Rueck on Facing North Carolina: "I'm Excited for the Challenge"
No 14 seed has ever beaten a 3 seed in the history of NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.
Don't tell that to Scott Rueck.
"I'm ecstatic. You work all year and you hope to get to this point. You hope to be in a position where you see your name on that [Selection Sunday] show." shared Oregon State's head coach. "As far as the bracket goes, when you're gonna be a 14 or a 15, I should say even if you're gonna be a 1 or a 2, I remember first round games that we had to escape. Everybody is good this time of year."
Certainly, his Oregon State Beavers are good right now. Winners of 4 straight and 6 of their last 7 games, the Beavers are playing their best basketball of the season. Their zone defenses are generating more blocks and more steals, and a 4-out offense which opens up space has helped boost shooting percentages. In Tuesday's WCC championship game against Portland, the Beavers trotted out a quick, undersized lineup with three guards to build an 18-4 second quarter advantage. They never looked back.
The change in tactics helped Oregon State reach new heights, but Rueck believes there is another reason the Beavers are West Coast Conference tournament champions: "We didn't have the experience and we didn't know who we were yet, and roles had to be defined, people had to step up, and over the course of the year that's happened. When you look at the point guard play we have, the wing play, the size, and the overall athleticism, we looked the part, and now we're starting to play like the part."
When asked about pressure and expectations as a 14 seed, Oregon State's long-time head coach was adamant, this team doesn't feel pressured. "It's the least pressure we've had since we went to Tennessee [in 2017-18]. That's how I remember it: we're a six seed playing at Tennessee where nobody had ever won, and we had nothing to lose in that game."
Rueck was calm, almost assured. You get the sense he truly believed his team would be on this stage despite their 1-5 start to the season. Eugene native Tiara Bolden told a different story.
"Oh my goodness! Like, I'm telling you my mind is literally blown away! I'm still jittery, still shaking from us, just seeing us on the screen."
It's not just a surprise for the Beavers to be this far, but a surprise for Bolden personally. Before transferring to Oregon State ahead of this season, Bolden had never played in an NCAA tournament game. After graduating from Eugene's Churchill HS, Bolden played at Eastern Arizona junior college, and then La Salle in the Atlantic 10.
"It's an entirely different thing. I never expected myself to be able to play in March Madness. Going from Juco to a D1 school and then having to find somewhere to come back home, and have it be Oregon State, that's just a dream come true for me."
North Carolina carries a strong record into Saturday's matchup, and history is on their side - no 14 seed has ever beaten a 3 seed in the women's edition of the tournament - but Bolden has faith in her team. "The phrase that we say every time is 'why not us', honestly everything is possible. We're in March Madness! They call it March Madness for a reason, so anything can happen, and I believe anything is possible."
One reason why Bolden believes is the hot hand of Kennedie Shuler. In the final seconds of three different games this season, including last Monday's WCC semifinal against Gonzaga, Shuler delivered game winning shots.
Shuler, a sophomore from Barlow HS in Gresham, is enjoying the moment. "Before I came here, I didn't expect to do it my freshman year, or even my sophomore year, I'm so grateful and so thankful. I'm just so excited to continue to go battle with this team. I think it's so special, and it couldn't be a better gift."
After losing all five of their top scorers last season to the transfer portal, the best gift is yet to come: another game on Saturday.
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Matt fell in love with radio during his college days at Oregon Tech, and pursued a nine year career in sports broadcasting with Klamath Falls' and Medford's highest-rated sports radio stations. He currently lives in McMinnville wine country and is excited to talk about the Beavers again.