STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Even though Stanford has been buried in the lower half of the Pac-12 standings all season, Reid Travis isn’t so sure his team is an underdog against No. 6 Oregon.
That might be a stretch considering the Ducks are making a run at the conference title but that didn’t seem to matter to Travis.
“The way we’re playing now is great for this time of year,” Travis said following Stanford’s 79-66 win over Oregon State on Wednesday. “I feel like we’re really taking off. Even though our record doesn’t reflect it I really do feel that we’re one of the top teams so take that as you want to.”
Travis had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead four players in double figures. Marcus Allen also scored 17, Dorian Pickens added 15 and Robert Cartwright had 10 as the Cardinal beat the Beavers for the 21st time in the last 23 games between the two teams at Maples Pavilion.
Stanford (14-13, 6-9 Pac-12) led by as many as 25 but had to hold on after Oregon State (5-24, 1-15) pulled within 74-63 with 3:28 left on JaQuori McLaughlin’s 3-pointer.
Allen and Pickens scored back-to-back buckets for Stanford, and after Stephen Thompson’s putback for Oregon State, Pickens made a 3-pointer.
“We’re pointing in the right direction on both ends of the floor,” Allen said. “Guys are getting good looks . and on defense we’re more active. Hopefully that continues.”
Drew Eubanks had 21 points and 14 rebounds for Oregon State. Gligorije Rakocevic added a season-high 16 points for the Beavers, who couldn’t follow up after beating Utah last week for their first conference win of the season.
Stanford built a quick double-digit lead despite a strong start by Rakocevic. The 6-foot-11-foot center, averaging 3.8 points going into the game, matched his season high in the first half while scoring 12 points on 6 of 8 shooting.
The Cardinal countered with a more balanced attack after adjusting to the Beavers’ zone defense. Travis, Allen, Cartwright and Pickens combined for 32 points in the first half to help Stanford take a 43-33 lead.
The Cardinal also controlled the boards while outscoring the Beavers 46-22 in the paint.
“For us to be at our best we’re going to score from the free throw line, like we did in the Cal game, or score around the basket,” Stanford coach Jerod Haase said. “Smash-mouth is a football term but if it was a basketball term I think that would be a good word for us.”
Travis got Stanford going again after halftime and helped push the Cardinal lead to 69-44.
Eubanks nearly brought Oregon State back. He scored 17 points in the second half, including 13 of the Beavers’ first 20.
BIG PICTURE
Oregon State: The Beavers hopes of winning back-to-back games for the first time since beating Prairie View A&M and Texas-San Antonio to open the season didn’t last long. They didn’t play poorly - Oregon State shot close to 47 percent most of the night - but couldn’t match Stanford’s run coming out of halftime and never recovered.
Stanford: The win pushed the Cardinal into a tie for seventh place in the Pac-12, still nowhere near enough to get a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The outcome was never in doubt, but Haase was concerned about Stanford’s mental approach.
DOUBLE TECHS
Eubanks and Travis were both hit with technical fouls after a heated exchange in the second half. Although no punches were thrown, Eubanks suffered a bloody nose during the incident and had to be treated near the Beavers’ bench.
“We’re trying to go at each other as hard as possible so of course there’s different plays where a lot of contact happens,” Travis said. “I like that. That’s how competitors act and we just moved on from it. Unfortunately they called a technical on both of us. I’d like to see us play on in that sense.”
UP NEXT
Oregon State: Plays at California on Friday night.
Stanford: Hosts No. 6 Oregon on Saturday in the final regular season home at Maples Pavilion this year. The Ducks beat the Cardinal 69-52 on Jan. 21.
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