Jan. 13, 2000
By LANDON HALL
Associated Press Writer
CORVALLIS, Ore. - For an overpowering 12-minute stretch, Stanfordplayed like a team that liked being No. 1 and wants to get that feeling back.
Casey Jacobsen scored 16 points and David Moseley added 15 as thethird-ranked Cardinal used a 29-2 run to cruise by Oregon State 73-45 Thursdaynight.
"Our game plan changes game to game, but the number one thing that thecoach puts on the drawing boards at the top is defense," said Jacobsen, whohelped Stanford hold the Beavers to 28 percent shooting.
Stanford (13-1, 2-1 Pac-10) started slowly, but began to pull away with a17-2 run over the final seven minutes of the first half. The Cardinal steppedup the intensity in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the second half with a 12-0 burstto take a 41-18 lead.
The margin of victory was the biggest ever in Corvallis for Stanford, whichleads the nation in field goal defense at 32 percent.
"Needless to say, this was a huge win for us," Stanford coach MikeMontgomery said. "This was a game we really needed to have, any way you lookat it."
Stanford not only was angry at losing the No. 1 ranking after a 68-65 lossto Arizona last weekend, it was returning to the scene of one of its mostbitter disappointments of the 1998-99 season.
The Beavers upset then-No. 6 Stanford 59-45 at Gill Coliseum in the seasonfinale last March 6. The defeat might have cost Stanford a No. 1 seed in theNCAA tournament, and the team wound up being upset by tournament darlingGonzaga in the second round.
Clifton Jones scored 10 points to lead the Beavers (8-5, 0-2), who enduredtheir worst loss since an 87-54 defeat at Stanford on Feb. 13, 1997.
"As the game wears on and you're not making your shots, your defensiveenergy drops," Oregon State coach Eddie Payne said. "Stanford is a very goodteam, they withstood our early surge - the emotion and energy."
Coming off the loss, the Cardinal maybe had too much emotion early in thegame, turning the ball over 10 times in the first half. Despite a heightdisadvantage, the Beavers played tough defense, forcing Stanford into some badshots.
Stanford trailed 16-12 with 7:20 left in the half before taking control. A3-pointer by Moseley broke a 16-all tie, and two straight baskets by JarronCollins made it 24-16. After a dunk by Jones, Moseley scored five straightpoints to make it 29-18 at halftime.
"I had to come out there and set a precedent for our team, as far asintensity," Moseley said. "I hit a few, and everyone else got confident. Itwas just rolling from there."
Jacobsen scored seven points during Stanford's 12-0 run to start the secondhalf, but Ryan Mendez topped him. Mendez, scoreless in the first half, hit fourstraight shots, including consecutive 3-pointers, to make it 58-28.
Stanford's Mark Madsen, in his fifth game back after missing seven weekswith a pulled right hamstring, had eight points and 10 rebounds.
The margin was Stanford's largest ever in 34 games in Corvallis.
Oregon State, second in the Pac-10 in 3-pointers at just over seven pergame, finished 3-of-21 from long range.
Brian Jackson, Oregon State's heralded freshman from tiny Knappa, Ore., hada miserable performance in his first big Pac-10 game. He was 2-of-14 from thefield and scored seven points, well below his team-leading 16.7 average.
Deaundra Tanner, leading the conference in 3-point shooting at 52 percent,was 0-for-5 and finished with three points.
Beavers center Jason Heide played with his broken right hand wrapped intape, but it was an injured right ankle that knocked him out of the game. Hedived for a loose ball just over three minutes into the game. He returned butwas ineffective, and the school said he's doubtful for Saturday's game againstCalifornia.