Beavers Look To Stay Undefeated vs. Idaho
December 09, 2015 | Women's Basketball
THE GAME: The No. 7/7 Oregon State women's basketball team (6-0) tips off a four-game home stand Saturday, when it plays host to Idaho (7-1) at 2 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG: A live video stream will be available on OSUBeavers. com. Audio will be available on 1240 KEJO in Corvallis, on 1190 KEX in Portland and on OSUBeavers.com with Ron Callan. Live stats will also be available.
WHAT'S COMING UP: Following Saturday's game, the Beavers will return to action for their Beavers Beyond the Classroom game, which will be played at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Upwards of 7,000 local schoolchildren are expected to attend the game. Oregon State will follow that up by taking on Tennessee on Dec. 19, in a marquee matchup of national powers.
TICKETS: Tickets for every game this season are available at BeaverTickets.com or by calling 800-GOBEAVS. Thirteen home games remain on Oregon State's 2015-16 schedule, including marquee matchups against Tennessee, Stanford and Arizona State.
SERIES HISTORY: Oregon State is 2-2 all-time against Idaho, and the Beavers won last season's matchup 75-53 at Gill Coliseum. Ruth Hamblin posted a double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds) in the game, leading four OSU players in double-figures (Wiese, Weisner, Hunter).
BORN AND RAISED: Freshman Katie McWilliams will be featured at Saturday's game, as the final player in OSU's Born and Raised series, which recognized Beavers who grew up in the state of Oregon.
GREAT START:
- Oregon State has opened the season with six-straight victories, and has been rewarded in the national rankings, coming in at No. 7 in both the AP and USA Today/WBCA Coaches Polls for the third-straight week, matching the highest ranking in school history. The Beavers started the season ranked No. 9 by the coaches and No. 10 by the AP.
- The Beavers have started the season 6-0 for the second-straight season. Oregon State opened the 2014-15 campaign with 10-straight wins.
- Oregon State is one of 16 undefeated teams in NCAA Division I, and one of three in the Pac-12 (Oregon, USC).
- Oregon State has been dominant so far this season, holding the sixth-highest scoring margin in the nation at 29.3 points.
- The Beavers have controlled the glass this season, leading the nation in rebounding margin (22.0) and defensive rebounds per game (35.0).
- Oregon State has also been one of the best shooting teams in the country, hitting 50.0 percent of its field goal attempts (sixth in the nation) and 39.8 percent of its 3-point shots (11th in the NCAA)
- The Beavers have seen a big jump in their free-throw percentage early in the season, shooting 79.6 percent (second in the nation) from the charity stripe through the first six games, compared to 68.3 percent last year.
OREGON STATE QUICK HITTERS:
- The Beavers have had at least one player score 20+ points in seven of their last eight games.
- Seven OSU players are shooting over 50 percent on the season.
- Oregon State is coming off its first ever Pac-12 Conference Championship, having won the regular-season title last season.
- The Beavers were selected as a No. 3 seed in last year's NCAA Tournament and hosted the first two rounds of the tournament at Gill Coliseum. The tournament appearance was the second in as many years for Oregon State.
- Oregon State set a school record with 27 wins in 2014-15, shattering the previous record of 24. - The Beavers also notched a 16-2 mark in Pac-12 play.
- After taking on North Carolina and Tennessee in nonconference play last season, Oregon State will again face a challenging slate in 2015-16, with a schedule that features a home game against Tennessee on Dec. 19 and a road matchup with Notre Dame on Dec. 28.
- Oregon State will be in the national spotlight when it takes on Arizona State on Feb. 1, as it makes an appearance on ESPN2 as part of ESPN's Big Monday coverage. The Beavers will be one of 15 women's teams in the nation to make a Big Monday appearance this season.
FORTRESS GILL:
- Oregon State is 30-3 in its last 33 games at Gill Coliseum, dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season.
- The Beavers have not suffered a regular-season nonconference loss at home since they fell to Notre Dame on Dec. 29, 2013.
- Visiting teams have shot just 34.6 percent at Gill Coliseum since the start of the 2014-15 season, compared to a robust 47.7 percent for the Beavers.
- Oregon State led the Pac-12 in attendance with an average of 4,167 fans per game last season, 4,785 in conference play.
DISHIN' AND SWISHIN': Sydney Wiese Quick Hitters
- Is closing in on the 1,000-point mark, sitting at 984 heading into Saturday's game. Eighteen player in the history of Oregon State have reached 1,000 points, including teammate Jamie Weisner. Should Wiese reach the 1K mark this week, she will be the fourth-fastest player in Oregon State history to hit the milestone (Tanja Kostic, Carol Menken-Schaudt, Judy Shannon).
- Is tied for the team lead with an average of 8.3 rebounds per game, the second-highest total among Pac-12 guards (Jordan Adams, USC). Also sits fourth in the conference overall in defensive rebounds per game.
- Earned All-Pac-12 honors for the second consecutive season in 2014-15 and is on this year's All-Pac-12 Preseason Team
- Already sits atop the Oregon State career record book in 3-pointers made (219) and 3-point percentage (42.4).
- Is the NCAA's active career leader in 3-point percentage at 42.4.
- Is closing in on the Pac-12's top-10 list for career 3-pointers, needing 18 more to match Bonnie Samuelson (Stanford, 2012-15) for 10th. Candice Wiggins (Stanford, 2005-08)owns the conference record with 295.
- Earned Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team honors last season.
- Ended last season 13th in the nation in 3-pointers per game.
- Is 10th in Oregon State history for career assists.
SWISH SISTER: Jamie Weisner Quick Hitters
- Is shooting 59.0 percent from the floor, good for 23rd in the nation and third in the Pac-12.
- Is shooting 95.2 percent from the free-throw line, good for fourth in the nation.
- Has gone over 20 points four times this season, and has scored at least 14 points in every game.
- Is second in school history with 191 career 3-pointers, trailing only teammate Sydney Wiese.
- All-Pac-12 honors last season.
- Was All-Pac-12 honorable mention in her freshman and sophomore seasons.
- Is among the top-10 scorers in Oregon State history.
- Was one of the best rebounding guards in the conference a season ago, pulling down 6.2 boards per game.
- Earned ESPNW National Player of the Week honors in January of 2015.
- Brothers Brett (Western Washington) and Michael (Montana) both played college basketball.
CANADIAN HAMMER: Ruth Hamblin quick hitters
- Named a preseason All-American by Lindy's, Athlon and Sporting News
- Made the All-Pac-12 Preseason Team
- Is listed as Lindy's preseason pick for National Defensive Player of the Year.
- Pac-12 Media Player of the Year in 2014-15, and was the conference's consensus Defensive Player of the Year.
- AP Third-Team All-American last year.
- Set a new career-high with 17 rebounds against Marquette in the Beavers' last game.
- Has dramatically improved her free-throw shooting this season, hitting 88.9 percent (16-18) of her shots from the line after entering the year as a 56.5 percent FT shooter.
- Oregon State's all-time leader in career blocks with 314, and needs seven more to pass Lisa Leslie (USC, 1991-94) for second on the Pac-12's all-time list.
- Hamblin is the NCAA's active leader in career blocks, leading Breanna Stewart (306).
- Is averaging over four blocks per game over her last 12 games.
- Hamblin currently sits at 945 career points and will look to become the 19th/20th player in Oregon State history to surpass the 1,000 career point mark this year.
- Earned Second-Team Academic All-America honors last year, posting a 3.86 GPA as a Mechanical Engineering major.
- She was affectionately dubbed “The Canadian Hammer” by former Oregon State men's basketball standout Joe Burton during her freshman season.
- Hamblin is said to have “turned the corner” midway through her sophomore season. After scoring in double figures four times in her first 39 collegiate games, Hamblin has reached double-digits 42 times in her last 62 games, including five 20-point performances.
THE HUNTER GAMES: Deven Hunter Quick Hitters
- Has started 73 consecutive games dating back to her freshman season.
- Is sixth in school history with 722 career rebounds.
- Finished 2014-15 second on the team with 95 assists, the highest total of any non-guard in the Pac-12.
- Has at least one assist in 22 of her last 23, and 56 of her last 58 games.
- Has earned Pac-12 Academic Honorable Mention the last two seasons.
- Hunter's father Bert played nine seasons of minor-league baseball, including two at the AAA level.
- Has made trips to the Dominican Republic the last two summers as part of Beavers WIthout Borders.
THE GIFT OF GABBY: Gabriella Hanson Quick Hitters
- Is second on the team with 16 assists and leads the Beavers with six steals.
- Made her first career start in the season-opener after serving as the team's “sixth man” last year.
- Is ninth in Oregon State history with a career 3-point percentage of 33.6.
- Was a Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention last season.
GERMAN SENSATION: Marie Gulich Quick Hitters
- Notched her first career double-double against Portland on Nov. 16, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in just 14 minutes of playing time.
- Pac-12 Freshman Honorable Mention last season.
- Played the best game of her freshman year at Oregon, scoring 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting, including a pair of impressive 3-point plays.
- Has played with both the German U-18 and U-20 National Teams.
I AM SAM: Samantha Siegner Quick Hitters
- Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team selection the last two seasons.
- Hit a critical basket against Arizona State last season, knocking down a 12-footer as the shot-clock expired with 30 seconds remaining in the game.
- Played alongside Deven Hunter with Oregon Elite Basketball Club.
- Was a McDonalds All-America nominee in high school.
- Part of an athletic family, father played football at Linfield; grandfather, Ed Vetter, played baseball at Oregon; and uncle, Mitch Siegner, played football at Oregon.
GOLD ORUM: Kolbie Orum Quick Hitters
- Has converted 10 of her 17 shot attempts so far this season.
- Scored 10 points in the season-opener against Longwood.
- Recorded back-to-back double-digit scoring games against Utah State and Corban last season.
QUEEN OF THE HILL: Jen'Von'Ta Hill Quick Hitters
- Has missed the last five games with a toe injury
- Has a record of 103-7 over the course of her collegiate career, going 70-2 in two seasons at Hutchinson Community College and 33-5 in her time wtih the Beavers.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU: Breanna Brown Quick Hitters
- Set a career-high with 12 points against Portland on Nov. 16, hitting four of her five field-goal attempts. Overall, Brown is shooting 70.0 percent (7-for-10) on the season.
- Made her return to the Oregon State lineup this season after redshirting the 2014-15 season.
- Finished 11th in the Pac-12 in blocks per-game (0.93) in her freshman campaign, despite averaging just eight minutes per contest.
- Shot 51.8 percent in her freshman year.
- Won back-to-back California State championships in 2012 and 2013 as a member of Bishop O'Dowd High School (Oakland, Calif.).
KT-MAC ATTACK: Katie McWilliams Quick Hitters
- Knocked down her first career shot attempt, hitting a 3-pointer less than 30 seconds after stepping onto the floor in her collegiate debut.
- Scored a career-high eight points against Hofstra on Friday, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the contest.
- Six of her eight baskets this season have come from 3-point range.
- Earned numerous awards in the state of Oregon during her high school career, including: two All-State honors, Oregon Live Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Oregon Sports Award for Best Prep Basketball Player and Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year.
- Made the honor roll all four years of high school.
- Earned a five-star rating while at South Salem High School.
STAY KALMER: Taylor Kalmer Quick Hitters
- Scored seven points on 3-for-8 shooting in her collegiate debut.
- Averaged 18.7 points per game in her senior season at Corona del Sol High School.
McDonalds All-America nominee
ALWAYS GREENER: Tarea Green Quick Hitters
- Redshirting in 2015-16
- Holds Hillsboro High School records for points and rebounds in a season.
Born in Corvallis, Ore.
CAPTAINING THE SHIP: Scott Rueck Quick Hitters
- Consensus Pac-12 Coach of the Year last season, after leading the Beavers to their first ever Pac-12 title.
- Earned WBCA Region 8 Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year last season.
- Has earned Pac-12 Media Coach of the Year honors three times in his five seasons as head coach.
- Is already the third-winningest coach in school history, and sits just four wins short of 100 in his Oregon State career.
- Has been the architect of an accelerated turnaround in the OSU women's basketball program, bringing the team to national prominence in just five years.
- Has led the Beavers to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, the schools first since 1996.
- Prior to joining the Oregon State program in 2010, Rueck built George Fox University women's basketball into a national power at the Division III level, leading the Bruins to a national title in 2009 with a perfect 32-0 record. In his 14 years at George Fox, Rueck's teams went 288-88, won seven conference titles and made three Elite-Eight appearances.
- Was inducted into the George Fox Hall of Fame in 2010.
- Graduated from Oregon State in 1991.
THE STAFF: Oregon State Assistant Coaches and Support Staff Quick Hitters
- Assistant Coach Jonas Chatterton enters his second season with the Beavers after spending four seasons at Colorado.
- Assistant Coach Mandy Close led the Beavers to three postseason appearances as a player from 2003-06. Close converted one of the most notable shots in Oregon State history, going coast-to-coast to hit the game-winning layup in the 2006 Civil War.
- Assistant Coach Eric Ely played internationally in France and Brazil, earning all-star status in Brazil in 1984 and 1985.
- Director of Operations Sharon Rissmiller joins the Beavers this season, after spending the last seven seasons as head coach at Pacific (Ore.).
- Director of Player Personnel Liz Clark played under Rueck at George Fox from 2001-05. Clark captained the 2005 Bruins team to an NCAA Division III Elite Eight appearance in 2005, and, along with Rueck, was part of the 2004-05 squad that was inducted into the George Fox Hall of Fame this summer.
ITALIAN SUMMER:
- Oregon State took part in an international tour of Italy this summer, heading to Europe to enjoy the history of the nation, while also getting the opportunity to play four games against Italian opposition.
- The Beavers went 4-0 in their games in Italy, recording wins over Civitanova Marche Basket, AD Basket Femminile Le Mura, Umana Reyer Venezia and Eldelweiss Fassi Albino.
- Over the course of the trip, the Beavers also got enjoy numerous once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including touring the Roman Colosseum, visiting the Vatican, viewing the Statue of David and spending an afternoon on scenic Lake Como.
- For an in-depth look at the Beavers' overseas trip, visit the Italy Central tab on the women's basketball page of OSUBeavers.com.
BEAVERS AROUND THE GLOBE: Oregon State on the International Stage
- Coach Rueck was part of the coaching staff for Team USA at this summer's Pan-American Games in Toronto. Rueck helped the Red, White and Blue win silver.
- With Team USA, Rueck coached Pac-12 players Sophie Brunner (Arizona State) and Kelsey Plum (Washington).
- Sydney Wiese made her Team USA debut this summer, earning a spot on the roster for the World University Games.
- Wiese's best international performance to date came against Japan in the quarterfinal round, when she went 5-for-6 and scored 13 points.
- Ruth Hamblin joined Wiese at the World University Games, earning a spot on the roster for Team Canada.
- Hamblin's best game of the event came against Russia in the semifinals, when she finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
- Wiese and Hamblin went head-to-head in the WUG Championship Game, with Wiese and Team USA taking the gold.
- Jamie Weisner played exhibition games in Spain with the Canadian Senior Women's National Team in 2015. She was also a member of the Development National Team that played six exhibition games in China averaging 20 minutes and 12.4 points per game.
