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CORVALLIS – Some of the top players in the world will be on display at Gill Coliseum Nov. 4, when Team USA faces the Oregon State women’s basketball team in an exhibition matchup. The contest will be part of an exhibition tour for the Stars and Stripes, that pits Team USA against some of the top national powers in college basketball.
“We are honored and excited to host Team USA in an exhibition game that will bring some of the best basketball players to ever play the game to Gill Coliseum,” said Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck. “It will be an awesome opportunity for our players and our program to compete against the best team in the world, and is guaranteed to be a night those in attendance will never forget.”
Season ticket holders will have access to presale tickets until Friday, Oct. 11, with tickets going on sale to the public on Monday, Oct. 14. Tickets will range from $10-$17 and will be available at BeaverTickets.com or by calling 541-737-4455.
Team USA will play four exhibitions against NCAA foes prior to the start of the 2019-20 regular season. The US has won six-straight Olympic Gold Medals, as well as the last three FIBA World Cups. Overall the Stars and Stripes has won gold at 17 major tournaments, including the 1984 Olympics, which featured Beaver legend Carol Menken-Schaudt.
Additionally, current Beavers Mikayla Pivec, Destiny Slocum and Aleah Goodman have all represented the United States at different stages of their careers, and Rueck was an assistant coach for the USA at the 2015 Pan-American Games.
As part of its expanded women’s national team program, USA Basketball has secured commitments from eight elite athletes from the 2019-20 USA National Team pool to participate in the team’s five training segments that will take place between November 2019 and April 2020. Those eight include Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Elena Delle Donne (Washington Mystics), Skylar Diggins-Smith (Dallas Wings), Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx), Chelsea Gray (Los Angeles Sparks), Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) and A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces). The roster for the matchup with Oregon State will be rounded out by USA National Team members Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Layshia Clarendon (Connecticut Sun) and Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx).
“I have to thank all of the parties involved, the NCAA, USA Basketball, all of the people who worked behind the scenes to get a waiver for us to be able to play a college tour once again,” said USA National Team head coach Dawn Staley. “Historically speaking, it has been great for our program to have a college tour. All our past USA teams that had a college tour went on to win Olympic gold medals. So, if we can pull back into some historical times in which we had the opportunity to showcase our national team in this light, women’s college basketball is at an all-time high as far as exposure. This will increase the exposure to women’s basketball. And I’m excited. Again, it’s prep time. It’s more prep time. The more time we have, the better we will perform in Tokyo.”
As a team, the Beavers finished the 2018-19 season with a record of 26-8, one of the top-five records in program history. Oregon State made its fourth consecutive Sweet 16, and earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the sixth-straight year.
Oregon State will also play exhibition matchups against Union (Oct. 27) and Concordia (Nov. 1). Access to both of those contests will be free of charge.
The Beavers will return nine letterwinners, including four starters, from last year’s team. That group includes All-Pac-12 honorees Mikayla Pivec and Destiny Slocum, as well as conference Sixth Player of the Year Aleah Goodman.
Oregon State, which was ranked No. 6 for the 2019-20 season in ESPNW’s “Way Too Early Top 25”, is one of five teams in the nation to appear in every WBCA Coaches’ Polls since the end of the 2013-14 season, and has been ranked in the Top-10 in each of the last four end-of-season polls
The Beavers also set attendance records during the 2018-19 season. Season tickets for the 2019-20 season at on sale now, and can be purchased here or by calling 541-737-2050.
