GETTING INSIDE

Calvin Haynes got some words of encouragement from his father, then gave the Beavers what they need most—some scoring punch.

The junior guard equaled his career high with 25 points as the offensively challenged Beavers beat Fresno State 73-65.

“He said, ‘It’s time to play, I need something from you,’” Haynes told the Oregonian of his conversation with his dad. “I guess I got the job done.”

Oregon State will enter Pac-10 play with the league’s second-worst offense, but Haynes provides hope the Beavers can score enough points to be competitive.

Coach Craig Robinson liked Haynes as his sixth man a year ago, but the Beavers may not be able to afford that luxury this season. Haynes has started the past two games—and six altogether this year—and he’s averaging 18.3 points over the past three outings.

“That’s the Calvin of old,” Robinson said after the Fresno game. “What’s really amazing is that I didn’t realize he had that many points. His shot selection was terrific and he hit shots when we needed them.”

Shot selection hasn’t always been Haynes’ forte, but he’s 19 of 32 in three games headed into Pac-10 play, including 12-for-20 from 3-point distance.

He is converting 46.3 percent from behind the arc for the season, while the rest of his teammates are a woeful 26.5 percent. OSU ranks eighth in the conference in 3-point accuracy at 32.2 percent.

NOTES, QUOTES

• With its 73-65 win over Fresno State, OSU became the 15th Division I program to reach 1,600 all-time victories.

• The Beavers lead the Pac-10 in steals at 8.91 per game.

January At A Glance:   The Beavers jump directly into the deep end to start the Pac-10 schedule with a road game against defending champion Washington. Week 2 of the conference slate features a trip to play rival Oregon, and the Beavers also must play at Cal before January winds up. A very challenging first month of the Pac-10 campaign.

Quote To Note:   “That’s some good history. If you can get that going again, that’d be a nice train to ride.”—OSU coach Craig Robinson after the program earned it 1,600th all-time victory.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Season Recap:   The Beavers still are learning to deal with something they haven’t faced in many years—expectations. Coach Craig Robinson acknowledges that’s been one of the club’s biggest issues. Certainly, it’s tough to explain a home loss to Sacramento State. And OSU lost on the road to an Illinois-Chicago team whose only previous win came against a Division II opponent. The team faces ongoing offensive problems, and must learn how to play with a target on its chest.

Player Rotation:   Usual Starters—F Omari Johnson, C Roeland Schaftenaar, G Seth Tarver, G Calvin Haynes, G Josh Tarver. Key Subs—C/F Angus Brandt, F Joe Burton, G Jared Cunningham.

Game Review:  

Illinois-Chicago 63, Oregon State 61

Oregon State 76, Mississippi Valley State 62

Oregon State 73, Fresno State 65

Game Preview:  

at Washington, Thursday, Dec. 31

at Washington State, Saturday, Jan. 2

vs. Seattle, Wednesday, Jan. 6

at Oregon, Sunday, Jan. 10

vs. Arizona, Thursday, Jan. 14

In Focus:   Not an easy opening weekend for the Beavers. They take their tepid offense to Seattle, where they face the explosive Huskies, who are nearly impossible to beat at home. OSU’s better shot will be Saturday at Washington State, where their task will be to shackle high-scoring sophomore Klay Thompson.

Roster Report:  

• G Seth Tarver, who continues to lead the team in scoring (13.4 points) and rebounding (5.2), has scored in double digits in nine consecutive games.

• Senior C Roeland Schaftenaar, who drove defenses crazy last season with his ability to shoot the 3-pointer, was just 4-for-17 from beyond the arc before going 2-for-2 in the win over Fresno State.

• Junior G Lathen Wallace came off the bench to score a season-high 17 points in OSU’s win over Mississippi Valley State. He followed that up with 13 against Fresno State after not scoring in double digits all season.