11th-seeded Oregon State stared down elimination against sixth-seeded USC in the first round of the PAC-12 women’s basketball tournament on Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

Trailing by three entering the fourth quarter, the Beavers were determined to keep their season alive. After falling behind by eight early in the quarter, Oregon State used an electrifying 11-0 run over the next few minutes to take a three-point lead. With just 25 seconds remaining in regulation, the Beavers led 50-48.  

Having no other option but to play the foul game, USC put the Beavers at the charity stripe, where they answered the call. The Beavers shot 6-6 over those final 25 seconds from the foul line and held on to edge USC 56-48.  

Trailing by a point at the break, the Beavers outscored the Trojans 35-26 in the second half, and their offense dazzled with 22 in the fourth quarter.  

Despite shooting just 32% on the night, Oregon State held USC to 29% from the floor. In addition, the Beaver defense came away with a total of eight steals.  

Three Beavers scored in double figures on Wednesday evening, including freshman forward Raegan Beers, who had a big night with 18 points. Sophomore forward Jelena Mitrovic was extremely efficient, putting up 12 points on 5-7 shooting and also grabbed six rebounds. Freshman guard Adlee Blacklock finished with 15 and shot 3-6 from beyond the arc.  

With the win, the Beavers keep their season alive and advance in the PAC-12 tournament. Tomorrow night, the Beavers will take on the third-seeded Colorado Buffaloes in the conference tournament quarterfinals at 8:30 p.m. in Las Vegas.