With only three games remaining before the WCC Tournament, the Portland Pilots are officially in a mini-slump.  Suffering an 82-73 loss last night to the San Francisco Dons, the Pilots have now dropped three of their last four, and are starting to develop a bad habit of struggling to close out games.   

After the loss, Coach Eric Reveno was disappointed, but also proud of the fight his players displayed. 

“To me it looked like two teams that were battling and scrapping.  I’ve seen [San Francisco] play a little better and I’ve seen us play a little better," said Reveno. "We were fighting and putting ourselves in a position and we just needed one of those plays at that key moment to go our way.  We just couldn’t get over the hump.

“Gosh, it’s just disappointing because we’re not playing as well as we’re capable of playing."

This past summer, Malcolm Armstead could have continued a trend.

Since Dana Altman’s hiring in late April, he witnessed four players leave the Oregon Ducks basketball team. The guard contemplated leaving, and three months into Altman’s tenure it was reported Armstead would indeed become the fifth Duck to depart Eugene.

Armstead had second thoughts and ultimately decided Oregon was still the best option for his game and future. As his play and the Ducks surprising record this season in the Pac-10 suggests, Armstead made the right choice.

The six-foot junior’s numbers are down, but compared to last season, his turnovers are up while his scoring average, field goal and free throw percentages, and assists have dipped. But statistics often don’t tell the entire story. These days for Oregon, Armstead has been one of the Ducks' most valuable players.

The Portland Pilots have been nearly perfect at home this season, and tonight they’ll get a chance to improve to 13-1 in the Chiles Center. 

With only four games remaining before the WCC Conference Tournament, every victory is crucial as the 2nd and 5th place teams are currently only separated by a total of two games. 

For the seniors on the team, this will mark the second to last game at home of their collegiate careers, with the matchup on Saturday night against Santa Clara being the finale.  It’s been a memorable four years, and an experience that Luke Sikma is proud to have been a part of.  

“I was really one of [Eric Reveno’s] first recruits.  Me, Jared (Stohl), Kramer (Knudson), you know, we were really his first class where he could recruit us for a full year," Sikma told Beyond the Beat.

"We were also the last class to have a losing season, so we still know what it feels like.  That’s why it makes things like [the Gonzaga loss] sting, but Coach has done a great job of recruiting the right guys and in terms of getting us to play hard and play smart and come out and play our best ball every time, I think that he’s done a great job.” 

It's no secret the Portland Trail Blazers have coveted New Jersey Nets point guard for the past two seasons, but the real key in reported trade talks between the two teams which would include trading Andre Miller for Harris, just might be New Jersey's starting shooting guard Anthony Morrow.

While Al Iannezzone of the Bergen Record writes Porltand is interested in Morrow, one league source who spoke with Beyond the Beat believes his value in discussions could ultimately make or break a possible trade between New Jersey and Portland.

"With Miller and Harris, you are swapping players with similiar playing styles. Of course there is a difference in their time in the league, but Portland kind of views Harris as a younger version of Miller - a guy who can set other guys up," the source explained.

"But with Morrow, that's the guy who has a better all around game than (Rudy) Fernandez and could really help their (Portland's) backcourt. He's (Morrow) actually the piece of those talks that might make that trade happen, or break it all off in the end."

According to the report, Rudy Fernandez has been discussed and the Nets have also talked about adding Joel Przybilla and his expiring contract, as Portland's front office continues to monitor both Harris and Morrow's recent play in New Jersey and on the road.

Morrow, the 6'5 guard out of Georgia Tech by way of the Golden State Warriors, is averaging 12.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 32 minutes per game (39 games, 30 starts), and is shooting .466 (180-386) from the field, .436 (71-163) from three and .903 (56-62) from the line.

This isn't the first time Portland has shown increased interest in Morrow.

Last July, reports surfaced that the Blazers had Morrow on their shortlist when it came to shooting guards and a possible shakeup in Portland's backcourt. Now, Portland and Morrow are picking up where they left off eight months ago.

photo: daylife

Ben Johnson is a former three-time All-PAC-10 shortstop at Oregon State University and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1990 MLB Draft. A four-time conference Coach of the Year in the Midwestern and Mt Hood Conferences while leading Sheldon High School and Hood River High School to conference championships, Johnson also coached at Willamette University and served as an Associate Scout with the Kansas City Royals. A featured baseball writer with Beyond the Beat, Johnson is also the creator of College Baseball Stars.com.

The Oregon State Beavers were smitten by the injury bug last year and could face a stiff test early with nine pitchers on staff listed as freshman or sophomores.  

For a team that struggled to hit for power and average consistently during the 2010 season, this season brings an even greater challenge with the new Batted Coefficient of Restitution(BBCOR) bat standards that have reduced the often criticized trampoline affect of the titanium bats, which now place the advantage squarely with the pitchers. Actually, this might be good news for the Beavers. They have always hung their hat on outstanding pitching, great defense and a timely offense focused on winning innings.  

The new bat standards will place an emphasis on everything the Beavers value and build the foundation of their program upon. 

Considering the Beavers have increased their overall team speed in the recruiting process, the program should also be better suited to return to its aggressive mantra on the base paths.

Programs that pride themselves on playing small ball, invoking the entire gamut from run-and-hit, to double steals, to a multifaceted bunt game attack, like Oregon State, Oregon, Texas and Cal State Fullerton, should thrive with the new bat standards, while the southeast programs in the SEC and ACC may struggle as they rely on the smash ball techniques surrounding the three run homer in creating the big inning.

In a nutshell, Oregon State - even with a staff full of young arms - is returning to their vaunted underdog role where they are the hunter rather than the hunted.