WBB Recap: Aggies Rally From Slow Start But Fall At Oregon State

CORVALLIS, Oregon – Utah State took its 2-1 start on the road and put it to the test on Tuesday, and the Aggies came up short against a fully loaded Oregon State team to fall to .500 on the year. It was a 19-point loss, but early signs of improvement are still there, and more importantly for the Aggies, steps to even more improvement are also there.

Oregon State is a tournament-caliber team and got off to a start that matches its status as one. The Beavers collected eight points before Rachel Wilson got Utah State on the board with a layup, and then continued on to a 15-2 lead early. But instead of piling on, the WCC preseason favorites had to fight off a pesky Utah State team that hung around longer than it had any business to.

It was an unlikely resurgence for the Aggies, who didn’t have a single player in double digits by the end of the game, but Utah State found a way to outscore the Beavers 8-4 through the rest of the quarter to cut the lead from 15 to 9, sparking a much longer battle.

After making up some ground to end the first, the Aggies moved in lockstep with the Beavers through the second. They trailed by as many as 11 points and as few as four when Aaliyah Gayles scored a quick five points, Elise Livingston hit a three, and Gayles put the finishing touches on a 10-0 run, but ended the half still down by nine, 38-29.

The Beavers scored first out of the half, and the Aggies spent the rest of the opening minutes chiseling away at OSU’s lead. Marina Asensio hit a jumper and Jamisyn Heaton knocked down a three to get the Aggies within six, but the Beavers added two more. Livingston then hit another three to get within five and the teams traded layups to maintain the five-point game with 5:57 remaining in the third quarter. It was a great effort deep into the game, but Utah State’s momentum didn’t stick. Oregon State hit a knockout blow of a three and the Aggies reeled enough to give up a 14-5 run, and carried a 17-point deficit into the final frame.

Utah State was out of gas, and the Beavers, with that comfortable 17-point lead, took their foot off the gas. The Beavers only added 10 points, none of which were needed to put the Aggies away, and the Aggies added eight points to cede another two points of ground.

None of the Aggies eclipsed the double-digit mark, but a quartet of them landed at nine points. Livingston, who cracked the starting lineup, and Gayles both had nine as starters while Heaton and Sophie Sene both added nine off the bench. Gayles also added five rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. Livingston added three rebounds, an assist and three steals. Sene led the team with seven boards. Wilson, who also got the start, had seven points, two rebounds and a block.

As a result of great scouting, a rough day, or a combination of both, Asensio and Karyn Sanford were quiet. Asensio had just two points, but added two rebounds, five assists and three steals. Sanford didn’t score and had three assists and a block. 

The Aggies struggled to get to the free-throw line and struggled worse when they were there. On just six attempts, the Aggies hit only one shot. They won the turnover battle 20-12 and with 14 assists and had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. They were, however, outrebounded 47-27, shot 34 percent from the field, and allowed the Beavers to shoot 48 percent, and they committed 12 personal fouls to Oregon State’s four.

Utah State put itself back on track on Thursday morning with a record-settling blwout win over Stanislaus State, which will have its own recap in the coming days. After that, the Aggies will have a chance to put those adjustments to the test with a three-game road trip starting in Eugene, Oregon, against the Ducks.