Oregon State University saw its four-game winning streak come to a halt with a disheartening loss to Gonzaga on Thursday night, marking the Beavers’ worst offensive performance in over 13 years. The game, held at McCarthey Athletic Center, ended with a score of 67-37, as Oregon State struggled immensely by shooting just 24.5% from the field and hitting an abysmal 1 of 21 on three-pointers.
This disappointing outing set a new low for the Beavers, who hadn’t experienced such offensive woes since a 49-35 defeat to Michigan State on December 19, 2012. Head Coach Scott Rueck reflected on the game, noting, “I thought we got some good looks but they disrupted a lot of what we wanted to do in this game,” highlighting Gonzaga’s tenacious defense that made it difficult for Oregon State to penetrate the rim.
Tiara Bolden led the Beavers with nine points, while the team collectively struggled with ball control, committing 20 turnovers that allowed Gonzaga to capitalize for 20 points. On the other side, Lauren Whittaker and Ines Bettencourt both contributed significantly to Gonzaga’s offense, each scoring 15 points. Bettencourt’s early surge, including 12 points in the first quarter, put Gonzaga ahead 19-13, and they continued to widen the gap, leading 36-23 by halftime despite shooting only 28.2% from the field.
Rueck acknowledged the team’s rebounding struggles, stating, “They were the most physical team tonight, and that’s been a weakness of ours that we have to keep getting better and better at.” As the game proceeded beyond reach, Rueck chose to give the bench some playing time early in the second half, resulting in minimal offensive production with only eight points scored in the latter half, and the starters saw limited playing time.
Despite the outcome, Rueck remains focused on the future and the improvement of the team. He expressed an intention to learn from this experience, stating, “How can we get better? How can we advance the team in whatever way we can?” With several games left in the West Coast Conference (WCC) season, the Beavers are determined to regroup and return to their winning ways. The loss brings them even with Gonzaga at 9-2 in the WCC, underscoring the competitive nature of the conference as they look towards a hopeful turnaround in the coming matches.