Six Beavs Score Double-Digits as OSU Tops Aggies
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Six Beavers scored in double-figures, as the No. 20/21 Oregon State women’s basketball team surged past Utah State by the score of 85-62 Sunday afternoon at Gill Coliseum. The victory was the Beavers’ 11th-straight home win, in a streak that dates back to Jan. 13.
Sophomore Sydney Wiese led the Beavers with 15 points and eight assists. The Phoenix, Ariz., native hit all six of her free throw attempts and did not turn the ball over in the contest. Junior Ruth Hamblin recorded her ninth career double-double, scoring 10 points to go along with 12 rebounds. She added two blocks and a steal. Fellow junior Deven Hunter scored in double-figures for the second-straight game, finishing with 14 points and seven boards.
“I think the number of options we have is the sign of a good team,” said Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck. “We were a little bit off our game, but we had people that we could go to that really provided a spark for us. As a coach, you hope for depth and I think we’re continuing to develop that. We’ve got some things to work on this week, and that’s exciting. We certainly didn’t play poorly over the weekend, but at the same time, we can continue to improve.”
Sophomore Kolbie Orum scored 14 points, including four big baskets late in the first half that helped the Beavers take control of the game. She finished the day 7-for-10 from the field, and also pulled down four rebounds. Senior Ali Gibson again filled up the stat-sheet, tallying 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Junior Jen’Von’Ta Hill scored double-digit points for the first time in her Oregon State career, knocking down five free throws on her way to 10 points.
As a team, Oregon State shot 44.8 percent from the floor (30-for-67) and out-rebounded the Aggies 44-29. The OSU bench outscored the Utah State reserves 32-17.
The teams went back and forth for the majority of the first half, as the frame featured six ties and five lead changes. The Beavers were able to create some separation in the final minutes of the period, as Oregon State ended the half on a 10-2 run to take a 45-26 lead into the break.
Orum paced the Beaver with eight points on 4-for-5 shooting in the opening frame, with all of her points coming in the final six minutes of the half.
“Kolbie really sparked us,” Rueck said. “She brought a lot of energy and I really think she was the key to the first half for us. We needed a spark and she provided it.”
Hamblin posted six points and seven rebounds in the opening 20 minutes, while Gibson and Hunter put up seven points apiece.
The Beavers picked up right where they left off in the second half, extending their lead to double figures on a Gibson three-pointer early in the closing frame. The Aggies would cut the edge to six, but the Beavers responded with a 12-2 run to stretch the advantage to 16 with 13:24 to play. Oregon State would not look back from there, as the Beavers took the win by 22 points.
The Beavers will play their third consecutive home game Saturday, when they take on Concordia at 2 p.m.
Game Notes:
- The win was Oregon State’s 11th-straight home victory, the Beavers’ longest streak since 1995-96. OSU is two wins away from tying the school record for consecutive home victories.
- The win was the Beavers’ 11th-straight regular season victory, the second-best streak in school history.
- With 12 points, Ali Gibson now has 1,013 points in her career, passing Robyn Clark to move into 16th on Oregon State’s all-time list.
- Kolbie Orum tied a career-high with seven field goals made
- Jen’Von’Ta Hill scored in double-figures for the first time in her Oregon State career.