Preseason WNIT | 11/17/2019 3:43:49 PM

OREGON STATE 80, MISSOURI STATE 69

CORVALLIS, OR — No. 7 Oregon State shook off a ragged first half and came back thanks to its balanced inside-outside game, holding off Missouri State to win the 2019 Preseason WNIT.

The Beavers (4-0) were led by tournament MVP Mikayla Pivec, who had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Destiny Slocum scored all 17 of her points in the second half; Taylor Jones and Kat Tudor each scored 14 points, and Aleah Goodman added 11 points.

Oregon State retook the lead in the third quarter; in the final frame, Slocum hit a layup and ensuing free throw to blunt a Missouri State push, putting OSU up 70-61 with 4:01 to go. Tudor, who missed 21 games last year and the first two this year because of a knee injury, then hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game to make it 73-63.

The Beavers were 10-for-21 from 3-point range and 18-for-21 from the free-throw line. 

The Lady Bears (4-1) got 21 points from Alexa Willard and 13 points and six rebounds from Jasmine Franklin. Emily Gartner added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Missouri State forced 12 first-half turnovers and got a huge boost from Sydney Manning late in the second quarter. She had a conventional three-point play with 34 seconds to go, then drained a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Lady Bears up, 39-35.

The Lady Bears took their big lead of the game at 47-39 in two free throws from Willard with 6:14 left in the third quarter. Oregon State came to life immediately, taking a 50-49 lead on a layup from Kennedy Brown, and Slocum ended the frame with a 3-pointer to push the Beavers ahead, 55-49.

Goodman hit three 3-pointers in the game, giving her a Preseason WNIT record of 15 overall. For the entire tournament the Beavers hit 39 3-pointers, another event record.

Also on the all-tournament team were Ana Llanusa of Oklahoma, Chante Stonewall of DePaul, Willard and Franklin from Missouri State and Slocum for Oregon State.