Controversy reigns as Beavs lose 74-73

IT WAS A wild one, replete with questionable calls, elbows and conflict between assistant coaches and fans, referees and play-by-play announcers. Oh, and a down to the wire 74-73 basketball game between two in-state rivals.

Oregon State lost 74-73 to Oregon but the result was being rendered a footnote in the aftermath of the game.

OSU head man Craig Robinson did not mince words.

“You guys know I never blame the refs for our game, but that was a poorly officiated game,” Robinson said.

Robinson was upset by the foul call on Eric Moreland with 9.9 seconds left as Robinson went for a rebound and Oregon leading 73-71. The one that really caught the fans' eyes however was in the first half.

As Oregon guard Garrett Sim was walking through a group of Beav fans, he raised his arms, his elbow coming into sharp contact with Jared Cunningham's face. Sim was given a technical but so was Cunningham. The result was it was Cunningham's third personal and he had to sit the rest of the first half. Sim's foul was his first and he continued playing. It didn't seem a particularly even result.

Angus Brandt also had to sit in the first half after being called for three fouls.

Ahmad Starks for contact with Garrett Sim when both players were racing after a loose ball.

One UO assistant reportedly let fly on a group of OSU students after the game. Ahmad Starks was called for an intentional foul that replays had people scratching their heads. An official made a point to speak with OSU radio play-by-play man Mike Parker, perplexing Robinson.

I’m sure (Parker) probably was excited about a call,” Robinson said in the Corvallis Gazette Times. “But come on, really? Talking to the radio guy? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

In the end, however, Oregon won it and credit should be given there.

It's just that there were so many instances where things went against the Beavs, it led people to wonder if the end result might have been different in a one-point game had things went the other way.