HOW THEY MATCH UP
The series: While Oregon State has given Arizona plenty of headaches in Corvallis in recent years ? including, of course, the Beavers? 58-56 win on Jan. 11 ? OSU hasn?t beaten Arizona in Tucson since coach Sean Miller?s first season of 2009-10. After that one, Miller said he was at ?rock bottom,? having never felt so badly after a loss. Since then, UA has won three straight over the Beavers at McKale, though they needed overtime in 2011-12 to do so. UA leads the series overall 58-21.
WHAT'S NEW WITH THE BEAVERS
The Beavers have stuck with the same starting lineup for 15 straight games and, with the exception of Wednesday night at ASU, it?s been pretty effective. Against ASU, the Beavers were hammered on the boards (35-22) and allowed ASU to shoot 46.9 percent and score 73 points. Offensively, OSU managed to shoot 49 percent but hit only 2 of 9 shots. Overall since they beat Arizona, OSU lost at Washington but then won three straight ? at WSU, then at home against UCLA and USC. Their defense, which goes most often with zone but flashes some man-to-man, remains the nation?s 24th most efficient (allowing just 91.6 points per 100 possessions, according to kenpom.com). They also lead the Pac-12 in field-goal percentage defense (38.2) and three-point percentage defense (28.0) in conference games. Gary Payton II leads in steals (2.6 per game) in Pac-12 games, and scored 23 points at ASU, while reserve forward Jarmal Reid has played more aggressively, scoring in double figures for two straight games.
KEY PLAYERS STANLEY JOHNSON
Johnson epitomized the Wildcats? tough night in Corvallis, with seven points over 26 foul-plagued minutes. But he?s also epitomized their resurgence since then, averaging 17.8 points over the Wildcats? five ensuing games.
GARY PAYTON II
Part of why nobody expected much out of OSU this season was the minimal expectations for Payton, despite being the son of a Beaver legend. Not only has he exceeded them on both sides of the court so far, but he?s playing at an all-conference level.
OREGON STATE DEFENSE VS. ARIZONA OFFENSE
The Beavers have been stingy defensively all season, allowing their last six opponents to score no more than 56 points, but their defense?s proudest moment so far this season came in the first half against Arizona on Jan. 11: The Wildcats scored just 21 points on 6 for 23 shooting and were just 1 for 10 from three-point range. The Beavers, packing in a tight zone defense, forced UA to shoot over it, and the Wildcats responded with a few air balls. OSU also is known for flipping between the man-to-man and multiple zone defenses on every possession in an attempt to confuse the offense. Gary Payton II is averaging 2.9 steals per game in conference play while also leading the Beavers in rebounding and scoring overall.
HE SAID IT
?They play real deliberately. For the most part they?re going to slow it down and want to play a game in the 50s. When you play a team like Oregon State, when you have a possession game, things become magnetized. (On Jan. 11) they had a lot of second-chance opportunities and it wasn?t like they were putting the ball back quickly. They take it and they run another 35 seconds off the clock. Then they catch you sleeping if you?re not disciplined.? ? UA assistant coach Damon Stoudamire
YORK LOOKING HEALTHY
You might say Gabe York is healthy now. He had his second double-figure scoring effort in his past three games on Wednesday against Oregon, continuing to improve after an ankle injury kept him out on Jan. 15 against Colorado and limited on Jan. 17 against Utah.
?It was good to see him play the way he did," Miller said. "He had an ankle injury a couple weeks ago. If you?ve had an ankle injury and get cleared, that?s only step one. It doesn?t feel right, takes some time. He looked like himself today, which was great for us.?
The series: While Oregon State has given Arizona plenty of headaches in Corvallis in recent years ? including, of course, the Beavers? 58-56 win on Jan. 11 ? OSU hasn?t beaten Arizona in Tucson since coach Sean Miller?s first season of 2009-10. After that one, Miller said he was at ?rock bottom,? having never felt so badly after a loss. Since then, UA has won three straight over the Beavers at McKale, though they needed overtime in 2011-12 to do so. UA leads the series overall 58-21.
WHAT'S NEW WITH THE BEAVERS
The Beavers have stuck with the same starting lineup for 15 straight games and, with the exception of Wednesday night at ASU, it?s been pretty effective. Against ASU, the Beavers were hammered on the boards (35-22) and allowed ASU to shoot 46.9 percent and score 73 points. Offensively, OSU managed to shoot 49 percent but hit only 2 of 9 shots. Overall since they beat Arizona, OSU lost at Washington but then won three straight ? at WSU, then at home against UCLA and USC. Their defense, which goes most often with zone but flashes some man-to-man, remains the nation?s 24th most efficient (allowing just 91.6 points per 100 possessions, according to kenpom.com). They also lead the Pac-12 in field-goal percentage defense (38.2) and three-point percentage defense (28.0) in conference games. Gary Payton II leads in steals (2.6 per game) in Pac-12 games, and scored 23 points at ASU, while reserve forward Jarmal Reid has played more aggressively, scoring in double figures for two straight games.
KEY PLAYERS STANLEY JOHNSON
Johnson epitomized the Wildcats? tough night in Corvallis, with seven points over 26 foul-plagued minutes. But he?s also epitomized their resurgence since then, averaging 17.8 points over the Wildcats? five ensuing games.
GARY PAYTON II
Part of why nobody expected much out of OSU this season was the minimal expectations for Payton, despite being the son of a Beaver legend. Not only has he exceeded them on both sides of the court so far, but he?s playing at an all-conference level.
OREGON STATE DEFENSE VS. ARIZONA OFFENSE
The Beavers have been stingy defensively all season, allowing their last six opponents to score no more than 56 points, but their defense?s proudest moment so far this season came in the first half against Arizona on Jan. 11: The Wildcats scored just 21 points on 6 for 23 shooting and were just 1 for 10 from three-point range. The Beavers, packing in a tight zone defense, forced UA to shoot over it, and the Wildcats responded with a few air balls. OSU also is known for flipping between the man-to-man and multiple zone defenses on every possession in an attempt to confuse the offense. Gary Payton II is averaging 2.9 steals per game in conference play while also leading the Beavers in rebounding and scoring overall.
HE SAID IT
?They play real deliberately. For the most part they?re going to slow it down and want to play a game in the 50s. When you play a team like Oregon State, when you have a possession game, things become magnetized. (On Jan. 11) they had a lot of second-chance opportunities and it wasn?t like they were putting the ball back quickly. They take it and they run another 35 seconds off the clock. Then they catch you sleeping if you?re not disciplined.? ? UA assistant coach Damon Stoudamire
YORK LOOKING HEALTHY
You might say Gabe York is healthy now. He had his second double-figure scoring effort in his past three games on Wednesday against Oregon, continuing to improve after an ankle injury kept him out on Jan. 15 against Colorado and limited on Jan. 17 against Utah.
?It was good to see him play the way he did," Miller said. "He had an ankle injury a couple weeks ago. If you?ve had an ankle injury and get cleared, that?s only step one. It doesn?t feel right, takes some time. He looked like himself today, which was great for us.?
