by US Fed News

Junior guard Kelvin Lewis recorded game highs with 18 points and four 3-pointers, but it would not be enough as Oregon State claimed a 49-45 win against the University of Houston men's basketball team Wednesday night at Gill Coliseum during the first round of the College Basketball Invitational. With the loss, the Cougars ended the 2008-09 season with a 21-12 overall record, the 19th 21-win season in school history and the third in the last four seasons. Oregon State improved to 14-17 overall and will play host to Vermont on Monday during the CBI quarterfinals.

In the lowest-scoring game during head coach Tom Penders' five-year career, the Cougars were limited to only 28.3 percent from the field, their second worst performance of the season. Employing a trapping zone defense and a slow-down Princeton-style offense, the Beavers kept the potent Cougar offense in check and held UH to only 19 points on five goals in the first half. In the second half, the Cougars built an 8-point advantage early in the final period and led 32-26 when Lewis buried a jumper with 12:07 remaining. But the Beavers used an 8-0 run of their own to grab their first lead since midway through the first half. The Cougars scored six of the game's next eight points for a 38-36 lead with 4:43 left, but that would be the last advantage UH would enjoy. Oregon State's Omari Johnson scored the next seven points with a basket, two free throws and a 3-pointer to give the Beavers the lead for good. Oregon State built a 47-40 lead on Roeland Schaftenaar's two free throws with 49 seconds remaining and appeared to have the game well in hand. But the Cougars mounted one last rally. Lewis connected on his final trey with 42 seconds left . After a OSU turnover and UH missed jumper, Schaftenaar was fouled but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 27 seconds to go. Junior guard Aubrey Coleman raced down the court and converted a layup with 19 seconds remaining to pull the Cougars to within 47-45. Schaftenaar was fouled again with 18 seconds left and missed another 1-and-1 attempt, but Coleman's 3-pointer on the right side was off the mark with five seconds remaining. Oregon State's Calvin Haynes hit two free throws with two seconds left for the final margin of victory. In addition to Lewis, sophomore guard Zamal Nixon scored 12 points to pace the Cougar offense, while senior center Marcus Cousin - competing in his final game as a Cougar - grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Daniel Dean hit all seven of his field goal attempts to lead the Beavers with 14 points, while Johnson added 11 points with both players coming off the bench.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

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