CORVALLIS – In retrospect, Wayne Tinkle envisioned what he believed led to Oregon State's first defeat of his second season in Corvallis.
It was a "fog," as he called it, one that emanated from the pregame locker room at Gill Coliseum as the suddenly well-traveled Beavers were about to conclude a slate of five games in 11 days. Tinkle refused to use fatigue as a factor, but recognized that a certain malaise took hold of his team.
"I should have gotten our guys obviously in a little bit better mindset for this game," Tinkle said.
Matching up with a team embedded in its own busy stretch of seven games in 12 days, a previously potent Oregon State (4-1) offense was smothered by Valparaiso in a 63-57 loss.