As conference play is underway in college basketball, one of the most underrated teams in the country also plays with the strongest competition. The Oregon State Beavers are coming off an injury riddled season, but they've proven at full strength they are a tough team for anyone to play against. Led by Head Coach Scott Rueck, the Beavs made a final four appearance in 2016, and will look to enter the dance for the first time since 2021.
The Beavs post game is one of their strong points due to the play of Reagan Beers (RAY-GUN Beers). The sophomore is the leading scorer for the Beavs this season averaging 17.7 points, to go along with 10.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Her post presence is frustrating for any defender, especially when they try to box her out for rebounds. Her 10.4 rebounds per game is fourth best in the Conference and it gives Oregon State many chances in transition. She was recognized for her play by the conference after recently winning Pac-12 Player Of The Week, which goes to the most outstanding player in the conference in a given week. Talia Von Oelhoffen (TALL-E-UH Von Ol-Hoffen) is the "do-it-all" point guard for the Beavs. She averages 10.9 points per game, which is third on the team, and leads in assists averaging 5.5. The junior shoots the ball extremely well for OSU with shooting splits of 40.2/31.7/87.8%. Von Oelhoffen missed the Pac-12 Tournament last season with a season-ending injury, so provided she stays healthy, she'll be a key piece in their quest for an NCAA Tournament run. Beers and Von Oelhoffen are the corner stones for this team, and they're starting to become one of the best duo's in the conference.
Outside of the dynamic duo, the Beavs win through "team basketball". On any given night a different player will emerge as the third scorer, which means OSU finds different ways to win. They currently rank third in the conference in three-point percentage at 35.6% which means they can shoot the lights out of any building. The Beavs also rank third in the conference in rebounding, grabbing 44.0 rebounds per game. That's a big credit to Beers, but having a player like Timea Gardiner also helps your cause. Gardiner has emerged as the second best scorer averaging 11.2 points, while grabbing 6.7 rebounds per game, the second-most behind Beers. The sophomore also has shooting splits of 42.2/36.6/ 81.8% this season. She has become a real X-Factor which could serve the Beavs well in the NCAA Tournament. One freshman who has certainly looked like a star early in her college career is Donovyn Hunter (Don-oh-VIN). She is currently averaging 6.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game. Hunter has quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff, as she averages 27.5 minutes per game, good for second-most on the team.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Beavs give up the third lowest points. They only allow 59.8 points per game which means you're entering a defensive battle with them every time. These stats show just how good Oregon State is, and how dangerous they can be. They compete against the best competition in their conference alone, stringing up a 12-6 conference record.
The women's basketball team in Corvallis, Oregon is one of the remaining teams in the Pac-12 after the season, but they are still among the best and underrated in a stacked conference. They already have the eyes of the country on them after winning ESPN's "Team Of The Week" on Christmas Day. Even though the Beavs are a top-15 ranked team, they could still make another Cinderella-type run in the NCAA tournament if they are counted out.
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