Oregon State
Pacific
Beavers Headed to Central Valley to Take on Pacific
January 10, 2025 | Men's Basketball
THE GAME: Oregon State will head to the Central Valley Saturday to take on Pacific.
TELEVISION: The game will be televised on ESPN+
RADIO: The game will air live on Beaver Sports Radio Network with Mike Parker calling the action.
LIVE STATS: Live stats will be available at this link
QUICKLY: Saturday will mark the fourth ever meeting between Oregon State and Pacific, and the first since the 1994-95 season ... Oregon State is 12-5 through 17 games for the third time during head coach Wayne Tinkle's tenure (also hit that mark in 2019-20 and 2014-15) ... The Beavers played their second overtime of the season on Thursday, and their sixth overtime contest over the last two seasons ... The Beavers are 24th in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 63.7 points per game ... Oregon State is on pace for it's best season in defensive points per game since the 2014-15 team allowed 59.2 points per contest ... OSU has held 10 of its 17 opponents below 38 percent shooting from the floor, and has allowed over 65 points just six times ... The Beavers have held their last two opponents to a combined 13-for-49 shooting from 3-point range ... Michael Rataj and Damarco Minor are both in the top five in the WCC in steals per game ... Oregon State has shot 45 percent or better from the floor 11 times this season ... Oregon State's average margin of victory in its 12 wins is 21.3 ... Three of the Beavers' losses this year (Oregon, North Texas and Santa Clara) were decided by three points or fewer ... Michael Rataj is top-13 in the WCC in points per game, rebounds per game, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, blocks per game and steals per game
THE TEAM: Here are some quick-hitters about the 2024-25 Oregon State men's basketball team:
- The Beavers' team features nine international players, representing eight different countries (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Lithuania, Turkey, United Kingdom). Counting the USA, Oregon State's nine nations represented is the second most of any Division I men's basketball team trailing only UT Martin with 12.
- The Oregon State men's basketball squad is one of 10 OSU programs slated to compete in the West Coast Conference beginning in the fall of 2024 as part of the two-year conference affiliation agreement announced on Dec. 22.
- The 2024-25 WCC schedule will see the Beavers face some foes they have not often seen during their history. The following is Oregon State's total games played against each WCC opponent (excluding Washington State) along with the last season the two teams met. Portland - 71 meetings, last in 2020-21; Gonzaga - 27 meetings, last in 1991-92; Santa Clara - 10 meetings, last in 1997-98; San Francisco - 10 meetings, last in 1968-69; Pepperdine - 5 meetings, last in 2018-19; LMU - 5 meetings, last in 2017-18; Saint Mary's 4 meetings, last in 1968-69; San Diego - 3 meetings, last in 2012-13; Pacific - 3 meetings, last in 1994-95.
- The Oregon State men's basketball program received a $1.5 million endowment from Joth Ricci and his family, part of a $3 million gift to the Beavers' men's and women's basketball programs. Ricci, known for leadership roles with Dutch Bros, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Adelsheim Vineyards, Jones Soda and, most recently, Burgerville, is a 1990 Oregon State graduate now serving as executive in residence for the College of Business.
THURSDAY AT SANTA CLARA:
- Michael Rataj recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds
- Oregon State overcame a 12-point deficit with less than 10 minutes left to force overtime
- The Beavers led by four with under 90 seconds remaining in the overtime period.
