Brooks Hatch

Would the last person to leave Gill Coliseum please turn out the lights?

The Beavers drew only 4,017 fans – and that’s generous, as it includes the no-shows, of which there were many – for the 66-46 loss to Stanford on Thursday night. Some quick, cursory inspection of the OSU media guide determined that’s the smallest crowd for a current Pac-10 opponent since 3,532 showd up for a Dec. 16, 1961, game against the Cardinal.

Anyone remember that game? Was there a snowstorm or something, because virtually every other crowd that season was considerably larger.

The Beavers are now averaging 3,555 through seven home games, and that’s not pretty, especially in a year when it’s charging a ticket surcharge ro raise money to refurbish the joint.
It’s last in the Pac-10 by more than 3,000 per game; USC was ninth at 6,699 heading into the weekend and the Trojans drew 10,000 on Thursday night for the Cougars.

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Among those who were there were former players David Lucas and Michael Johnson, and former Beaver All-American center Steve Johnson.

Johnson the elder has been a vocal critic of head coach Jay John and met with AD Bob De Carolis in the off-season to seek the coach’s outster. If you’re wondering if Johnson the elder and BDC talked on Thursday, they did not. BDC was in Nashville for NCAA committee meetings.

BTW, BDC was not hospitalized for three days last week either, as has been reported on the Internet.
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Junior center C.J. Giles fouled out for the fifth time in seven games but played well defensively and was active the entire night. He had seven points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.

“No doubt about it,” coach Jay John said, when asked if thtis was Giles’ best defensive game. “(Considering he was ) playing against (the Lopez twins), and how they are constantly coming at you.”

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Marcel Jones shot 2 of 8 on Thursday and is 23 of 75 (.307) since making 7 of 14 shots at CSU-Bakersfield on Dec. 11. He’s also 6 of 26 on 3-pointers.

“A lot of guys that go into slumps, you don’t want it to be a self-fulfilling phrophecy and belabor it, so every shot he takes he’s pressing,” John said.

“The biggest thing I’ve tried to say to him is, his effort and intensity should create some opportunities, maybe a couple layups” and everything will flow from there. “Maybe something will pop his way.

“The harder (you) try, the luckier (you) get. That’s how I’m approaching it right now.”

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The Beavers used to be able to fall out of bed and defeat the Cardinal, but the rivalry has turned. Stanford has won five in a row, 16 of 17 and 20 of 22 since the 1996-97 season. OSU has not won consecutive games against Stanford since 1992-93.

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4. Stanford vs. OSU women 5:30 p.m. Friday
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