March 8, 2008
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Arizona State got career scoring highs from Eric Boateng and Jamelle McMillan on Saturday in a 77-64 win against Oregon State, which became the first team in the Pacific-10 Conference to go winless in the league.
Boateng and McMillan had 12 points apiece and Ty Abbott added 18 points and eight rebounds for Arizona State (19-11, 9-9 Pac-10), which improved its chances for an NCAA Tournament berth.
Lathen Wallace had a career-high 22 points--including six 3-pointers--for Oregon State (6-24, 0-18), which couldn't avoid the first 0-18 record in the Pac-10 since the conference expanded for the 1978-79 season.
Marcel Jones added 14 points in his final home game.
Arizona State scored six straight points late, capped on James Harden's dunk as the Sun Devils finally pulled away for a 69-60 lead with 3:47 remaining.
Oregon State got no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Oregon State cut an eight-point halftime deficit to four on a Wallace 3-pointer with 17:22 remaining. But each time the Beavers got close, Arizona State had an answer.
McMillan's 3-pointer gave Arizona State a 55-48 lead with 12:34 left.
Oregon State closed within 55-53 and later 63-60 on Calvin Haynes' 3-pointer. But the Sun Devils took over from there, closing the game with a 13-4 run.
Oregon State kept Arizona State within reach in the first half with eight 3-pointers. Jones and Wallace combined for Oregon State's first 14 points.
A transition jumped by Haynes gave the Beavers their first lead at 16-15. Consecutive 3-pointers by Jones and Seth Tarver kept Oregon State ahead 22-20.
Derek Glasser's 3-pointer started an 8-0 Arizona State run for a 28-22 lead. The teams combined for 10 3-pointers in the first 10:32 of the game.
The Sun Devils added eight straight later to go ahead 36-25. McMillan's runner at the halftime buzzer gave Arizona State a 38-30 lead.
Oregon State had a season-high with 13 3-pointers.