WBB: Von Oelhoffen’s Career Day Helps Beavers Escape Feisty Eagles

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Talia von Oelhoffen scored a career-best 32 points to go with 10 rebounds and willed Oregon State to a 73-66 win over Eastern Washington on Thursday night.

The sophomore endured a physical affair while playing a game-high 35 minutes to score her 32 points on 10-of-19 shooting with an 11-for-12 day at the free-throw line. She was aided by a double-double from Raegan Beers, who scored 13 points and hauled in 12 rebounds. The freshman also swatted three shots.

Oregon State overcame a poor game from beyond the arc – where it made just 2-of-14 three-pointers - with a good performance at the charity stripe where it made 19-of-25 shots. Though the Eagles were not easily put away and never trailed by more than 13, OSU did hold the lead for nearly 36 minutes of the game.

The Beavs endured an early Eagle spurt that saw EWU take a 15-10 lead. The visitors made three straight jumpers, plus a pair of free throws, in an 8-2 run before OSU bounded back with a 9-0 run to close the period.

Freshmen jumpstarted the Beaver offense with Beers scoring on a putback before Lily Hansford hit a three-pointer with a defender in her face. Von Oelhoffen closed the period with two consecutive layups, including one that beat the buzzer to put the Beavs up 19-15 after the first.

Oregon State rectified some of its first half mistakes in a 9-0 run to open the second half. Von Oelhoffen hit a three-pointer to open the half, followed by a pair of free throws. AJ Marotte competed the run and forced an EWU timeout with back-to-back baskets that gave Oregon State a 47-34 lead.

The Eags responded out of the timeout with an 8-0 run to make it 47-42. The two teams battled back-and-forth for the remainder of the period and Oregon State entered the fourth with a 52-47 lead.

Eastern Washington continued to test the Beavers over the final ten minutes, at one point pulling within four at 56-52 with 4:07 remaining.

That’s when von Oelhoffen took over. The sophomore guard scored nine of OSU’s final 14 points, including what appeared to be a backbreaking steal and fast-break score with 2:25 remaining in the contest to put the Beavs up 66-57. From there, Oregon State was able to match the Eags basket for basket to close out the home victory.

Up next, Oregon State faces off with Prairie View A&M at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Gill Coliseum.