach Craig Stanger, finished last season with an overall record of 10-17 and 4-12 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Key returning players for the Wolves include senior forward Mike McLaughlin and sophomore guard Blair Wheadon. Last year, McLaughlin averaged 10.8 points per game, while Wheadon led the team in points averaged per game with 11.9.

Saturday's game will help the Beavers bring all of their preseason preparation together and help prepare them for the regular season.

The game against the Wolves will be another test for the team as a whole and a great opportunity for the new players to get more playing time.

Last Sunday the Beavers beat Southern Oregon 94-53 in their first exhibition game and had the chance to play their entire team, including the new freshman class.

"We are very pleased with the energy, very pleased with the execution of our own game plan," head coach Craig Robinson said.

Highlights from the Beavers' first exhibition game included junior forward Omari Johnson, who had 16 points, six total rebounds and four steals. Senior forward Seth Tarver had 15 points, four assists, six total rebounds and four steals.

"We were really happy with what we saw," Robinson said. "It was good to see we did what we needed to do."

Robinson is grateful to have the opportunity for his team to get such an early game in to work out all their quirks. He is hopeful that the team will pull off another win and also improve the little mistakes found in last week's game.

"I tried to tell the team, what you really want to work on (in the game) is the little things-the execution, defense, blocking out. All those kind of things are hard to work on in practice, day in and day out, with the same guys over and over again," Robinson said. "What I want to see (this Saturday) is a lot better cutting and execution."

Continued...

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