How to Watch Illinois Women's Basketball vs. Oregon State (Game 3)

The Illinois women's basketball team will line up against its first real measuring stick of the young season Friday night when it travels west to take on Oregon State. After getting through its opening two games unscathed, the Illini get a chance to see how they stack up against another NCAA Tournament team that is off to a strong start in 2025–26.

This matchup represents a significant step up in competition for the Illini (2-0). The Beavers (2-0) return much of the core that powered them to a postseason run last spring, including a balanced frontcourt and a disciplined defense that forces teams to execute deep into the shot clock. Illinois will need to match Oregon State’s physicality inside while maintaining the pace-and-space style that has defined its early-season success.

Always looking to put our teammates in positions to be successful 👀⬆️ pic.twitter.com/JsCOek24fb
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) November 12, 2025

For the Illini, this game is about next steps – chiefly, growing into the kind of club that can compete with tournament-caliber programs on the road. Sophomore Berry Wallace has been the team's breakout star thus far, averaging more than 20 points per game through two games, while veterans Gretchen Dolan and Jasmine Brown-Hagger continue to provide shot creation and stability in the backcourt. But the Illini’s depth will be tested more than ever, especially inside against a Beavers squad that thrives on rebounding and execution.

A win in Corvallis would mark another milestone for a program on the rise. Coach Shauna Green has built Illinois into a team that expects to win. Now the challenge becomes making it happen against a quality team in a tough road environment.

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Oregon State Beavers

Who: Illinois Fighting Illini women (2-0) vs. Oregon State Beavers (2-0)
What: Non-conference matchup
When: Friday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. CT
Where: Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Oregon
TV/streaming: ESPN +
Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
Last season: Illinois went 22-10 overall and finished fifth out of 18 teams in the Big Ten with an 11-7 conference record in coach Shauna Green's third season in Champaign. The Illini won their first-round NCAA Tournament game – the program's first in 25 years – after winning the inaugural 2024 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) a year earlier. Oregon State was 19-16 last season and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Series history: Illinois is 2-0 against the Beavers, with the Illini most recently winning 85-66 in Champaign in 2024.

What to know about Oregon State

The Beavers enter Friday’s matchup at 2–0 and have yet to be seriously challenged this season. They will be eager to avenge last year’s loss in Champaign and are once again projected to be among the best clubs in their league, picked to win the West Coast Conference in the preseason poll. With a veteran roster loaded with experience and depth, Oregon State appears to be every bit a team destined for another NCAA Tournament berth.

Deep in her bag 🎒 pic.twitter.com/gAeHxV8cih
— Oregon State WBB (@BeaverWBB) November 11, 2025

The engine behind the Beavers' strong start has been standout guard Tiara Bolden, who is averaging 18.0 points per game while shooting an efficient 50.0 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc. She’s the type of dynamic scorer who can take over a game if given space and allowed to find her rhythm. For Illinois to pull off the road win, containing Bolden – and disrupting the offensive flow around her – will be crucial.