Oregon State WBB: Beavers Make the Tournament In ESPN’s First Projection

The college basketball season is approaching soon, which means it’s time for preseason projections. After a touch 2021-22 season, where they missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time 2013, ESPN likes the Beavers odds.

ESPN projects the Beavers as one of their last four byes, along with DePaul, South Dakota and Washington State. That slots the Beavers in as an 11 seed, paired up against projected 7 seed Creighton by ESPN’s reckoning. ESPN currently lists South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Stanford as their projected top four teams.

After a tough season, Oregon State went through a tumultuous off season. Several of the biggest names on the roster departed, either due to the graduation or through the transfer portal. Only one of the team’s top five scorers remains, and only four players currently on the roster scored points for the Beavers last season; Noelle Mannen, A.J. Marotte, Jelena Mitrovic and Talia von Oelhoffen.

That means the team will be leaning heavily on freshmen and transfers. Oregon State is brining in a very strong recruiting class this season, headlined by #6 overall prospect Timea Gardiner and #10 overall prospect Raegan Beers. Both Gardiner and Beers are 5 star prospects, and the Beavers also added a pair of excellent four star prospects in Adlee Blacklock and LIlly Hansford. All four should see a lot of time on the court this season, as should USC transfer Shalexxus Aaron and Arizona transfer Bendu Yeaney.

It’s going to be a very interesting year for the Beavers.