• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Intrastate rivals square off as Oregon faces Oregon State

Dec 30, 2006 - 4:30 PM No. 20 Oregon (12-0) at Oregon St (8-5) 4:00 pm EST

CORVALLIS, Oregon (Ticker) -- Oregon is off to one of its best starts in years. But it now will play its archrival on the road.

The 20th-ranked Ducks look to pick up their first win in Corvallis in three years when they take on Oregon State in the Pac-10 Conference opener for both schools on Saturday.

At 12-0, Oregon is off to its best start since winning its first 12 games in 1946-47. Oregon started off 14-0 twice in its history, most recently in 1937-38.

The intrastate rivals have split their last six meetings but the home team has won each contest. This season, the Ducks aim to break the road team's struggles in the series behind point guard Aaron Brooks. Brooks is averaging 16.7 points and 4.8 assists per game.

In their last contest, the Ducks got 24 points from Marty Luenen en route to an easy 76-49 rout of Portland on Thursday. Oregon has won its last five contests by more than 26.0 points per game.

Marcel Jones scored 15 points and Sasa Cuic added 13 as the Beavers routed Mercer, 93-62. Oregon State has won four of its last five contests with its only loss coming at then-No. 12 Louisiana State on December 17.

The Beavers have lost eight straight meetings to Oregon when the Ducks are ranked.