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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Prison inmate working on Stouts Creek fire walks away from the job ... Rabies and West Nile virus found in Jackson County animals ... Strong thunderstorms, gusty winds in the forecast ... Prison inmate working on Stouts Creek fire walks away from the job ... Rabies and West Nile virus found in Jackson County animals ... Strong thunderstorms, gusty winds in the forecast ... COLLEGE BASKETBALL Sloppy play dooms Beavers Comment By Michael Martinez The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Michael Martinez The Associated Press Posted Nov. 25, 2014 at 2:00 AM By Michael Martinez The Associated Press Posted Nov. 25, 2014 at 2:00 AM » Social News LAS VEGAS — Oklahoma State guard Phil Forte wasn’t hitting his shots Monday night, but his team’s defense stepped up in the second half and saved him. The Cowboys struggled occasionally on offense, but they forced 17 turnovers and held Oregon State to 33-percent shooting to score a 66-53 victory in the opening game of the MGM Grand Main Event. Oklahoma State will face the winner of the second game between Auburn and Tulsa in Wednesday night’s championship game. Oregon State will face the loser of that game earlier Wednesday in the consolation game. Forte, who started the night averaging 18 points a game, made just one of his first five shots but scored 13 points in the second half to finish with 17. “There’s going to be nights when our shots aren’t falling, especially for me,” Forte said. “This was one of those nights when I couldn’t hit much from the outside, but defense will always be there. You can always rely on that.” Forte’s steal and drive with 5:03 left in regulation gave the Cowboys a double-digit lead, 55-45, and they coasted to the finish. Le’Bryan Nash led Oklahoma State with 19 points, although he was plagued by foul trouble in the second half. Jeffrey Carroll added 13, and Anthony Hickey had 12. Forward Victor Robbins led the Beavers (3-1) with 16 points. Langston Morris-Walker had 13. Oregon State had difficulty with the Cowboys’ defense, making a series of turnovers that slowed their hopes of a comeback. They got as close as six points, 51-45, in the second half, but Oklahoma State went on a 13-2 run to pull away. “We were out-rebounding them at half,” Beavers coach Wayne Tinkle said. “We accepted that challenge and met it well. But I don’t like the casualness against pressure — the lackadaisical three-on-ones where we throw a bounce pass at a guy’s ankle.” The Cowboyss were led by Le’Bryan Nash, who had 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. They converted 11 of 21 field-goal attempts in the second half and were 48.8 percent for the game (21 of 43). “This game could’ve gone either way, but I thought our defensive intensity in the second half was the difference,” Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. “Our best shooter wasn’t on tonight. I’m glad we figured out other ways to win than just scoring.” By Michael Martinez The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Michael Martinez The Associated Press Posted Nov. 25, 2014 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501