With the final seconds of the first half ticking away, the ball swished through the basket, and the arena ignited.
Oregon State forward Keziah Ekissi rose from the right wing and fired a high arcing 3-pointer as the horn sounded, sending the crowd into chaos and swinging the momentum back to the Beavers, as it gave them the lead going into the break.
That shot energized Oregon State and ultimately helped the Beavers survive a furious late push from the University of Illinois at Chicago Flames in a 76-73 win on Friday night at Gill Coliseum. The victory moved Oregon State to 2-0 to start the season.
“A lot of disappointing things” Oregon State Head Coach Wayne Tinkle said. “But this game is really heart, winning is heart, especially this early in the season.”
Oregon State opened the game scorching hot from beyond the arc, hitting its first four 3-pointers. Dez White knocked down two, while Matija Samar and Josiah Lake II each added one during the opening burst.
Behind that early shooting and aggressive rebounding, the Beavers sprinted to a 15-2 lead within the first five minutes.
UIC struggled early, committing turnovers and failing to generate consistent offense. Oregon State controlled the paint, created second chance points and forced the Flames into hurried possessions.
With just seven minutes gone, the Beavers led 20-4 and appeared in full control. Then the game flipped.
UIC found rhythm on both ends, sparked by Jayce Nathaniel and Sam Silverstein. A burst of hot shooting and defensive pressure fueled a 17-0 run, stunning the crowd and giving the Flames a 21-20 lead with just over eight minutes left.
The pace accelerated, and the teams traded baskets through the remainder of the half. Strong play from Yaak Yaak kept Oregon State afloat, while Ahmad Henderson II continued to attack for UIC.
With Oregon State holding a 39-37 lead and seconds remaining, Ekissi delivered the defining moment of the night.
Rising at the buzzer, he drilled a deep 3-pointer, lifting the Beavers to a 42-37 halftime lead and bringing the arena to its loudest roar of the night.
Oregon State owned the boards in the first half, grabbing 22 rebounds to UIC’s 13 and using that hustle to build a 14-6 advantage in second chance points.
The second half featured another extended exchange of momentum. Olavi Suutela pushed Oregon State ahead by eight early, but UIC again battled back, using defensive pressure and transition looks to take a 55-51 lead with roughly 10 minutes remaining.
From there, Oregon State turned to Lake II. The junior guard attacked the rim, drew contact, created second chance opportunities and hit a key jumper to put Oregon State up 71-68 with two minutes left.
Jorge Diaz added a layup and a clutch 3-pointer during the stretch, while the Beavers leaned on rebounding and defense to close.
With 15 seconds remaining and Oregon State ahead 74-70, UIC guard Andy Johnson buried a deep three to cut the lead to one.
Samar responded by sinking two crucial free throws to extend the lead 76-73. Henderson II raced up the court and fired a contested 3 that banked off the glass and bounced away as time expired, sealing the win.
Oregon State returns to play against North Texas on Nov. 12 back at Gill Coliseum.