The Oregon State Beavers (10-7) hosted the Washington State Cougars Women’s Basketball team (12-4) at Gill Coliseum in a game that resulted in a Beaver loss. 

In a game that showed the Beavers inconsistency to score with their starting lineup in comparison to other teams, the Cougars got the best of the Beavers last night.

Through back-to-back turnovers, defensive battles, and offensive stand-offs, the Beavers now walk away with their seventh loss of the season. 

The game began with the Beavers standing strong and being productive on the defensive side of the ball as they were able to stop the Cougars from scoring within the first two minutes of the game. 

During the first quarter, the Cougars were not able to make a successful stance on the offensive side of the ball due to the heavy defense from the Beavers and hometown kid, Bendu Yeaney. 

Bendu Yeaney is a star transfer from Indiana and Arizona where she has come back to her home state for her final year of play. She has become a mentor for the blooming freshmen on the team this year as they strive to win more games. 

“At the end of the day we just want to win games,” Yeaney said during the post-game conference. 

The first half of a close game finished with the score of 32-29 in the Beavers favor. 

Coming back to the second half of the game, the Cougars strongly stood their ground on the Beavers hardwood. The Cougars made three consecutive shots and were able to bring up a four-point lead. 

The Beavers had consistently held the lead throughout the first half. 

Midway through the third quarter, there were turnovers with the ball going back and forth from team to team four times.

This led the stadium to a roar within the last two minutes of the third quarter as the Beaver’s Timea Gardiner scored. The defense holds as they get the ball back, and Gardiner scores again. 

The Cougars were able to sneak in a three-pointer in that time that ended the quarter 46-45 Cougars. 

The fourth quarter did not go the way the Beavers would have liked it too. 

“Cougars we’re more confident than we were in the fourth…it is the way it is,” head coach Scott Rueck said in the post-game conference. 

They were scrambling here and there as the Cougars were flowing and getting points on the board, improving their lead. 

Noelle Mannen  of the Beavers fought as she brought energy onto the court each time she was subbed back in. AJ Marotte pushed hard as well as she stated she was, “feeling good,” post-game and ready to get back in the gym for their upcoming game Sunday afternoon. 

Freshman Raegan Beers worked and put up four points to loosen the gap between the lead the Cougars were holding as the minutes and seconds of the game continued to go down. 

In a stumbling, no-scoring final 20 seconds of the game, it ended in the Cougars favor as they advanced with a win 63-56. 

The Oregon State Beavers Women’s Basketball team next faces the University of Washington Huskies at Gill Coliseum on Sunday at noon.