Box Score
Corvallis, OR - A vastly improved Oregon State basketball team rode hot three-point shooting to a 101-68 victory over Portland State at Gill Coliseum.

Oregon State, which won only 11 games last season, has improved to 9-2 this year. The Beavers hit 13-21 from three-point range (.619), easily their best total of the year. Overall, OSU shot 40-67 from the field for a .597 mark.

"They are a good team without hitting three point shots, but when they start hitting them they go to another level," Viking Coach Tyler Geving said of the Beavers.

Portland State dropped to 6-5 with the loss. The Vikings are 2-5 on the road, with both road wins against neutral site opponents.

Oregon State jumped to a 23-10 lead eight minutes into the game. Roberto Nelson gave the Beavers their biggest lead of the half, hitting a three at the 7:06 mark. That made is 35-19 OSU.

The Vikings battled back behind the inspired play of Chehales Tapscott against a much taller Beaver front line. Tapscott had 13 points in the first half, and when Lateef McMullan buried a 19-foot jumper with five seconds to play PSU was within 42-34 at the break.

OSU shot .581 from the floor in the first half, including 6-10 from three-point range.

A Nate Lozeau layin at the start of the second half cut the Viking deficit to six, but OSU pushed it backup to 15 a few minutes later. The Vikings made a couple more runs at the Beavers, cutting the deficit to single digits on a few occasions. Then OSU put on a 35-11 burst over the last 12 minutes to break it open.

"We played hard, but I think at about the nine-minute mark we ran out of gas," said Geving. "They are a good basketball team. They are going to win games."

McMullan posted a season-high 19 points to lead the Vikings, hitting 7-12 from the field and 4-5 at the line. Tapscott added 18 points and Michael Harthun scored 10.

"Lateef is doing a good job. He is hitting shots and cutting down on his turnovers, getting a few more assists. Nineteen points is a pretty good night for him," said Geving.

The Vikings shot .439 from the field and .400 from three-point range.

Ahmad Starks 17 points led six Beavers in double figures. Eric Moreland had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Beavers.

GAME NOTES: The Vikings played without Gary Winston, who sat out with a bruised thigh... the in-state rivals were meeting for the first time in nine years. OSU leads the all-time series 12-0… PSU plays its final preseason game at Cal State Fullerton on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard on Freedom 970 AM and www.freedom970.com.