The Oregon State Beavers achieved something no opponent of the University of Portland Pilots could achieve so far: a lead at halftime, and a win.
With this lead at halftime, they were able to add the first blemish to the Pilots’ perfect record and bring their win streak up to two for the second time this season with their 76-72 win at the Chiles Center.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth battle between both teams showing off their strengths, the Beavers with their height, and the Pilots with their ability to play full-court defense and slow their opponent down to their pace.
The entire game, the Pilots picked up every Beaver player from the inbound pass to the basket, which seemed to be a huge struggle for head coach Scott Rueck and his team.
“That thing is a beast, it is not easy to play against,” Rueck said. “It’s unpredictable because they will run and jump at different times.”
The second quarter was where the first three-pointer was made, and the lid opened for Pilot Maisie Burnham, who hit three triples in the quarter, finishing the game with four. She led the team in points with 21 and had six rebounds and six assists.
Even though the box score won’t show it, Pilot McKelle Meek hit the biggest shot of the game, her first bucket, happening to be a three-pointer with 40 seconds remaining in the game to go up two in front of the Beavers.
This was then followed by Kelsey Rees getting a layup inside the floor to tie the game, eventually forcing overtime.
Beavers scoring was led by Rees, who had 25 points, a new career high, along with 12 rebounds. Along with her, AJ Marotte contributed 14, including a shot clock buzzer beater to tie the game at 62, propelling the crowd into a frenzy away from Gill Coliseum.
“It was lovely,” Rees said regarding the fans. “My favorite games are always those with fans, to see how many people who traveled or are from the Portland area that supports the Beavs it was awesome to hear them cheer.”
Overtime was when the Beavers took control of the game, going on an 8-0 run to secure the game. The Pilots attempted to claw back, but the Beavers ultimately ended their perfect season.
The Beavers return home on Thursday at 2 pm to face off against Loyola Marymount University, their first West Coast Conference matchup on their home court in the new year.