Beavers to Face Wolves on Sunday

The Game: Oregon State hosts an exhibition game on Sunday, as it faces Western Oregon at 2 p.m. at Gill Coliseum. Live stats are available here.

TICKETS: Tickets for Sunday’s exhibition are just $5, and can be purchased at BeaverTickets.com. Season tickets are still available for $99 reserved and $64 general admission.

INTO THE RANKINGS: The Beavers are ranked in both of the major national rankings heading into the 2014-15 campaign. Oregon State came in at No. 20 in the AP Poll, the program’s first ever preseason ranking, and its first ranking from the AP since 1996. The Beavers were picked 21st in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll, after ending the 2013-14 campaign ranked 25th. The coaches’ poll ranking is Oregon State’s highest since 1996. The Beavers also made an appearance in the ESPNW Top-25, taking the 19th spot.

WHAT COMES BACK: Oregon State returns 95 percent of its scoring and 96 percent of its rebounds, from a squad that went 24-11 last season. The Beavers also bring back all five starters (Ali Gibson, Ruth Hamblin, Jamie Weisner, Deven Hunter, Sydney Wiese) for the first time since the 2003-04.

WHAT’S NEW: The Beavers bring a trio of new faces into the upcoming season. Junior transfer Jen’Von’Ta Hill comes to Oregon State from Huthinson Community College where she recorded 322 assists last season. Freshman Marie Gülich has extensive experience in the German national system, while fellow first-year Alex Kalmbach played in three California State Championship games in her time at Bishop O’Dowd High School.

THE SCHEDULE AHEAD: Oregon State will face a challenging slate in the upcoming season. The Beavers are scheduled to play five teams ranked in the preseason top-25, as well as four teams that are receiving votes. Oregon State’s nonconference schedule is highlighted by trips to No. 13/13 North Carolina (Dec. 16) and No. 4/4 Tennessee (Dec. 28). The Beavers will open the 2014-15 season by taking on Portland on Nov. 14. Pac-12 play begins at UCLA on Jan. 3.

MILESTONES ON THE HORIZON: Senior Ali Gibson will look to move into an elite group of Oregon State players early in the season. Gibson is just 15 points away from becoming the 17th player in Beaver history to reach the 1,000 point mark, and the first since 2010. Junior Jamie Weisner is also poised to break the 1,000 point barrier at some point this year, as she comes into the year with 715.

NEW NUMBER, SAME WIESE: Sophomore Sydney Wiese switches from No. 21 to No. 24 this season, taking over the number previously worn by 2013-14 senior Alyssa Martin. Even with the new jersey, Wiese will look to continue building on an outstanding freshman campaign that saw her set a school record with 112 three-pointers. The total is also a Pac-12 freshman record and is second in conference history. Wiese averaged 14.3 points per game last season, making her the fifth freshman in Oregon State history to lead the team in scoring. The Phoenix, Ariz., native also set an OSU freshman record with 141 assists. For her efforts, Wiese was named All-Pac-12 (Coaches and Media), Pac-12 All-Freshman, Pac-12 All-Tournament and Full Court Freshman Second Team All-America.

HAMMER TIME: Junior Ruth Hamblin provided an outstanding interior presence for the Beavers last season, and will aim to do the same this year. Hamblin, who was nicknamed the “Canadian Hammer” by former Oregon State men’s basketball player Joe Burton, set a Pac-12 single-season record for blocks with 141 last season. She also provided scoring from the post, leading the conference with a 67.8 field goal percentage in league play. Hamblin pulled down 299 rebounds in 2013-14 (fourth in school history) and posted the Beavers’ first triple-double in over 30 years by putting up 23 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks against Oregon on Jan. 13. The Hammer earned All-Pac-12 (Media) and All-Pac-12 Defensive Team (Media and Coaches) honors for her efforts.

WEISNER WITH THE POINTS: Junior guard Jamie Weisner has proven to be one of the Pac-12’s elite scorers in her time at Oregon State. Weisner is ninth in Beaver history with 103 career three-pointers, and has been named an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention the last two seasons. She is currently OSU’s all-time leader in career three-point percentage (.386).

RUECK BUILDS SUCCESS: Head coach Scott Rueck has engineered an impressive turnaround in the Oregon State women’s basketball program, helping the Beavers match a school record with 24 wins last season. Since returning to his alma-mater in 2010, Rueck has been named Pac-12 Coach of the Year (Media) twice (2012 and 2014) and was the WBCA Region 8 Coach of the Year last season. For his efforts, Rueck received a two-year contract extension in October, keeping him at Oregon State through the 2019-20 season.

BEAVERS ON THE MAGIC BOX: Oregon State will have 19 televised games this season, the highest total in school history. All 18 of the Beavers’ conference games will be carried on Pac-12 Networks, and OSU’s matchup with Tennessee will be shown on the SEC Network.