The Oregon State Beavers defeated the No. 24 Arizona Wildcats on Sunday, Jan. 12 by a score of 82-65.

The Wildcats came into this game winning 14 of the previous 15 games against the Beavers, including the past seven in a row. 

The Oregon State Beavers began the game connecting from deep early on, forcing the Arizona Wildcats to call a timeout within the first three minutes after a 11-6 start. Oregon State senior forward Tres Tinkle lead the Beaver’s offensive punch early on, scoring six quick points. 

The Wildcats were able to gain momentum through numerous offensive rebounds that lead to second-chance points. Regardless of their less than mediocre shooting from distance, Arizona kept the game close by attacking the rim and drawing fouls. Arizona finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds and 23 free throw attempts. 

Despite the strong start from Oregon State, Arizona was able to match this scoring throughout the first half, leading to a tie at 31 at the end of the first. Arizona freshman forward Zeke Nnaji led the Wildcats at the half with nine points. Although Tinkle started with quick points, he scored nine on for 2-7 shooting at the half. 

The shooting slump did not last for Tinkle as he was able to score 11 points in the second half while shooting over 66% and finished the game with 20 points. The Beavers were able to keep their shooting consistent from three-point range throughout the game, converting on 44% of their attempts. 

During the second half, Oregon State also remained defensively consistent. Shooting only 5-17 from the three-point and under 80% from the free throw line, the Wildcats were not able to keep up with the Beavers’ second half offense. 

The Beavers were able to execute a balanced offensive attack paired with their substantial three-point efficiency. Oregon State connected on 54% of their two-point field goals and converted 90% of their free throws as a team. 

With 5 minutes remaining, Oregon State junior forward Ethan Thompson spun into the paint before passing it off to senior forward Kylor Kelley who dunked while being fouled. The Beavers never looked back after that, increasing their lead by up to 20 points. 

The Beavers made history by knocking off a top 25 team for the first time in almost five years. Tres Tinkle also made history, becoming the third all-time scorer in Oregon State history by passing up Mel Counts.

Oregon State will return home to Gill Coliseum on Jan. 23 to face off against UCLA at 8 p.m.