In a tough outing at Gill Coliseum, Oregon State saw their season end with a narrow 62-58 defeat against Wisconsin, a team that hadn't tasted victory in nearly two months. Despite the loss, Tiara Bolden delivered a standout performance with 23 points, six rebounds, and four assists, keeping the Beavers in contention. However, a slow start and a crucial turnover late in the game marred her efforts.
Coach Scott Rueck reflected on the game, expressing pride in his team's resilience. "Tough loss for sure; you don’t want things to end before it has to," Rueck noted.
"I loved the fight. The game separated right before the half, then we came out in the second half and made it a game."
Wisconsin, typically known for their three-point shooting, dominated the paint with a 32-24 advantage. Freshman center Dorja Zaja was instrumental, scoring a career-high 18 points. This victory propels the Badgers to face No. 2 seed Miami next.
Destiny Howell, contributing 13 points, highlighted Wisconsin's season-long battle to reshape their basketball culture. "We’ve been resilient all year; we’ve been battling all year," she said, underscoring the team's determination to change the narrative.
Despite the loss, Rueck emphasized there was "no shame" in falling to a Big Ten team that had struggled on the road. "They were really imposing at the rim, disruptive defensively and then obviously hit timely shots," Rueck added.
Oregon State's Jenna Villa and Kennedie Shuler also made notable contributions, scoring 11 and nine points respectively. The Beavers closed the gap to 57-56 with just under three minutes left, but couldn't regain the lead.
The first quarter saw Wisconsin take a 15-10 lead, fueled by Howell's early nine points. Oregon State's offensive struggles were evident, shooting just 32.1% in the first half and committing six turnovers that led to seven Wisconsin points. Yet, they managed to stay within striking distance, trailing 31-22 at halftime.
Bolden found her rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 10 points and briefly giving the Beavers a 37-36 lead. "I let the game come to me," Bolden explained, describing how she overcame early jitters to make a significant impact.
Wisconsin's Zaja responded, scoring the final seven points of the third to give her team a 49-43 edge. The fourth quarter saw Shuler benched for a crucial stretch, and while the Beavers narrowed the gap, they couldn't overcome a series of errors without their defensive stalwart on the court.
Bolden's late jumper and three-pointer brought Oregon State within one, but a shot clock violation and a subsequent turnover allowed Wisconsin to pull away. Kyrah Daniels' three-pointer and Laci Steele's clutch jumper sealed the game for the Badgers.
Reflecting on the defensive lapse, Bolden took responsibility. "Coach Scott talks about defensive execution and I totally take fault for that," she admitted, acknowledging the challenges faced by the team.
With Bolden's college career concluding, Oregon State faces roster uncertainties but looks forward to the return of key players like Shuler and Villa. Meanwhile, Wisconsin's journey continues, fueled by a season-long commitment to perseverance and growth.
As Wisconsin coach Robin Pingeton remarked, "This group of young ladies hasn’t hit the eject button all year. When you go through adversity, there’s so many life lessons in there, but it’s easy to grow weary and they haven’t done that."