Disappointment- Bears fall into Beaver trap 80-64

It’s been a good season for the Bears. They’ve won quite a few games and are looking at the first conference title since the 1960, and they controlled their own destiny to just that. Now they will need help.




The first half started out okay, with the score 6-7 Beavs. However, OSU would go on an 8-0 run to make it 15-6. They would close the gap to 15-13, and the Bears would hold close for most of the half. OSU would have a 6 point lead, and the halftime score would be 39-36.



Early on in the second, it would be 40-43 OSU. However, they would make their run and rush to a 42-52 lead. Somehow, the Bears just never recovered from that run. They would never recover and would lose 80-64. The offense really seemed to sputter in the second half. All in all, an abysmal performance in the second.



As mentioned in the pre-game preview, the Beavers are great at shutting down guards. This game was no different. Jerome Randle, normally an unstoppable force on the offensive end, was held to 6 points. He shot 2-9 from the field and 0-5 from 3. His lack of scoring was probably one of the most important things in the loss. Patrick Christopher was shut down similarly, scoring a mere 12 on 4-9 shooting.



The Beavers didn’t only do a great job on the guards, but they did a great job on all around defense. The Bears, who shot 50% or above in both games against the Washington schools, was held to 45% shooting and 25% from 3.



Roeland Schaftenaar, who I mentioned in the pre game as a key, proved to be just that. The big man scored 22 points. He got to the free throw line 15 times (!) and sunk 12 of them. If Boykin and Sanders-Frison cannot step up the defense against Oregon, I can easily see the Bears falling. Schaftennar was able to put up the best game of his season tonight.



Obviously, this loss is disappointing. But we still have a chance to win an outright conference title and make the NCAA Tournament. It was an obvious trap game and we fell right in. Now we just have to win out and hope the chips fall in our favor.



Go Bears!