Oregon State Basketball must limit Houston’s rebounding opportunities
Nearly 30 years removed from their last trip to the Elite Eight, Oregon State Basketball will look to break through to the Final Four for the first time since 1963 on Monday night, when the Beavers take on second-seeded Houston in the Midwest Regional Championship.
After victories over Tennessee and Oklahoma State in the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Oregon State cemented its spot in the Elite Eight after a stout defensive showing against eighth-seed, mid-major powerhouse Loyola Chicago in the Sweet Sixteen. In a 65-58 win over the favorites, the Beavers earned a game-high 22 points from Ethan Thompson and a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double from Warith Alatishe.
The Beavers were considerably efficient, averaging 1.08 points per possession – but shot just 42.1% inside the perimeter. Where Oregon State enjoyed success was on the defensive end, holding Loyola Chicago to 0.97 points per possession and woeful shooting clips of 41.9% (2PT) and 21.7% (3PT) – which included a stretch in the first half where the Beavers held the Ramblers scoreless for the final five minutes and 48 seconds of the opening stanza.
Oregon State’s path to the Final Four will now include an additional obstacle in the form of the Houston Cougars. The two-seed in the Midwest region, the AAC Tournament champions paved their way to the Elite Eight through three victories over double-digit-seeded teams, including Cleveland State and Rutgers in the opening days – before ending Syracuse’s Cinderella run in the Sweet 16 on Saturday night.
In a dominant 62-46 rout of the Orange, the Cougars’s staunch defense shut down what had been a wildly efficient Syracuse offense throughout the tournament, limiting the Orange to just 0.72 points per possession and abysmal shooting percentages of 33.3% (2PT) and 21.7% (3PT).
Three different players reached double-figures, with Quentin Grimes (14), Justin Gorham (13 and 10 boards), and Marcus Sasser (12) – as well as DeJon Jarreau (nine points, eight rebounds, eight assists) – stuffing the stat-sheet.
Now, the Beavers and Cougars will face each other for just the third time ever, and the first since the 2008-09 season. With a trip to the Final Four on the line – for Oregon State, what would be the first since 1963, and for Houston, the first since 1984 – this game will be a battle of two stifling defenses, but the Beavers will have their hands full in pulling off the upset.