The Oregon State Women’s Basketball team improved to 8-0 on Friday dismantling the Santa Clara Broncos 80-52.

In a game that was only close until points were put on the board, Oregon State made its case to college basketball prognosticators that they are a quality team. The Beavers’ defense made the difference at Gill Coliseum, as they held the Broncos scoreless for the first half of the opening quarter. 

Not until more than five minutes had elapsed in the game did Santa Clara make a basket, and by this point, the Beavers had a lead of 10 points. 

The Beavers entered the game with a pristine 7-0 record while the Broncos made their trip to Corvallis at 9-2. In what was a thorough demolition of their opponent, the Beavers’ stat sheet was replete with explosive stats.

In the first quarter of the game, Oregon State held Santa Clara to just seven points and 3-18 shooting. The second quarter was much of the same as the Broncos scored 11 points on 5-17 shooting. For their part, the Beavers went 9-19 and 7-15 in the first half, scoring 21 and 17 points in the game’s first two quarters, respectively. 

By that point, the Beavers were up 38-18 and would go on to hold the margin for the remainder of the game. The Beavers’ lead was never less than 20 after in the second half, and ballooned to as much as 33 in the fourth quarter. 

Raegan Beers was Oregon State’s player of the game with 19 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and two steals. It was a dominating performance that saw Beers affect the game on both offense and defense, swatting balls on one end of the floor and making put-backs on the other end. 

Talia von Oelhoffen contributed as well with 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

As has often been the case this season, the Beavers’ height and proclivity for chasing down rebounds outclassed their opponents; Oregon State collected 56 rebounds on the night to Santa Clara’s 31. 

In a rarity for college basketball, the Beavers’ were about as likely to reel in a rebound off of one of their misses as the Broncos. When Oregon State missed a shot and the ball was rebounded, Oregon State came away with the ball 14/32 times compared to the Broncos’ 18 rebounds. 

For reference, when Santa Clara missed a shot and the ball was rebounded, the Broncos garnered possession 13 times compared to the Beavers doing so 42 times. 

For the game, the Broncos shot 26.7% from the field while Oregon State went 50.8%. Despite an avalanche of Beaver-friendly numbers on the stat sheet, the Broncos pickpocketed the Beavers nine times with their steals while OSU could manage only four. 

With an advantage in assists, 22-10, favoring Oregon State, it was the kind of game that the Beavers will hope serves as a jumping point as they begin to prepare for conference play. 

While the unbeaten Beavers have much to celebrate in their opening foray of the season, Coach Scott Rueck opined on how he feels about the Beavers’ ability to handle adversity. 

“Every day we’re putting them in situations that are tight. We know what’s coming…It seemed like every game last year came down to sideline out-of-bounds in the last minute, and that’s what’s been motivating us to come out on the other side of close games…As far as being ready though? I feel like we’re real close.”

Junior Guard Talia von Oelhoffen offered the players’ perspective on why the Beavers are ready to play well in closer games.

“We’re just so connected on both sides of the floor and we just trust each other so much, in every way. This is the most connected I’ve ever felt to a team, so going into obviously tougher competitions, I feel like that’s something that’s just unwavering with this group…and so we know that we’re going to hit adversity but we’re connected and we’ll trust each when that time comes if we just maintain that, we have all the talent…we’re ready for it.”

The Beavers will hope to carry these sentiments into conference play, which begins Dec. 31 against Oregon in Corvallis.

Before that, however, the Beavers will have the opportunity to build on their chemistry and respond to potential adversity when they travel to Hawaii for the Maui Classic.

The Beavers next play Southeastern Louisiana in Makawao, Hawaii on Dec.19  at 9:30 p.m.