Oregon State Hangs Tough Early, But No. 6 Gonzaga Pulls Away Late in 81-61 Win
CORVALLIS - For a good chunk of Saturday night, Oregon State went toe-to-toe with one of the nation's best. In front of a packed Gill Coliseum crowd of 7,865, the Beavers gave No.
6 Gonzaga all it could handle - at least for a half. But when the Bulldogs found their rhythm in the second, they hit the gas and never looked back, pulling away for an 81-61 win that dropped Oregon State to 13-13 on the season and 6-7 in West Coast Conference play.
This wasn’t a game where the Beavers were simply outclassed from the jump. In fact, they had Gonzaga on their heels early.
After falling behind 8-7 at the first media timeout, Oregon State clamped down defensively, holding the Zags scoreless for nearly four minutes and flipping the momentum to take a 14-10 lead. The energy in the building matched the effort on the floor - gritty, determined, and full of belief.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with neither side able to create much separation. Dez White was aggressive from the start, scoring 10 points before the break and keeping the Beavers in step with Gonzaga’s high-powered offense.
With 2:30 left in the half, the game was tied at 34. But the Bulldogs closed the frame on a mini-run to take a 38-34 lead into the locker room.
Oregon State shot a crisp 54.5% in the first half, moving the ball well and making Gonzaga work on both ends. But the second half was a different story.
Gonzaga came out of the break with more urgency and quickly stretched the lead to nine. The Beavers didn’t fold - they clawed their way back to within four - but that’s when the Bulldogs showed why they’re a top-10 team. A 15-3 Gonzaga run midway through the second half broke the game open and effectively sealed the outcome.
Graham Ike was the difference-maker all night. The Gonzaga big man was nearly unstoppable, pouring in 35 points on 13-of-18 shooting. His touch around the rim and ability to finish through contact gave Oregon State fits in the paint, and once the Bulldogs started feeding him consistently, the Beavers had no answer.
Still, there were bright spots for Oregon State. Isaiah Sy led the team with 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting, showing confidence and poise in key stretches.
White finished with 12 points and six assists, continuing to be a steadying presence in the backcourt. And perhaps most encouraging was the return of Yaak Yaak, who came off the bench after missing three games and gave the Beavers a spark with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting.
Josiah Lake II chipped in eight points and pulled down a team-high four rebounds, helping Oregon State stay competitive on the glass against Gonzaga’s size.
As a team, the Beavers shot 44.2% from the field - a solid number against a Gonzaga defense that doesn’t give up many easy looks. But the Zags’ second-half surge, powered by Ike’s dominance and timely perimeter shooting, proved too much to overcome.
With the loss, Oregon State returns to .500 and now hits the road for a critical two-game swing against San Francisco and Seattle U. With conference tournament positioning on the line, the Beavers will need to regroup quickly and bring the same first-half intensity they showed against Gonzaga - but for a full 40 minutes.
If there’s one thing Saturday night proved, it’s that this Oregon State team can hang with the best. Now it’s about turning those stretches of strong play into complete performances.