Oregon State Hosts Wisconsin for WBIT on Thursday

Thursday, March 19

TBD

Oregon State

Wisconsin

Photo by: Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics

March 18, 2026 | Women's Basketball

By: Athletic Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Postseason basketball returns to Gill Coliseum on Thursday when Oregon State hosts Wisconsin for the first round of the Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT).

The game is OSU's first against the Badgers, first in the WBIT and second at home against a Big Ten foe this season. The Beavs last hosted postseason basketball in 2024 when they were a no. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and knocked off Eastern Washington and Nebraska in a run to the Elite Eight.

GAME INFO – WBIT First Round
Opponent: #3 Wisconsin
Day: Thursday, March 19
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Gill Coliseum
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: Beaver Sports Radio Network
Live Stats: oregonstate.statbroadcast.com
Game Notes: Click Here

STARTING FIVE

For the 12th time in 16 years under Scott Rueck (13th, if you count the Covid year where the Beavs were Top-16), Oregon State is playing postseason basketball.
The 2025-26 season will be OSU's first appearance in the WBIT after making the NCAA Tournament in the first two years of the WBIT's existence.
The Beavers will host their second Big Ten team of the 2025-26 season when third-seeded Wisconsin comes to Gill Coliseum for the first round of the WBIT. Oregon State beat NCAA Tournament team Illinois 64-59 back in November.
Point guard Kennedie Shuler can continue her historic season after dishing out 178 assists, which ranks fourth all-time at Oregon State and is 25 off the school record.
Tiara Bolden could also reach a milestone with a few good tournament games as the senior is 58 points away from 1,000 in her Division I career.

EVERYONE CRASHES THE GLASS
Oregon State's +6.9 rebounding margin (35th nationally) is a team effort. The Beavers are 1 of 3 teams nationally who have six players (Lara Alonso, Tiara Bolden, Nene Sow, Jenna Villa, Kennedie Shuler and Lizzy Williamson) averaging at least 4.5 rebounds/game.

GET HER TO THE LINE
Jenna Villa emerged as Scott Rueck's go-to free-throw shooter in crunch time at the Maui Classic. Rueck drew up several plays to get Villa the ball in obvious fouling situations and she converted 7-of-8 free throws to seal the wins. On the year, Villa is making 88.1 percent of her freebies, 2nd in the league and 23rd in the nation. The junior also ranks 31st nationally with 140 free throw makes this season.

OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).