Feb. 10, 2007
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Sasa Cuic had 22 points Saturday as Oregon State ended a seven-game losing streak with a 59-55 win against Arizona State in a Pacific-10 Conference game.
Wesley Washington added 13 points and seven rebounds for Oregon State (10-16, 2-11), which outscored Arizona State 7-0 late in the second half.
Christian Polk had 12 points and Allen Morill 10 for Arizona State (6-18, 0-13), which lost its 14 straight. Arizona State has lost its previous four games by a total of 14 points, including a 55-51 defeat at No. 13 Oregon on Thursday.
The lead changed six times in the second half, and the Beavers took the lead for the final time on a long jumper by Wesley Washington with 7:24 remaining. That basket started a 7-0 run that gave Oregon State a 56-50 lead with 4:28 remaining.
Polk scored five straight to close within one with 58 seconds left, but the Sun Devils didn't score again.
Washington added a basket and Cuic a free throw in the final 30 seconds to secure the victory.
Cuic had his second straight strong game after scoring a career-high 25 points in a 72-66 home loss to Arizona on Thursday. Oregon State, entering the game shooting 51 percent from the foul line in Pac-10 play, shot 16 of 22 Saturday.
Going into Saturday's game, Oregon State had 11 of its last 12. The Beavers' only win in that stretch was a 67-59 win at Arizona State in Tempe on Jan. 13.
Oregon State scored the first six points of the game on 3-pointers by Josh Tarver and Cuic.
Arizona State used a 10-2 run to take its first lead of the game at 10-8 on a layin by Antwi Atuahene.
Neither team led by more than three points until Oregon State broke a 20-20 tie with a 12-3 run to go ahead 32-23 late in the half.
Arizona State scored six straight to end the half to cut the Beavers' lead to 32-29. Oregon State, averaging about five 3-pointers per game, was 6 of 12 from beyond the arc in the first half and 7 of 20 for the game.
Between the two teams entering Saturday's game, they shared the ninth and 10th rankings in the conference in scoring, field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, assist-to-turnover ratio and defensive rebounds.
Arizona State's last win was a 71-66 victory at home against North Carolina A&T on Dec. 21.