CORVALLIS, Ore. — Dillon Brooks had 25 points and No. 6 Oregon earned a share of the Pac-12 regular-season title with an 80-59 victory over Oregon State on Saturday.
Jordan Bell added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Oregon (27-4, 16-2). It was the second straight season that the Ducks have finished atop the league, and sixth time overall.
Oregon shares the title with No. 7 Arizona, which also finished 16-2 in conference play after a 73-60 victory over rival Arizona State on Saturday. Because the Ducks routed the Wildcats 85-58 on Feb. 4 at home, Oregon gets the top seed at the Pac-12 Tournament next week.
Oregon’s 16 conference victories represent the most in school history. Following last year’s run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, the Ducks were picked to finish first in the preseason conference poll.
Drew Eubanks had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Oregon State, which trailed by as many as 25 while the Ducks pulled away in the second half.
The Beavers (5-26, 1-17) were hurt this season by the loss of sophomore Tres Tinkle, coach Wayne Tinkle’s son, who broke his right wrist against Fresno State on Nov. 25. Oregon State center Cheikh N’diaye has missed 22 games with a shoulder injury.
Oregon State’s lone conference win came at home against Utah, 68-67, on Feb. 19.
Brooks opened the game with a dunk, but Oregon State pulled out to a 9-8 lead on Eubanks’ dunk. JaQuori McLaughlin extended the lead with a layup.
Casey Benson’s 3-pointer pushed Oregon’s lead to 22-13, but the Beavers went on a 9-0 run to tie it, capped by Eubanks’ layup. Oregon answered with a 10-2 run to go into halftime with a 32-24 lead.
Brooks led all scorers at the break with 12 points.
Oregon began to pull away in the second half, going up 38-26 on Dylan Ennis’ layup. Bell’s basket pushed the lead to 57-35 with 12:19 left.
It was the 348th meeting between the teams, making it the most contested rivalry in college basketball. The series dates to 1903.
BIG PICTURE
Oregon: Brooks was the reigning Pac-12 player of the week after averaging 18 points on 52 percent shooting during the Ducks’ road sweep of California and Stanford last week.
Oregon State: Wayne Tinkle needs one win to reach 200 for his career. … The Beavers lead the series 186-162. … It was the first sellout at Gill Coliseum for the Beavers’ men’s team this season. … Former Beavers great Gary Payton was at the game with his son Gary Payton II, who also played at Oregon State.
UP NEXT
Oregon: As the top seed in the Pac-12 Tournament, the Ducks have a first-round bye.
Oregon State: The last-place Beavers will play No. 5 seed California when the conference tournament opens Wednesday in Las Vegas.
