Thompson's 25 PTs lifts Oregon St. past N. Dakota 83-66
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Oregon State’s Ethan Thompson isn’t usually the Beavers’ leading scorer.
But he delivered a career-high 25 points in an 83-66 victory over North Dakota on Sunday.
Thompson scored 11 points in the first half, including three 3-pointers, helping the Beavers (10-2) take a 36-28 lead at the break.
He added 14 points in the second half and contributed a game-high eight assists.
“I think I have a pretty well-rounded game,” said Thompson, a 6-foot-5 junior guard. “I don’t try to score a certain amount of points or anything like that. Just let the game come to me, try and take as many good looks as I can.”
Thompson, who is second on the team in scoring behind senior forward Tres Tinkle, was 7 of 13 from the field and converted all eight of his free throws.
North Dakota (6-8) cut the lead to 52-47 on two free throws from Marion Stewart with 13:08 remaining, but would get no closer.
Thompson’s free throws extended the Beavers’ lead to 65-49 at the 9:09 mark, and culminated a 13-2 run.
“It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it’s a W in right column,” OSU coach Wayne Tinkle said. “That team’s a scrappy, tough team.”
Tres Tinkle, who leads the Beavers in scoring and rebounding, added 16 points and seven boards. He is the Pac-12’s second-leading scorer.
Kylor Kelley, the Beavers’ 7-foot senior post who came into the game second nationally in blocked shots, added 14 points, six rebounds and five blocks.
Stewart led the Hawks with 19 points. Freshman forward Brady Danielson, who came into the game averaging 3.5 points, scored a career-high 18 points, and hit all four of his 3-point attempts for the Hawks.
“There was a stretch (in the second half) when we got stops and just couldn’t get the rebound,” North Dakota coach Paul Sather said. “Kelley’s length really bothered us.”
North Dakota committed 17 turnovers to seven for Oregon State, and that led to a 20-4 advantage for the Beavers in points off turnovers.
It was the first-ever meeting between the schools.
BIG PICTURE
North Dakota: The Hawks were coming off a 75-74 win at Nebraska, their first victory over a Big 10 opponent since 1933. … North Dakota will play its first home game since Dec. 17 on Jan. 5 against Purdue Fort Wayne.
Oregon State: The Beavers equaled their best start through 12 games since the 1984-85 team opened 11-1. … Tinkle extended his double-figure scoring streak to 77 games. He became the 25th player in Pac-12 history to reach the 1,900-point mark.
UP NEXT
North Dakota opens its Summit League schedule Thursday at Denver.
Oregon State opens its Pac-12 Conference schedule Thursday at Utah.
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