Michael Rataj scored a career-high 29 points to lift Oregon State to a 97-89 overtime win against then-No. 16 Gonzaga just two weeks ago in a sold-out Gill Coliseum.
It was the Beavers’ most impressive win of the season. It was also their coming out party as a legitimate contender for the West Coast Conference crown in their first season in the league. Oregon State (16-6, 6-3 WCC) currently sits in fourth place in the conference.
Gonzaga has a chance to avenge the loss that knocked it out of the AP Top 25 tonight when the Beavers invade the McCarthey Center in Spokane, Washington. The Bulldogs (15-6, 6-2) are in second place in the conference right now, trailing Saint Mary’s (18-3, 58-0).
Win or lose, the Zags, who were the preseason pick to win the conference, won’t have much time to reflect on tonight’s performance because they hit the road for their first meeting of the season with St. Mary’s on Saturday. Before focusing on one of its biggest games of the season, Gonzaga has to overcome an Oregon State team that shot the lights out the last time they played.
The Beavers shot 58.5 percent from the floor and 42.9% from 3-point range in their win over Gonzaga on Jan. 16. Rataj, who ranks No. 3 in the WCC with 18.2 points a night, got some help from Nate Kingz, who chipped in with 20 points.
Gonzaga was led by Graham Ike, who posted 26 points and nine rebounds. He ranks No. 4 in the WCC with 17.1 points a game.
Oregon State at Gonzaga Betting Odds
Gonzaga is a 14.5-point college basketball betting favorite on BetMGM, and the Over/Under is 153.5 points.
The Moneyline is at -1,400 for the Bulldogs and at +800 for Oregon State.
Oregon State at Gonzaga on TV
The West Coast Conference game featuring Oregon State and Gonzaga will be televised on ESPN2.
Tip-off is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET.
Oregon State at Gonzaga Prediction
I predict Gonzaga wins, 78-72.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say Oregon State got lucky in its win over the Zags, but the Beavers did benefit from an uncharacteristically sloppy game by the WCC’s flagship program.
The game was close the whole way. Oregon State went into halftime with a 1-point lead, but it had to overcome a late deficit and regain the lead with 1:39 left in regulation. After Gonzaga’s Ben Gregg hit a late 3-pointer to force overtime, the Beavers outscored the Bulldogs 14-6 in the extra period.
Oregon State came away with the win, but the stats suggest Gonzaga probably should have. The Beavers got outrebounded 41-28 and managed just three offensive rebounds compared to 19 by the Zags. Gonzaga also shot 42% from the floor and scored 38 points in the paint.
The Beavers will have to figure out their rebounding woes if they’re going to sweep Gonzaga, which ranks No. 2 in the WCC with 39.6 rebounds a game. Oregon State ranks last in the league with 33.7.
The real difference in their first meeting was Gonzaga’s 12 turnovers, which Oregon State turned into 19 points.
Gonzaga’s and Oregon State’s first meeting featured 14 lead changes and 10 ties. I expect a similarly competitive game tonight and I doubt the Zags will cover the spread, but I would be surprised if they don’t do a better job of taking care of the ball, especially with one of the top point guards in the country running the show.
Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard leads the country with 208 assists. He’s averaging 9.9 assists and 11.3 points a game.
