Coming off of a win against Stanford just 36 hours earlier, the Oregon State Men’s Basketball team looked ahead towards the California Golden Bears on Feb. 1 at the Haas Pavilion. The Beavers lost by a score of 67-69.

The Beavers came into this matchup with a record of 2-19 in their previous 21 conference road games. 

Oregon State started sluggish, fouling often and giving California an early lead. OSU junior guard Ethan Thompson picked up two quick fouls, forcing him to the bench after just four minutes of play. Thompson struggled offensively throughout game, scoring seven points on 2-10 shooting.

OSU senior guard Tres Tinkle led the offensive punch through the first 15 minutes with 12 points on 4-9 shooting. After trailing for the majority of the first half, Oregon State put together a 8-0 run to lead the Golden Bears to bring the score to 32-30.

The game was close throughout the second half with neither team able to lead by more than five points. In total, there were 11 lead changes and 13 ties. 

The Golden Bears began to impose their will inside, scoring 36 points in the paint. California sophomore forward Andres Kelly dominated the paint during the second half, scoring all 14 of his points during this period while adding four offensive rebounds. 

As the California defense began to lock in on Tinkle, OSU junior guard Alfred Hollins kept the Beavers within striking distance, scoring 14 points in the second half. Despite his efforts, Oregon State could not overcome California’s suffocating second half defense. 

With just under 13 minutes left in the game, Andres Kelly committed a foul on OSU senior forward Kylor Kelley while attempting a lay-up. Soon after, an altercation broke out between the two and both were given technical fouls as a result. 

Up one point with seconds remaining, California sophomore guard Matt Bradley drew an offensive foul and secured the win for the Golden Bears. Bradley led the Golden Bears in scoring with 23 points. After Bradley was fouled in the next possession, the Beavers had a chance to tie or take the lead with seconds left on the clock but were unable to get a shot off. 

The Beavers struggled defensively, allowing California to shoot 54% from the field in the second period. Neither team shot well from long-range as the Bears shot 3-14 and the Beavers shot 5-20.   

Oregon State looks to bounce back on Feb. 8 against the Oregon Ducks at Gill Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.