Friday, November 14
Corvallis, Ore.
6 PM
Oregon State
3-0,0-0WCC
64
vs
59
Illinois
2-1,0-0Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Illinois
18
10
13
18
59
Oregon St.
16
13
14
21
64
Photo by: Jordan Tsugawa/OSU Athletics
Bolden’s Big Game Keys B1G Win
November 14, 2025 | Women's Basketball
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Nearly five years ago on signing day, Tiara Bolden was the small guard from Eugene who with no Division I offers. On Friday night in Gill Coliseum she was unstoppable.
Five years after taking the junior college route and a year and a half after transferring back home to play in front of family and for a program that believed in her, Bolden led Oregon State to a 64-59 win over Illinois.
The senior scored a career-high 25 points including 18 in the second half and 12 in the fourth quarter. She made 9-of-13 shots from the field and her 20,000-shot summer continued to pay dividends with a 2-for-4 day from three.
"I honestly had nothing running on in my brain. I was just thinking 'do what the coaches need me to do' and 'execute.'" Bolden said. "When we all locked in as a team and executed our plays that made a huge impact.
Bolden's offensive efforts were aided by four players who scored between eight and 10 points: Lizzy Williamson (10), Jenna Villa (9), Lara Alonso-Basurto (9) and Kennedie Shuler (8). Williamson also pulled down five rebounds and added two steals.
Susana Yepes was the unsung hero Friday. The redshirt senior - another former junior college player – led the team in plus-minus at +15 and dished out four assists. Yepes played an integral part in an 11-0 first-half run.
"That was what we all signed up to be a part of. A great basketball game with two tough teams early in the season," head coach Scott Rueck said. "It took everything we had tonight to find a way."
The Beavs held Illinois to 33.9 percent shooting from the floor and the defensive effort proved crucial as the Illini outrebounded the Beavs 31-30. OSU won for the 24th time in Rueck's 16 years with the program while being outrebounded.
Oregon State shot better than 50 percent from the floor for the second straight game, making 25-of-48 (52.1 percent) and 4-of-10 triples. The Beavs made 8-of-12 (83%) free throws.
OSU returns to action on Tuesday at 11 a.m. against Utah State. The annual Beavers Beyond the Classroom game is open only to season ticket holders and students, with 1,000 spots made available to join more than 7,500 participants from local schools.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
Five years after taking the junior college route and a year and a half after transferring back home to play in front of family and for a program that believed in her, Bolden led Oregon State to a 64-59 win over Illinois.
The senior scored a career-high 25 points including 18 in the second half and 12 in the fourth quarter. She made 9-of-13 shots from the field and her 20,000-shot summer continued to pay dividends with a 2-for-4 day from three.
"I honestly had nothing running on in my brain. I was just thinking 'do what the coaches need me to do' and 'execute.'" Bolden said. "When we all locked in as a team and executed our plays that made a huge impact.
Bolden's offensive efforts were aided by four players who scored between eight and 10 points: Lizzy Williamson (10), Jenna Villa (9), Lara Alonso-Basurto (9) and Kennedie Shuler (8). Williamson also pulled down five rebounds and added two steals.
Susana Yepes was the unsung hero Friday. The redshirt senior - another former junior college player – led the team in plus-minus at +15 and dished out four assists. Yepes played an integral part in an 11-0 first-half run.
"That was what we all signed up to be a part of. A great basketball game with two tough teams early in the season," head coach Scott Rueck said. "It took everything we had tonight to find a way."
The Beavs held Illinois to 33.9 percent shooting from the floor and the defensive effort proved crucial as the Illini outrebounded the Beavs 31-30. OSU won for the 24th time in Rueck's 16 years with the program while being outrebounded.
Oregon State shot better than 50 percent from the floor for the second straight game, making 25-of-48 (52.1 percent) and 4-of-10 triples. The Beavs made 8-of-12 (83%) free throws.
OSU returns to action on Tuesday at 11 a.m. against Utah State. The annual Beavers Beyond the Classroom game is open only to season ticket holders and students, with 1,000 spots made available to join more than 7,500 participants from local schools.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
Team Stats
Illini
OSU
FG%
.339
.521
3FG%
.421
.400
FT%
.688
.833
RB
31
30
TO
11
11
STL
4
7
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballGuard
/ Women's BasketballForward
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballOregon State WBB Highlights vs Illinois
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Scott Rueck, Lizzy Williamson, Tiara Bolden | WBB Postgame Press Conference vs. Illinois
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Tuesday, November 11
Oregon State WBB Highlights vs. Corban
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