Beavers Reveal 2015-16 Nonconference Slate
August 14, 2015 | Women's Basketball
CORVALLIS – Marquee matchups with Tennessee and Notre Dame highlight the Oregon State women's basketball 2015-16 non-conference schedule, which was announced by head coach Scott Rueck Friday.
The Beavers will play the return leg of their home-and-home series with Tennessee on Dec. 19, after making the trip to Knoxville last season. The contest marks the Lady Vols first trip to Corvallis since 1987. Oregon State will play Notre Dame in South Bend on Dec. 28, as the Beavers look to knock off the team that finished 2014-15 ranked second in the nation. Oregon State's only prior matchup with Notre Dame came two years ago, when the No. 2 Fighting Irish visited Gill Coliseum.
The Beavers open the year at home for the 10th consecutive season, when Longwood visits Gill Coliseum on Nov. 13. That matchup will be followed by a trip north, as the Beavers will be hosted by Portland with Oregon State looking to top the Pilots for the third-straight year.
OSU follows that up with another home contest on Nov. 22, when it plays host to UC Riverside for the first time ever.
Thanksgiving weekend will see Oregon State head to Puerto Rico for a pair of matchups in San Juan. The weekend will start with a game against Hofstra on Nov. 27, before the Beavers take on SEC foe Arkansas on Nov. 28. The Pride made the Colonial Athletic Association Championship game last season, en route to an NIT appearance. The Razorbacks made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2014-15, before being eliminated by Baylor.
The Beavers' trip to Puerto Rico will be followed by a voyage north to Milwaukee to take on Marquette. Oregon State last faced the Golden Eagles in 2000, taking a 64-50 road win.
After a 20-day absence, Oregon State returns to Gill Coliseum on Dec. 12 for a game against Idaho. Last season the Beavers hosted the Vandals for Beavers Beyond the Classroom, earning a 75-53 win in front of over 7,500 local school children. The Beavers continue the homestand with a game against Cal State Bakersfield on Dec. 15. OSU did not face the Roadrunners in 2014-15, snapping a streak of six-straight seasons with a matchup.
Following the Dec. 19 matchup with Tennessee, Oregon State will host Cal Poly in its final home game of 2015 before it hits the road to take on Notre Dame in the final non-conference game of the season.
The Pac-12 schedule will be released at a later date.
The 2014-15 season was the best in Beaver history, as Oregon State set a school record with 27 wins en route to the program's first ever Pac-12 title. Along the way Oregon State proved it could beat the nation's best teams, as it took down No. 6 North Carolina on the road, swept No. 12 Arizona State and defeated California.
The Beavers were in the national rankings throughout the season, moving as high as No. 7 before ending the season ranked 13th. Oregon State ranked in the top 25 in the country in eleven different statistical categories, including fifth in assists per game (18.6), ninth in field goal percentage (45.4) and 13th in field goal percentage defense (35.2). The historic season led to an increase in attendance, as the Beavers averaged a Pac-12 leading 4,167 fans per game, and welcomed 7,652 fans to Gill Coliseum for the Civil War on Jan. 9, the third-largest crowd in school history.
OSU brings another strong squad into the 2015-16 season, as the Beavers return four starters, and will enter the season with a core group of eight upperclassmen. The team will also welcome in an excellent signing class made up of Katie McWilliams (Salem, Ore.), Taylor Kalmer (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Tarea Green (Hillsboro, Ore.). For more information on the recruiting class, click here.
Season ticket deposits for the 2015-16 season are now being accepted. To submit your deposit, please call 800-GOBEAVS or click here.
