Oregon stops Stanford

Aaron Brooks scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead No. 9 Oregon to a 66-59 victory over Stanford on Thursday night at Eugene, Ore.

The Ducks, 17-1 overall and 5-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference, are off to their best start in 80 years. The win ended a seven-game losing streak to the Cardinal (11-5, 3-3).

Brooks scored nine consecutive points late in the second half, giving the Ducks a 53-51 lead with 5:04 to play.

The Ducks, who have no starter taller than 6-foot-9 Maarty Leunen, struggled for much of the game against Stanford’s 7-foot twin brothers, Robin and Brook Lopez.

Leunen was held to eight points on two-for-11 shooting. Oregon had 10 shots blocked and shot only 29% from the field.

But the Ducks stayed aggressive and continued to attack the basket and draw fouls. They went to the free-throw line 28 times in the second half alone, making 23. In all, they were 30 of 37. Brooks was 10 for 10.

California 77, Oregon State 74 -- The Golden Bears (12-6, 4-2) made four free throws in the final 17.4 seconds at Corvallis, Ore., and then held on when the Beavers (9-10, 1-5) couldn’t get a potential score-tying shot off before the game ended.

Freshman Jack McGillis made a three-point basket, but he attempted the shot after the horn. Oregon State has lost 22 of 24 to the Golden Bears dating to 1995-96.