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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A special Oregon State season ended on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament with a 70-49 loss to third-seeded North Carolina.
The Beavers finish the season with a 19-16 record, far exceeding preseason and early season expectations with their second-straight trip to the big dance.
“You know, for this team for it to end here today, nobody would have predicted it,” head coach Scott Rueck said postgame. “You know, those who have been paying attention know the story and know how significant it is. Because of that, I told them after the game I'm just filled with gratitude for being a part of it, gratitude to each of them for the way not just saying yes to being a part of it, but the way they handled themselves throughout the year is just remarkable.”
“This has been one of the most special things I've been a part of,” he continued
The run closed an incredible career for four-year senior AJ Marotte, who scored 13 points in her final game. Fellow seniors Kelsey Rees and Sela Heide close their careers as Beavers after transferring to OSU and choosing to stay in Corvallis through conference realignment. Rees led the team in scoring with 15 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
“We all came to Oregon State for a reason. We believed in what they've done in the past, and we believed in what they're doing now,” Rees said. “This year I think we showed the whole world who perhaps stopped believing that, hey, Oregon State is still here. It doesn't matter what changes in the world, what changes in the conference, what changes in the team, but there's always that same product and those same people.”
The Beavers battled and kept themselves in it throughout the first half. Down 15-7 at one point, OSU went on a 13-2 run to take the lead at 20-17. Marotte was crucial throughout the opening 20 minutes, scoring 11 points.
Kennedie Shuler also provided a major boost to the OSU offense. The sophomore got to the rim consistently and used a variety of moves to score over UNC defenders. She had seven points at the break.
The Tar Heels pulled away in the third, opening the frame on an 11-0 run that OSU was unable to recover from in the second half. OSU won the fourth quarter 16-14 but it wasn’t enough to overcome the big third for UNC.
The loss was the first in the first round for Rueck, who was previously 8-0 in the opening round. The appearance was Oregon State’s ninth in his 15 years as head coach, which doesn’t include a top-16 season ended by Covid where the Beavs would likely have hosted.
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