Improved Beavers come home

Improved Beavers come home: "Improved Beavers come home
Monday, January 09, 2006
JIM BESEDA
As Oregon State heads home this week for games against No. 21 Arizona on Thursday and Arizona State on Saturday, the Beavers are a different team from the one that opened Pacific-10 Conference play on the road two weeks ago.
The Beavers (8-6, 1-2 Pac-10) have smoothed over several of the rough edges that plagued them early in the season and are figuring out the best way to play to their strengths.
There are still blemishes, but if the Beavers can hold the turnovers downs, keep their big men out of foul trouble, and continue their torrid shooting (51.0 percent through three conference games -- all on the road), they are going to have a chance to win on most nights.
Everything fell into place for the Beavers in Saturday's 72-64 victory over California at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif. The Beavers shot 54.0 percent from the field, had four players score in double figures, held their own on the backboards, controlled the ball and the tempo and won a Pac-10 road game for the first time in almost two years.
'There's no question it was a great win,' Beavers coach Jay John said. 'We enjoy this, we go home, we finally get to play at home, and this one's over.' "