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LAS VEGAS – There's no time like March.
Kennedie Shuler hit her third game-winner of the year, and Oregon State stunned top-seeded Gonzaga in a dramatic 63-61 victory on Monday to punch its ticket to the Credit Union 1 WCC Basketball Championship game.
Shuler sunk a layup with 0.8 seconds left to lift the Beavers (18-15) past the Bulldogs in a back-and-forth battle. Oregon State trailed 61-59 with eight seconds left before Catarina Ferreira calmly knocked down two free throws to tie the game. On Gonzaga's second-to-last possession, the Beavers forced a turnover, setting up Shuler's decisive shot.
Ferreira led OSU with 19 points and nine rebounds, shooting 3-of-4 from three-point range and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. The game was her second-straight with 19 points after leading the Beavers in scoring against San Francisco on Sunday.
AJ Marotte added 15 points with 13 in the second half, while Kelsey Rees contributed 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
The Beavers started strong, jumping out to a 17-9 lead in the first quarter behind hot perimeter shooting. Gonzaga responded with a dominant second period, outscoring OSU 23-10 to take a five-point halftime lead. Oregon State clawed back in the third, holding the Bulldogs to just 12 points while closing the gap to two entering the final frame.
Defense proved critical down the stretch, as OSU limited Gonzaga to 38.3% shooting and forced 13 turnovers. The Beavers also hit a season-high 11 three-pointers at a 42.3% clip.
Conference player of the year Yvonne Ejim paced the Bulldogs with 18 points and 14 rebounds, but the Beavers' defensive adjustments in the second half slowed her impact and forced her to take 19 shots to get to 18 points.
Oregon State now advances to the WCC Tournament championship game against Portland. The game tips off on Tuesday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2.
OSU Athletics
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