CORVALLIS - If there's one aspect of the game the Oregon State men's basketball team is going to take pride in this season, it is defense.

Just ask Marcel Jones, who scored a career-best 25 points as the Beavers opened the 2006-07 campaign with a 65-48 win over Portland in front of 4,524 people at Gill Coliseum on Friday night.

"I think we executed well," said Jones, who also set career-best marks in shot attempts (18) and makes (11) in a game. "I was open in the plays and my teammates made some great passes and I was able to capitalize.

"But defense is what we pride ourselves on and nine defensive rebounds is what I'm looking at."

Jones was talking about his nine defensive rebounds. He finished with 12 total, one off his career high.

The Beavers (1-0) will need the same defensive intensity tonight when they face Southeastern Louisiana at 7:15 p.m. in the second round of the Oregon Rain Invitational. The Lions (1-0) shook off a poor shooting first half to overcome a 41-23 deficit to knock off Cal Poly 76-69 in the day's first game.

"We pride ourselves on defense and we showed it tonight and got a couple of steals and got on the floor," Jones said. "Overall it was pretty good. We have to come back (today) with the same intensity."

Oregon State used a 16-4 run to start the second half and break open a 31-24 game at the half. The Beavers had a number of steals that led to transition baskets during the run, as well as the rest of the half. OSU finished with 13 steals.

"I thought we played very good defense," coach Jay John said. "From that standpoint of defense, loose balls and their turnovers, we had the chance to get some easy baskets."

The Beavers started brothers Seth and Josh Tarver, both freshmen. It was the third time in six years the Beavers have started two freshmen in the season opener. It was the first time since 1997-98 that two brothers have started together at OSU.

Josh, a redshirt coming off a broken foot that sidelined him last year, finished with nine points and three assists. Seth had two points and five assists, and drew praises from John about his defense and overall play.

"Seth fills a stat line," John said. "If you start off with the 1-for-2 (shooting) and don't go past that, you don't have the sense of the impact that he has on the game. As you keep going further on, he helps people, he helps players do their thing."

By Steve Gress

For the Democrat-Herald