After Monday night’s classic Civil War that saw No.12 Oregon State upset No.2 Oregon 67-62 in front of over 9,000 raucous fans in Corvallis, our own John Canzano wrote his thoughts on what it means for the state of Oregon in The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Canzano writes that the entire state is rooting for a rubber-game, a third match up between the two rivals, in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game on March 10th in Las Vegas:

“I’ll root for a rematch in the Pac-12 Conference Tournament title game on March 10 in Las Vegas. Maybe you will too. I’ll pull for both teams to get there, win out, and go at it again. Because both teams left the building believing they’re the best in the region and it’s likely only one of them will be sent to the Portland Regional of the NCAA Tournament.”

On the 200th career victory at Oregon State for head coach Scott Rueck, who addressed the crowd on a microphone after the win:

“In his nine seasons, it was the first time he’d ever addressed the Gill Coliseum crowd after a game. The guy with 200 victories at OSU said how proud he was of his players. Then, he thanked fans and said to them, “You’ve been here since the beginning.”

I asked Rueck as he watched his children shoot baskets afterward why he took the microphone and decided to speak. Why now? Why this night? Why take the microphone after this win?

Rueck said: “Someone handed it to me.””

As for which program, the Ducks or Beavers, is the better women’s basketball program:

“…there’s no easy simple, clear choice. Just a debate disguised as an answer. Which is the better company: Apple or Amazon? The better meal: Breakfast or Lunch? The better composer: Mozart? Or Beethoven?

Ducks or Beavers in women’s basketball?

Which is it?”

And on the stellar night for Beavers sophomore Aleah Goodman, who had 22 points:

“Goodman is a local kid. Oregon-born. Won a couple of state titles at La Salle High in Milwaukie. And on Monday night, she was the best player in the building, pouring in 22 points.

It was a defining moment.

Not just for women’s basketball, or even basketball, or even for Goodman, but for our state. Because we weren’t just watching a contest between two great basketball teams, we were watching it get decided by a kid who won those high school state championships on the same Gill Coliseum court.”

Catch the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano weekdays 12-3pm on 1029/750 The Game and streaming at 1029TheGame.com.

@1029TheGame

More about: