Oregon State Takes On DePaul In Sweet 16

6 seed DePaul (27-8, 16-2 in the Big East) at 2 seed #6 Oregon State (30-4, 16-2 in the Pac-12) / American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX / 5 PM CDT (3 PM PDT / ESPN / KEJO 1240 AM

Oregon State makes only their second ever appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 today, taking on DePaul, the regular Season Big East Champions, in Dallas, TX.

The winner will meet the winner of the day's first game in Dallas, between 5th seed 17th ranked Florida State (23-7) and 1 seed 4th ranked Baylor (33-1).

The Beavers rolled into the Sweet 16 after blowout home wins over Troy, 73-31 behind Ruth Hamblin's 18 point, 18 rebound, 5 block effort, and then St. Bonaventure, 69-40, led by Jamie Weisner's 23 point performance. It's the first time Oregon State has ever won 2 games in the same season in the NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Demons started with a 97-67 blowout win over James Madison, and then pulled off a significant upset in eliminating 3 seed Louisville 73-72 in a close and controversial contest on the Cardinal's home court.

DePaul represents a challenge similar to UCLA, according to Sydney Wiese, in the above scouting report, in that the Blue Demons want to push the pace, and can shoot from the outside as well.

Oregon State will have a size advantage at every position over DePaul, as the Blue Demons start 3 players shorter than 6', and no one taller than 6'3'.

The teams have, surprisingly, 3 common opponents. Both teams beat St. Bonnaventure handily, and both teams lost at Notre Dame, but both were close, as the Blue Demons lost by 5, and the Beavers only by 1, to the 3rd ranked Irish.

Both teams also beat Marquette, and DePaul won their second Big East game more handily, 98-65, after winning 91-86 earlier, while Oregon State won 65-58.

It's been 33 years since Oregon State, who is in the tournament for the 3rd year in a row, made their only other trip to the "Sweet 16", back in 1983.