Why Oregon State's 97-89 Win Over Gonzaga Meant So Much To Beaver Nation

Tyler Rice, the same young man who went viral for ripping off his shirt and hugging Beavers head football coach Trent Bray when Oregon State fans rushed the field after defeating Colorado State in overtime at Reser Stadium last fall, had his shirt off once more Thursday night in Corvallis.

The students flooded the floor at Gill Coliseum (which resulted in a fine of $5,000), and Tyler was among them, shirtless, hooping, and hollering. It was the perfect encapsulation of pure bliss and joy for Beavers fans across the state, who have had to endure the lows of being a college sports fan for a few years now.

Me and the homies doing some charity work https://t.co/KUDS6wnLRC pic.twitter.com/ADlI0ExTM0
— BrayHugz (@TyKRice) January 18, 2025

The Beavers men's basketball program is only a few years removed from their worst season, since 1901 (3-38 in 2021-2022). Morale was low. Wayne Tinkle’s job wasn’t necessarily in jeopardy at the time due to his buyout amount being rather high, but questions were starting to be asked in and around Corvallis about the future of the program. Those concerns were quelled Thursday night in Corvallis after a 97-89 victory for Oregon State over a blue-chip program in Gonzaga.

Wayne Tinkle needed this win, but maybe Beavers fans needed it more.

The dissolution of the Pac-12 still fresh in so many minds, the 3-28 season, OSU baseball coming so close yet so far last year, and Jonathan Smith leaving his clothes at a Corvallis Goodwill on his way out of town....It had been a brutal few years for Beavers fans. However, none of that mattered Thursday night. Thursday night was a statement made by Wayne Tinkle’s program: While the conference they play in might not be their first choice, they have the ingredients to cook up a March Madness run.

What are those ingredients, you may ask? Michael Rataj is certainly a main one.

The young man could have left Corvallis last year in search of a new home. Averaging eight points and five rebounds a game last season was enough for Rataj to carve out a nice role off the bench at a Power Four school, but he stayed. Rataj is now averaging career highs in PPG (17.2), steals (2.1), rebounds (8.4), and free throw percentage (81.1). As the fans stormed the court, Rataj, while being interviewed, commented on some of the games the Beavers had dropped the weeks prior. He also expressed how special it was to celebrate with the students and the fans.

As the interview was winding down, Rataj was hugged by a shirtless man, similar to Trent Bray at Reser Stadium. It was Tyler Rice, giving Rataj a hug that felt was from all of Beaver Nation, thanking him for staying and for his performance in overtime against Gonzaga.

What an interview 😂 @BeaverMBB @emily_proud caught up with Michael Rataj after Oregon State's upset win over No. 16 Gonzaga. pic.twitter.com/TLVIsfctbi
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 17, 2025

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