With the stakes being mostly for bragging rights in the most contested rivalry in college basketball, it would be a stretch to call Oregon’s fifth straight win over Oregon State the Rivaldo Soares game. It would also be exaggerating the extent of the impact the Ducks guard had for much of the first 39 minutes, during which he went 0 for 5 from the field. But the final minute belonged entirely to Soares, who made a game-tying three-pointer from the left corner with 44. 3 seconds to go. Then the fourth-year junior grabbed the rebound off Dexter Akanno’s missed layup to give the Ducks the chance to hold for the final shot, which was called for Will Richardson, whose status for the game was in doubt hours earlier. With less than four seconds to go Richardson passed to the right wing, Soares took a dribble to his right and pulled up with OSU’s Michael Rataj in close proximity and drained the game-winner in a 69-67 Oregon victory Saturday night before 7,270 at Gill Coliseum. “(The game-tying three) felt natural,” Soares said. “It’s the kind of moments that you live for and tried to be ready for the shot and knocked it down. Knowing that Will’s a playmaker he’s not going to force up a shot that he doesn’t have. Tried to keep moving for him, he found me and the rest is history. Felt like a great shot coming up. ” Soares’ mettle after what had been a brutal night for him was a welcome development for Oregon (16-13, 10-8 Pac-12), which has been making more mistakes than big plays late in games this season, including even minutes earlier. “For him to go 0 for 5 before that and still have the confidence to knock a couple down was pretty good,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “It was a game that we had pretty control of and then in the boards and a couple of bad turnovers let them get back in it. ” The Ducks committed only six turnovers on the night, but five came in the second half and two were in the final five minutes, both of which led to baskets for the Beavers. Richardson, who had just five points on 1 for 6 shooting from the field plus a pair of free throws, had seven assists but his night was about to unjustly be defined by his only turnover with 4:36 to go that fueled the midst of a 10-2 OSU run. Altman said Richardson was unlikely to play only hours earlier but decided to because his unspecified injury wouldn’t get worse, only potentially more sore. With the exception of the turnover, Altman felt Richardson played well. N’Faly Dante had 16 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, the most by an Oregon player since Chris Boucher’s 19 against Montana on Dec. 13, 2016. The fourth-year junior had a game-tying put back with 3:20 to go and made a pair of free throws to start a 9-2 UO run in the final 2:09. “I just have to do whatever I need to do to get W,” Dante said. “I’m glad I get to get a lot of rebounds to help my team. ” On a night when the Ducks shot 47. 6% from three, their second-best performance of the season, won the rebounding battle (38-32) and second-chance points (15-6) they still narrowly avoided what would have been their worst loss of the season due to late turnovers. Oregon State (10-19, 4-14) erased a 10-point deficit with 15:11 to go in less than eight minutes thanks in large part to Oregon’s five turnovers, which led to seven points for OSU. “Can’t have those turnovers when you’re playing a close game on the road,” Altman said. “Got to get tougher, got to get better. ” Akanno scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half, including a jumper at the end of the shot clock that made it 67-64 with 1:05 to go. But Soares, who entered the night shooting 25% from three, including 14. 3% over the last seven games, flipped the script. “I continue to say, last shot doesn’t matter anymore; it’s in the past,” Soares said. “It’s about the next play. Coach emphasizes making plays, making big plays and (that’s) my big play. ”.