Beavers Headed to Southland to Face LMU

THE GAME: Oregon State will play its first game on 2025 Thursday at LMU.

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: Thursday will mark the sixth all-time meeting between Oregon State and LMU ... The Beavers have played one road game vs. the Lions, with that contest coming in the 1988-89 season ... This is the third time during Wayne Tinkle's tenure that the Beavers have opened a season 11-3 ... Should the Beavers win on Thursday, it will mark the program's best start through 15 games since it opened the 1989-90 season 13-2 ... OSU is looking to open conference play 2-0 for the first time since 2018-19 ... The Beavers are 15th in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 61.8 points per game ... OSU has held nine of its 14 opponents below 38 percent shooting from the floor, and has allowed over 65 points just four times ... Michael Rataj and Damarco Minor are both in the top three in the WCC in steals per game ... Oregon State has shot 45 percent or better from the floor 10 times this season ... Oregon State's 61.4 percent shooting from the floor was it's best mark since shooting 65.7 percent against Northwest University in 2020, and it's highest percentage against a Division I opponent since the Beavers shot 64 percent against SIUE in 2013 ... As a team, the Beavers are shooting 51.1 percent in the second half of games and 41.9 percent from 3-point range in the second half ... Oregon State's three losses this season have come by a total margin of 18 points. By contrast, Oregon State's avarage margin of victory in its 11 wins is 20.8 ... Michael Rataj is top-12 in the WCC in points per game, rebounds per game, field goal 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.

MONDAY VS. PORTLAND:

Oregon State shot 61.4 percent from the floor, its best mark since shooting 65.7 percent against Northwest University in 2020, and it's best percentage against a Division I opponent since shooting 64 percent against SIUE in 2013.
Michael Rataj set a career-high with 28 points
Five Beavers scored in double-figures for the first times since Feb. 28, 2022 vs. Washington State.

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Players Mentioned

Damarco Minor

Michael Rataj