GAME NOTES: Pac-12 play hits a fevered pitch right out of the gate, as arch rivals Oregon and Oregon State will add another chapter to their Civil War series in the conference opener for both teams on Saturday night at Matthew Knight Arena.

These two teams will meet for an NCAA record 343rd time in a series that dates back to 1903. The Beavers hold a 185-157 series lead. The 185 victories are the third most against any one opponent in NCAA history. The Ducks however, have won two straight meetings, including an 88-74 decision in last year's Pac-12 Tournament.

Wayne Tinkle's Beavers enter league play with some momentum, as they have won six of their last seven games, including a 76-64 decision over UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday. With the win, Oregon State moved to 9-3 on the season.

Dana Altman's Ducks have been even better of late. Oregon comes into conference play with a five-game win streak in tow. The team has won seven of its last eight overall, although the last two wins have both come in overtime, edging out UC Santa Barbara (82-78) and most recently, UC Irvine (69-67).

Oregon State's success this season has been fueled by strong defensive play. The Beavers are holding foes to a meager 56.5 ppg thus far, with OSU ranking in the top-20 nationally in that category and the top-10 in field-goal percentage defense (.355). In addition, OSU boasts of positive margins in both rebounding (+4.3) and turnovers (+3.3). There is scoring depth as well on the roster, as four Beavers are currently averaging double-digit point totals. Gary Payton II paces the squad with 12.5 ppg and is a huge plus at the defensive end, averaging just over three steals per game, while also grabbing a team-best 8.7 rpg. Victor Robbins is next in the scoring column at 11.0 ppg, followed closely by Olaf Schaftenaar (10.9 ppg) and Langston Morris-Walker (10.3 ppg).

The Beavers converted 52.6-percent from the floor in the second half and distanced themselves from the Gauchos to turn a one-point halftime lead into a 12-point victory. Six players notched double figures in the balanced attack for Oregon State, led by Jarmal Reid's 16 points. Schaftenaar and Payton both posted 14 points, followed by Morris-Walker (11 pts), Robbins (11 pts) and Malcolm Duvivier (10 pts).

While Oregon State usually gets it done with strong defensive play, Oregon is more offensive-minded. The Ducks are averaging nearly 80 points per game this season (79.4), doing so on .455 shooting. Senior guard Joseph Young is one of the Pac-12's top performers. He finds a way to contribute in just about every facet of the game and enters league play averaging 19.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per outing. Freshman forward Dillon Brooks has made an immediate impact with 14.5 ppg and 5.6 rpg. Junior forward Elgin Cook (10.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) makes sizable contributions as well.

UC Irvine took a seven-point lead into intermission, but Oregon battled back in the second half and took the game to overtime, before edging out the Anteaters by two points in the end. Dwayne Benjamin's 3-pointer in the waning moments of regulation forced overtime for Oregon and set the team up for its fifth straight win. Benjamin led the way with a career-high 18 points. Three other Ducks notched double figures in the win, as Brooks netted 16 points, followed by Cook's 14 points. Young struggled offensively, going 4-of-14 from the floor, yet he still finished with 11 points in the win.

The Ducks are 9-1 in the comforts of Matthew Knight Arena this season, but the Beavers will present a real challenge here. Oregon State has played well at both ends of the floor and if the visitors can keep Young in check, this first round could go to Oregon State.