Oregon State Men’s Basketball tipped off its season preparations with a strong 73–44 exhibition win over Western Oregon on Saturday at Gill Coliseum, led by early defensive energy and dominance inside the paint.
The Beavers wasted no time building momentum. Sophomore forward Yaak Yaak opened with a mid‑range jumper before center Johan Munch muscled in a few post scores, sparking a 17–3 start that forced a Wolves timeout.
By the end of the first half, Oregon State had converted 11 points off turnovers and nine off fast breaks, holding Western Oregon to a 25% shooting clip while building a 39–16 lead.
Yaak and Munch combined for 23 points, paving the way for a balanced Beavers offense that shot nearly 47% from the floor. Sophomore guard Josiah Lake II added seven points, seven rebounds, and five assists, blending opportunistic defense with some clutch layups and dunks in transition.
Transfer guard Keziah Ekissi contributed six points, six rebounds, and four assists as Oregon State tested its new rotations.
Head coach Wayne Tinkle said the team’s defense was the biggest positive from the exhibition.
“We did a lot of good things defensively,” Tinkle said. “We showed that we have great depth and collective effort. Offensively, we didn’t shoot it quite how we wanted, but that comes with early‑season rhythm.”
Yaak echoed his coach’s assessment, emphasizing focus and consistency.
“In practice and last week’s scrimmage, we set a level that we didn’t quite get to today,” Yaak said. “But we believe in each other; the coaches believe in us. We just have to get back to work Monday and be ready for the first game.”
Ekissi pointed to maintaining steady energy from start to finish.
“We came out really strong in the first few minutes,” he said. “We just need to stay balanced, never too high, never too low, and keep that same energy when new guys come in. We’ll keep working on it, and the staff’s helping us stay locked in.”
Both players cited the opening run as their favorite sequence of the afternoon.
“The first four minutes were my favorite,” Yaak said. “We were flying everywhere – hustling, communicating, and moving the ball. That kind of defense always brings our offense alive.”
Ekissi said those habits will be emphasized in practice this week.
“Coach keeps reminding us to stick to our principles and trust what we’ve built since the summer,” he said. “Just staying true to who we are as a team and trusting our help on defense, that’s what we want to carry over.”
Oregon State finished 47.4% from the field, 25% from three‑point range, and 66.7% from the line, while collecting 12 steals and forcing 17 turnovers. Eleven Beavers scored in the win as Tinkle cycled through rotations to gauge chemistry heading into the regular season.
The Beavers season officially opens on Nov. 3 in Gill against North Dakota State, marking the start of the men’s basketball season for the year.
