Beavers Head to Tucson for First Road Trip

Tucson basketball fans will get an early look at Oregon State’s 2026 to 27 women’s team Sunday, when the Beavers travel to Arizona for their first road game of the season. The matchup brings two former Pac 12 opponents together and gives the Wildcats an opportunity to defend home court against an Oregon State team that has won two straight games. For the Beavers, the trip is an immediate test of whether their recent momentum can carry over away from Corvallis.

Oregon State enters the weekend after victories over Eastern Washington and Northwest Nazarene, following an earlier game against California Baptist. The team has shown signs of progress on both ends of the court, including an unusually productive performance from outside in its victory over Eastern Washington. The Beavers made at least 60 percent of their 3 point attempts in that game, the program’s first such shooting performance since March 1, 2025, against Pepperdine. It was also the 13th time under head coach Scott Rueck that Oregon State reached that mark while taking at least 10 3 point shots.

Arizona will provide a particularly demanding opponent because the Wildcats already own a double digit victory over Stanford. That result gives Tucson’s team an early signature win and shows the level of challenge facing Oregon State. Sunday’s game is therefore more than a routine early season stop. It is a meeting between programs with shared Pac 12 history, with the Beavers trying to establish themselves against a Wildcats team that has already demonstrated it can defeat a nationally recognized opponent by a wide margin.

Jenna Villa has been one of Oregon State’s early statistical standouts. She opened the season by making 19 consecutive free throws, the best start to a season by a Beaver since 2000. The previous Oregon State mark was 17 straight free throws, set by Mercedes Fox-Griffin during the 2008 to 09 season. Villa’s accuracy gives the Beavers a dependable option when games tighten, particularly in a road environment where free throws can help a team maintain control during difficult stretches.

Oregon State has also received substantial production from its frontcourt. In the game against Northwest Nazarene, three Beaver posts collected at least 10 rebounds. Maggie Warpus and Evelini Smith each finished with 11, while Lara Alonso-Basurto added 10. That collective effort points to the team’s ability to compete on the glass through multiple players rather than relying on one rebounder. Against Arizona, sustaining that work inside could be important as Oregon State tries to create second chances and limit the Wildcats’ opportunities.

The roster includes players with notable backgrounds before arriving in Corvallis. Warpus was a two time New York Class B state player of the year and helped lead her team to its first state tournament appearance and then to the state championship game. She also finished with 1,886 career points, a school record for both the girls and boys programs. Taylor Young arrived after being named Oregon’s 5A player of the year. She won four conference titles and two state championships while attending Medford and Crater High Schools, and she holds the 5A state tournament records for points in one game and across a tournament.

Oregon State has also continued to look internationally for contributors. After developing Australian players Kelsey Rees and Jasmine Simmons into important pieces, the Beavers added two more players from Australia last season, Lindemans and Field. The pair first caught the attention of Oregon State staff while playing together for ATC Academy at the Phoenix Nike Tournament of Champions. Their path to Corvallis reflects the program’s wider effort to identify talent beyond its immediate regional recruiting area, while the histories of Warpus and Young show the varied routes players have taken to the roster.

For Tucson residents who follow Arizona, Sunday offers an early chance to see how the Wildcats respond after their win over Stanford. For Oregon State, the game marks the beginning of a stretch in which the team must translate its home form to the road. The Beavers have displayed efficient 3 point shooting, strong rebounding from their posts and reliable free throw work, but those strengths will be tested against an Arizona team with an established early victory over Stanford. Live statistics are available through Oregon State’s StatBroadcast page for fans following the game remotely.

The Beavers are scheduled to return to Corvallis after the Tucson trip for their annual Beavers Beyond the Classroom field trip game. That contest is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 18, against UC Riverside. Before that home date, however, Oregon State’s immediate focus is Sunday’s meeting with its old conference rival. The game gives both programs an early measuring stick and brings Oregon State to Tucson for the first road challenge of its new season.