Men's Basketball | 11/5/2015 11:05:00 PM

CORVALLIS, Ore – Three Western Oregon players scored in double figures, led by 16 points from senior guard Devon Alexander, in a 76-57 exhibition loss to Oregon State at Gill Coliseum on Thursday night.
 
Alexander connected on a game-best five shots from 3-point land to pace the Wolves in scoring. He also pulled down eight rebounds. Freshman guard Kadeem Strickland had 15 points, seven points and four rebounds in his collegiate debut. Also in double figures was former OSU roster player Alex Roth with 14 points and five rebounds.
 
Unlike last year's roaring start that eventually led WOU to victory, it was the Beavers that opened with 14-0 run over the first 4:53 of the game. OSU built the lead to as many as 15 points before the Wolves went on an answering scoring spurt. Trailing 29-19 at the 5:27 mark, Western Oregon connected on four straight shots, three beyond the arc, to take a 30-29 lead on a Strickland triple.
 
The Beavers would respond with the final eight points of the half to take a 37-30 lead into halftime.
 
OSU extended its lead to as many as 14 points in the second half, but Western Oregon responded with consecutive Alexander threes to slice the lead to 59-53.
 
The Wolves went cold at the wrong time, missing five successive shots while OSU went on a definitive 15-0 run over two and a half minutes to seal the win.
 
Drew Eubanks led Oregon State with a double double – 16 points and 10 rebounds. Gary Payton II had 17 boards and seven assists.

Western Oregon was outscored 50-12 in the paint, but converted 12 OSU turnovers into 14 points. 
 
Western Oregon opens the regular season next weekend in the GNAC/PacWest Challenge against Point Loma on Friday, Nov. 13 and Fresno Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Olympia, Wash. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 5 p.m. Pacific.