Dec. 29, 2010

Complete Release in PDF Format

LOOKING AHEAD -- Oregon State (7-4, 0-0 Pac-10) opens Pac-10 play at Arizona State (8-2, 0-0 Pac-10) on Friday, Dec. 31 at 5:30 p.m. PT.

TRACKING THE BEAVS -- Full results from Friday's game can be found through osubeavers. com. Gametracker is available, and all but three home games (Jan. 8 - Washington State; Jan. 27 - California; Jan. 29 - Stanford) will also be streamed live for free through osubeavers.com for free. And as always, for in-game updates, follow OregonStateWBB on Twitter.

GAME 12: ARIZONA STATE -- Friday, Dec. 31 (5:30 p.m.): Oregon State is 19-32 all-time against Arizona State. The Sun Devils have claimed the last 15 straight meetings, including a 56-47 victory in Tempe and a 62-49 win in Corvallis last season.

LAST TIME AROUND (FEB. 11, 2010) -- Haiden Palmer led the Beavers with a 16-point effort with Talisa Rhea adding 12, but the Beavers fell to the Sun Devils in legendary Gill Coliseum 62-49. Rhea also led the rebounding efforts with five, while Kirsten Tilleman had two steals and Julie Futch had two assists. Arizona State's Danielle Orsillo paced all players with 26 points.

REWIND TO THE LAST GAME -- Redshirt sophomore Sage Indendi and junior Earlysia Marchbanks paced the Beaver offense with 16 points each with freshman Alyssa Martin adding 14 in Oregon State's 64-60 victory over Eastern Washington. Freshman Alexis Bostick, who left the game in the first half with a sprained ankle, put up nine points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals in 26 minutes played. Overall, the Beavers hit 11 three-pointers, shooting 55 percent from beyond the arc, 41.2 percent overall.

SEEKING 300 -- Head coach Scott Rueck is just five wins away from earning his 300th career. He achieved his first 288 at George Fox in his 14 seasons as head coach.

STREAKING AT THE LINE -- Freshman Alyssa Martin is currently riding a made free throw streak, hitting her last 21 straight. Her 82.9 percent from the charity stripe is the best in the conference. Overall, she is 29 of 35 from the free throw line.

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED -- The Oregon State women's basketball team is ranked 14th in the nation for its scoring defense, as of Dec. 20. The Beavers also rank 18th for personal fouls per game (14.1), 30th for field goal percentage defense (35.0) and 33rd for blocked shots per game (5.0). Individually, senior El Sara Greer ranks in the top 50 in one category -- 16th for blocked shots per game (2.7).

LEADING THE PAC -- The Beavers have the stats in scoring defense (52.0 ppg) and blocked shots (5.1 bpg). Senior El Sara Greer leads the blocked shots race (2.7 bpg) and is tied at the top for offensive rebounds (4.5), while freshman Alyssa Martin tops the minutes played list (38.0) and free throw percentage (82.9).

SWINGING OVER -- Redshirt freshman Tami Brown joins the Beavers, making her debut on Friday, Dec. 3 against Pepperdine. Brown also competes for the Oregon State volleyball team at middle blocker. The 6-2 forward from Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon HS) was a McDonalds High School All-America candidate as a senior and a three-sport letterwinner as a freshman (volleyball and softball).

Additionally redshirt junior Courtney Wetzel joins the women's basketball team after finishing her eligibility with the top 25 women's soccer team. Wetzel started every game for the Beavers, being named to the NSCAA All-Pacific Region Second Team and earning All-Pac-10 Second Team accolades at the conclusion of the 2010 season.

OFFENSE SELLS TICKETS, DEFENSE WINS GAMES -- The Oregon State women's basketball team has one of the nation and conference's best defenses so far this season, holding opponents to only 52.0 points per game. The Beavers are first in the conference in blocked shots per game (5.1 bpg) with senior El Sara Greer pacing the conference in the same category, averaging 2.7 per game. Overall on the season, the Beavers have forced 207 turnovers, good for sixth most in the conference and sixth overall in turnover margin (+0.3).

SEASON TICKETS -- Purchase your 2010-11 Oregon State women's basketball tickets today for the team's 13 home games. Season ticket packages are only $72 for reserved seats for adults, $48 for general admission.

PAC-10 PACKS -- With only one non-conference game left in legendary Gill Coliseum against Eastern Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 21, it's time to purchase your Pac-10 Pack. Pac-10 Packs are available with adult reserved seats available for $54 and general admission $36.

ODDS & ENDS -- The Pac-10 Conference is celebrating its 25th year of women's basketball. The conference expanded to include women's competition in 1986-87 in 10 sports. The Pac-10 now sponsors both 11 men's and women's sports.

The 3-0 start to the season is the second time the team has opened that successfully in the last three seasons. Last season, the Beavers won in their season opener but then fell on the road.

Oregon State is now 2-0 on the season against Big West teams, defeating Long Beach State, 71-39, and Cal State Northridge, 49-32. And the Beavers are 2-0 against Big Sky teams, defeating Weber State, 62-55, and Eastern Washington, 64-60.

Freshman Alexis Bostick earned the Beavers' only All-Tournament honors, leading the team to the Jack in the Box Rainbow Wahine Classic title.

TWO RETURNERS -- Forwards senior El Sara Greer and sophomore Angela Misa are the two returnees this season. Greer started in all 31 games last season for the Beavers after transferring from Kirkwood Community College in Iowa, while Misa had limited playing time in her rookie season.

EIGHT NEWCOMERS -- Eight new faces join the Beaver women's basketball program this season -- one senior, one junior, one sophomore and five freshmen. Freshman legacy Alyssa Martin begins her career 20 years after her father, Earl, had a successful career for the men's team. Freshmen Alexis Bostick and Classye James both join Oregon State after having successful prep careers, while junior Earlysia Marchbanks not only found success at the high school level but also at the junior college pace. Redshirt sophomore Sage Indendi was named the Division III Rookie of the Year at George Fox under head coach Scott Rueck but transferred her sophomore season and took the year off from competitive basketball. Redshirt freshman Jenna Dixon and freshman Katie Schrock will get a change to test their skill level at the Divison I level, while senior Amanda Davey returns to the game for her final season of eligibility after taking a season off.

MARTIN VS. MARTIN -- Freshman Alyssa Martin outplayed her father, Earl, in her career opener. Alyssa scored 24 points to Earl's eight, three assists to one and 36 minutes to 15.

24'S -- Freshman Alyssa Martin wears No. 24. Her father, Earl Martin, wore No. 24. Alyssa scored 24 points in her Oregon State debut. And it's been 24 years since her father started his career at Oregon State.

RUECK'S ASSISTANT COACHES -- Head coach Scott Rueck welcomes a pair of assistant coaches this season in Mark Campbell and Eric Ely. Campbell became the winningest two-year guard in Hawai'i basketball history at guard. Ely brings over 12 years of Division I coaching experience splitting time at Oral Roberts and Missouri. He played professionally in France and Brazil after his collegiate career closed.

COACHES TELECONFERENCE -- Pac-10 head women's basketball coaches will be available on three media teleconference calls during the 2010-11 season. The calls will be scheduled for December 15, prior to the start of conference action; early January, at the start of Conference play; and Tuesday, Mar. 8, prior to the start of the Pac-10 Tournament. Media members may call the Pac-10 office to receive the number for both the live teleconference and taped replay. Contact Natalia Ciccone or Rachel Caton for the call-in number. Coach Scott Rueck's set time on those three conference calls is 10:05 a.m.

PAC-10 TOURNAMENT -- The 2010-11 Pacific-10 Conference Tournament will be held March 9-12 in Los Angeles at the Galen Center, home to USC men's and women's basketball and Staples Center. The first round and quarterfinals will be held at the Galen Center, while the semifinals and championship game will take place at Staples Center. For more on the Pac-10 Tournament, visit www.pac-10.org.

CATCH EVERY GAME ON THE RADIO -- Every Oregon State women's basketball game this season will be on the airwaves, either on the AM dial or online at osubeavers.com. Fans can catch games on KLOO 1340-AM, KTHH 990-AM, KJOE 1240-AM in the Corvallis area. Every game will also be available through Beaver Nation Online, the audio/visual service of osubeavers.com.

Ron Callan of KPAM 860 begins his second season as the voice of the Beavers.

For the fourth straight season, select games will be available for fans in the Portland area on KKAD 1550-AM. This year, the Beavers will be on 10 times in Portland, the same as the last three seasons. KKAD is the sister station of KPAM 860, which broadcasts Oregon State football, men's basketball and baseball, among other Beavers' information.

Date     Opponent                     Game Time (PT)

11/26   UNLV                                     7:30 p.m.

11/30   Cal State Bakersfield                        7:00 p.m.

12/03   Pepperdine                           7:00 p.m.

12/17   Southern Utah                     6:00 p.m.

12/21   Eastern Washington                           7:00 p.m.

12/31   Arizona State                       5:30 p.m.

01/15   USC                                       2:00 p.m.

01/29   Stanford                                2:00 p.m.

02/19   Oregon                                  5:00 p.m.

02/26   California                              7:30 p.m.

SEE THE BEAVS ON TV -- Oregon State is scheduled to appear on television once this season with the option of a second game being televised late in the season.

The Civil War contest in Eugene on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 12:00 p.m. will broadcast nationally on FSN. Additionally, on Saturday, Feb. 26, the Pac-10 has reserved that date as a wild card selection, and each of the scheduled Pac-10 games could be televised with the announcement TBA.

BEAVERS ALL-ACCESS -- FSN Northwest will air the popular 30-minute "Beavers All-Access" show beginning in January on Wednesday afternoons. Head coach Scott Rueck will sit down with host Mike Parker in taping for the show.

BEAVER SPORTS TALK -- Most of the Oregon State radio networks will carry Beaver Sports Talk, which airs every Tuesday during basketball season beginning at 7:00 p.m. The show originates from McMenamins on Monroe and will feature Oregon State basketball coaches Scott Rueck and Craig Robinson as well as selected players.

ONLINE HOME OF BEAVER ATHLETICS -- The Internet home of Oregon State athletics, osubeavers.com, has a full slate of information on the Oregon State women's basketball team. Game notes, photo galleries, roster and full schedule are available by visiting the website.

BEAVER NATION ONLINE -- The subscription-based site within osubeavers.com offers exclusive interviews, highlights, webcasts and special features from Oregon State coaches and players throughout the year. Live events, game replays, weekly and post-game press conferences, special features, highlights and classic games are constantly shown on the site.

SEASON OPENERS -- The game against Long Beach State was the 35th all-time opener. Oregon State has a 29-6 record in season openers after the victory. The Beavers have won the last 13 straight season openers, last six home openers.

LEGENDARY GILL -- Gill Coliseum has been the home to Oregon State women's basketball since the program's inception in the 1978-79 season. The Beavers have gone 257-148 (.635) in games played in legendary Gill prior to the 2010-11 season. The coliseum seats 10, 400.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEAVERS -- Oregon State concludes play in Arizona against the Wildcats on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund.  For more information follow this link or call 541-737-2370.  You can make an "everyday champion."  Follow Beaver Athletics on twitter.