Oregon State's Season Ends With Loss To Gonzaga in WCC Semis
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Gonzaga never trailed Monday night en route to their win over Oregon State that officially brought the Wayne Tinkle era of Beaver basketball, and OSU's time in the WCC, to an end.
The Bulldogs ended up on top in the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinal by a final margin of 65-56.
Gonzaga's Graham Ike did the bulk of his team's scoring with 24 points, in addition to 11 rebounds, plus an assist and a block.
For the Beavers, Jorge Diaz Graham led the way on both sides of the ball. The Canary Islands native totaled 15 points with nine rebounds, four blocks, and a steal. Diaz Graham also notable made three three-pointers over the course of the night.
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In the first half, Oregon State did not see their first points until after the first five minutes of clock had elapsed. Gonzaga started on a 6-0 tear to set the tone for the rest of the contest. The speed of Mark Few's squad was on display, as Gonzaga scored 16 points off of fast breaks, compared to zero by the Beavers. The Bulldogs led by 14 at the break, 38-24.
The Beavers' guards were mostly non-factors in the second half, with Josiah Lake II and Dez White both being held scoreless. That left the post players to do the majority of the work. Noah Amenhauser dropped in nine point, along with ten from Diaz Graham. Oregon State ended the game on a 7-0 run in an attempt to the close the gap, outscoring Gonzaga for the second half, but it wasn't enough after a brutal first half.
Oregon State's season will end with an overall record of 17-16. Further postseason basketball in one of the alternative tournaments is highly unlikely given the record and Oregon State's time of transition, which will likely include more roster turnover. The Division I men's basketball transfer portal opens on April 7, 2026 and lasts for 15 days.
Tinkle wraps his time as a Beaver with 177 wins, third in program history. Scott Barnes is in the midst of a national search to find the one who could replace him after more than a decade at the helm.
On Tuesday night, Gonzaga will face the winner of a matchup between Saint Mary's and Santa Clara to determine the WCC champion.
Oregon State and Gonzaga will resume competition in 2026 as members of the Pac-12 Conference.
Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.
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