Beavers Set to Host Dam Cancer Game Friday vs. USC

THE GAME: The No. 9/9 Oregon State women's basketball team returns home this week for a pair of matchups with the Los Angeles schools. The Beavers will open the weekend by taking on USC at 8 p.m. on Friday.

FOLLOW ALONG: Friday's game will air live on Pac-12 Oregon and Pac-12 Los Angeles, with Cindy Brunson and Maylana Martin Douglas on the call. The game will also be carried live on the Beaver Radio Network with Ron Callan. Live stats will be available at OSUBeavers.com.

DAM CANCER: Friday's game will serve as the Beavers' Dam Cancer game. Senior Sydney Wiese will be cutting her hair postgame for donation to Haircuts for Cancer. Fans wearing a Dam Cancer shirts can receive free admission to Friday's game. Dam Cancer shirts can be purchased at the Beaver Bookstore.

SERIES HISTORY: Oregon State is 26-41 all-time against USC, and 8-6 during head coach Scott Rueck's tenure. The Beavers have won six-straight matchups with the Trojans, dating back to 2014, including a 74-60 victory at the Galen Center earlier this year.

QUICK HITTERS:
- At 22-2, Oregon State currently has a better record than it did on Feb. 10 of last season, when the team was 20-3. The Beavers start to the 2016-17 campaign matches the program's best ever record through the first 24 games, tying the 2014-15 squad.
- The Beavers' 22 wins is already tied for the sixth-highest season total in program history. The school record for wins is 32, set last season, and the record for regula-season wins is 26, set in 2014-15.
- Oregon State has notched its fourth-straight 20-win season, and the 12th 20-win campaign in program history.
- Prior to this current run, OSU had not put together back-to-back 20-win years since it ran off five-straight from 1979-1984.
- OSU sits alone in first place in the Pac-12, one game ahead of Stanford and Washington.
- The Beavers are on a seven-game winning streak.
- With a win on Friday, Oregon State would clinch a first-round bye in the Pac-12 Tournament. The Beavers currently hold a five-game lead on fifth-place Arizona State with six games to play, and have the tie-breaker over the Sun Devils by virtue of OSU's head-to-head victory.
- Oregon State has not lost back-to-back games since it fell to USC and UCLA on Jan. 17 and 20 of 2014.
- Oregon State's senior class of Sydney Wiese, Gabriella Hanson, Kolbie Orum and Breanna Brown (redshirt junior) has an .820 winning percentage in their three-plus seasons with the team (105-23).
- This year's seniors are looking to become the first class in program history to make the NCAA Tournament all four years of their careers.
- The Beavers are 43-5 in Pac-12 play over the last three seasons, and 52-5 in their last 57 Pac-12 games.
- OSU is 79-11 over the course of the last three regular seasons, and 89-21 overall since the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
- Oregon State sits seventh in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 33.9 percent. That statistic has been a consistent foundation for the Beavers, who have held opponents to 33.6 percent shooting over the last three seasons.
- The Beavers commit the third-fewest fouls per game of any team in the nation, averaging 12.6.
- Oregon State has posted a better shooting percentage than its opponent in all 24 of its games this season.
- The Beavers have held opponents below 35 percent shooting in 42 of their last 62 games
- OSU has out-rebounded 22 of its 24 opponents this season, and has held the advantage on the boards in 20-straight games.
- The Beavers' freshman class is the highest rated in program history, tabbed at No. 12 in the nation.
- Oregon State has one of the tallest teams in the Pac-12, featuring nine players listed at 6-foot or above. UCLA is the only Pac-12 squad to have more 6-footers, checking in with 10.

FORTRESS GILL:
- Oregon State has a home record of 41-4 over the last three seasons.
- The Beavers have not lost back-to-back home games since falling to Washington and Washington State on Feb. 15 and 18, 2013.
- Oregon State has won 15-straight Pac-12 home games, dating back to Feb. 26, 2015 vs. Stanford.
- Opponents are shooting 32.7 percent at Gill Coliseum since the start of the 2013-14 season
- With an average of 3,683 fans per game, Oregon State currently leads the Pac-12 in attendance for the third-straight season. The Beavers are almost 600 fans per game ahead of second-place Stanford.

AT THE POLLS:
- The Beavers were projected as a two-seed, coming in at No. 7 in the NCAA Selection Committee's preliminary rankings, which were released on Monday.
- Oregon State received its highest ranking of the season in both the AP and Coaches' Polls this week, coming in at No. 9 in both rankings.
- OSU has been ranked in every coaches' poll since the end of the 2013-14 season.
- The Beavers were picked to finish fifth in the Pac-12 in both the league's coaches and media poll.
- Oregon State is No. 6 in the RPI, as of Monday, the highest RPI in the Pac-12.

SERIES VS. USC:
- Oregon State has won six-straight games vs. USC, Oregon State's longest winning streak in series history. OSU won the teams' first meeting of the year 74-60.
- Oregon State's last loss to USC came in the 2014 Pac-12 Championship game
- Kolbie Orum had one of the best games of her career the last time the two sides met, going for 16 points on 8-for-11 shooting and pulling down nine rebounds.
- Marie Gulich notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and also tallied five assists and four blocks when the Beavers played the Trojans in January.
- Oregon State shot 51.7 percent and held USC to 35.8 percent shooting in the teams' prior meeting.
- The Beavers used a 15-0 third-quarter run to take control of the teams' last meeting.

DISHIN' AND SWISHIN': Sydney Wiese Quick Hitters
- Will be looking to break the Oregon State record for career assists on Friday, as she sits just three behind record-holder Leilani Estavan. Wiese currently has 574 career helpers, good for fifth in the nation among active players.
- Wiese broke the Pac-12 career 3-pointers record on Dec. 20, passing Candice Wiggins to move into first place. Wiese is now up to 339 career longballs, making her 23rd in NCAA history.
- Wiese is second among active players in career longballs, sitting two behind Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell. Wiese and Mitchell have been trading the lead over the course of the 2016-17 season.
- Is one of 36 players in Pac-12 history to make the All-Pac-12 First Team three times. Should she make the all-conference team again this season, Wiese would become just the 13th player in conference history, and second player in Oregon State history (Tanja Kostic - 1993-96) to earn All-Pac-12 honors all four years.
- Made the Pac-12 All-Tournament and Dallas All-Region Teams last season.
- Was tabbed to the Naismith Trophy Top-30 and Dawn Staley Midseason Watch List this week.
- Has also been named to the Wade Trophy, Ann Meyer Drysdale Award and Lieberman Award Watch Lists.
- Preseason All-Pac-12 honoree for the second-straight season.
- Currently sits seventh in Oregon State history with 1,641 career points, good for 25th nationally among active players.
- Has 480 career rebounds, 443 of which have come on the defensive end
- Tallied the fourth triple-double in Oregon State history on Dec. 14, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists vs. UC Davis
- Scored 26 points, including 13 in overtime, and pulled down five rebounds in the Beavers' win over Stanford. Wiese played 47 minutes in the game.
- Has made the Pac-12 All-Academic Team the last two seasons, and hopes to begin a career in broadcasting once her playing career comes to an end.

GIFT OF GABBY: Gabriella Hanson Quick Hitters
- Is known as one of the best defenders in the conference, earning Pac-12 Defensive Honorable Mention last season.
- Has played in 105 Oregon State victories, the most by any player in OSU history
- Has played in 127 total games, closing in on Deven Hunter's Oregon State record of 135 games played
- Scored 13 points on Sunday, her highest total since Jan. 13 vs. UCLA
- Held Washington standout Kelsey Plum to 8-for-23 shooting from the floor in the Beavers' matchup with Washington.
- Is eighth in Oregon State history with 118 career 3-pointers.
- Has averaged over 20 minutes per game all four years of her career.
- Has played in 72-straight games, dating back to her sophomore campaign. Hanson has only missed one game in her career, with that coming due to injury.

VS. ARIZONA: A look at Sunday's 65-57 win over the Wildcats
- Oregon State shot 48 percent from the floor.
- Breanna Brown and Gabriella Hanson led the Beavers with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
- The Beavers never trailed in the contest.

VS. THE TOP-25: A look at Oregon State's record vs. ranked teams
- Oregon State is 4-1 vs. ranked opponents this season, with wins over No. 9 Washington, No. 10 Stanford, No. 20 California and No. 23 Arizona State.
- The Beavers have earned five wins over top-10 opponents over the last three seasons, including a victory over No. 4 Baylor in the Elite Eight last season.
- Oregon State is 11-3 in its last 14 games vs. ranked opponents.
- The Beavers have won 10 of their last 13 games vs. top-12 teams.

GREAT SCOTT: Scott Rueck Quick Hitters
- Was one of four finalists for Naismith Coach of the Year last season (Geno Auriemma - UConn, Muffet McGraw - Notre Dame, Dawn Staley - South Carolina).
- Finished second to Auriemma in the AP National Coach of the Year voting.
- Record improved to 144-78 with the Beavers' win over Arizona, and is the second-winningest coach in Oregon State history. Aki Hill holds the Oregon State wins record with 274.
- Rueck engineered an accelerated turnaround at Oregon State, bringing the program into national prominence during his six seasons as head coach.
- Prior to joining Oregon State, Rueck served as head coach at George Fox in Newburg, Ore., where he built the program into a Division III national power, winning an NCAA title in 2009.
- Graduated from Oregon State in 1991.
- Rueck's teams have consistently been known for outstanding defense. The Beavers have allowed 56.5 points per game over the course of his tenure. George Fox allowed just 48.3 points per contest in 2009-10, Rueck's final year there, and set a school record with 45.4 points allowed under Rueck in 2007-08.

GERMAN SENSATION: Marie Gulich Quick Hitters
- Has tallied five double-doubles this season, after entering the year with one
- Is sixth in the Pac-12 with 1.79 blocks per game
- Is averaging 10.5 points per game, second only to Sydney Wiese on the Beavers.
- Is among the Pac-12's top-10 in rebounds per game (8.0)
- Is the only Oregon State player to play in all 92 games over the last three seasons.
- Has played with both the German U-18 and U-20 National Teams.

PIVEC AND ROLL: Mikayla Pivec Quick Hitters
- Has earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors twice this season, tied with Sydney Wiese and Jamie Weisner for the most by an Oregon State player since the award began in 2011.
- Hit an important reverse-layup in the second overtime period of the Beavers' win over Stanford.
- Earned #Play4Kay Shootout All-Tournament honors
- Has started the last 15 games.
- Is among the Beavers top-5 players in rebounds (107), assists (56) and steals (19).
- Rueck has compared her rebounding from the guard position to Beaver great Jamie Weisner
- Highest-rated signee in Oregon State history, coming in as the No. 24 player in the nation according to ESPN.
- Max Preps National Female Athlete of the Year
- Won the Washington state-title for the javelin throw in her senior year
- Averaged 21.7 points, 14.1 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 4.1 assists in high school.

WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU: Breanna Brown Quick Hitters
- Has matched a career-high with 16 points twice in her last three games, including an 8-for-10 shooting performance Sunday vs. Arizona.
- Has posted the first three double-doubles of her career this season, including her 16-point, 13-rebound outing on Sunday. Brown's performance vs. Arizona marked the first time in her career that she tallied a double-double and did not foul out.
- Made the Maui Classic All-Tournament Team
- Has started 15-straight games, the first 15 starts of her career.
- Sits third in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage at .548
- Has scored in double-figures 12 times this season. Entering the year, Brown had only been in double-figures once.
- Has tallied four blocks in a game five times this season. Her career-high entering the year was two rejections
- Is tied for fourth in the Pac-12 with 1.83 blocks per game this season
- Won back-to-back California State championships in 2012 and 2013 as a member of Bishop O'Dowd High School (Oakland, Calif.).

OPEN ORUM: Kolbie Orum Quick Hitters
- Started the first nine games of the season
- Has 13 steals this season, after entering the season with seven steals in her first three campaigns combined.
- Has 124 rebounds this season is already surpassing her total from her first three college campaigns combined (118).
- Has 10 multi-assist games this season.
- Played for the Canadian National Team at the FIBA U17 and U16 World Championships.

KT-MAC ATTACK: Katie McWilliams Quick Hitters
- Pac-12 Freshman Honorable Mention in 2015-16.
- Is one of six Beavers, and the only OSU freshman to play in all 37 games last season.
- Went 3-for-3 from 3-point range against UConn in the Final Four.
- Started the first nine games of the season for Oregon State
- Has converted 30 2-point baskets this season, already doubling her total of 13 in 2015-16.
- Her 12 offensive rebounds this season has already surpassed her total of four in 2015-16.
- Was the highest ranked recruit in Oregon State history, prior to Mikayla Pivec joining the team in the 2016 recruiting class.
- 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.

GET SOME TUDOR-ING: Kat Tudor Quick Hitters
- Her 3-point percentage of .438 would be good for 18th in the NCAA, if Tudor had reached the NCAA threshold of two made 3-pointers per game (averaging 1.75).
- Is shooting a better percentage from 3-point range (.438) than she is from the field overall (.422)
- Joins Mikayla Pivec as the only Beaver freshmen to play in every game this season.
- Made 371 three-pointers in her high-school career
- Helped St. Mary's High School win the 2015 California state title

REMAIN KALMER: Taylor Kalmer Quick Hitters
- Has played in seven-straight games, after not seeing the floor for four-straight contests.
- Missed the first four games of the season due to injury
- Named Oregon State's Most Improved Player at the team's 2016 Awards Banquet.
- Was named a Scholar Athlete all four years of high school.

GETTING MADDIE: Madison Washington Quick Hitters
- Has played in back-to-back games, after missing four-straight games.
- Set a career-high with five points vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
- USA Today First Team All-Nevada selection
- Helped Bishop Gorman High School reach the Nevada state title game three times
- Averaged 12.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game her senior season

THROPAY AS YOU GO: Janessa Thropay Quick Hitters
- Has not played in 12-straight games.
- Sang the national anthem prior to both the men's and women's basketball games on Friday Dec. 30.
- McDonalds All-America nominee her senior season of high school
- First-Team All-California in high school
- Earned MVP honors at the All-Star Classic

ALWAYS GREENER: Tarea Green Quick Hitters
- Has not played in three-straight games.
- Scored her first career points and pulled down her first career rebound vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
- Has seen the floor in five games, after red-shirting the 2015-16 season.
- Holds Hillsboro High School records for points and rebounds in a season.
- Born in Corvallis, Ore.

Players Mentioned

Breanna Brown

Tarea Green

Gabriella Hanson

Deven Hunter

Taylor Kalmer

Katie McWilliams

Kolbie Orum

Mikayla Pivec

Janessa Thropay

Kat Tudor

Madison Washington

Jamie Weisner

Sydney Wiese

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