The 12-seeded Oregon St. Beavers crushed the 5-seeded Tennessee Volunteers from the opening tip in a surprising upset, 70-56.
March Madness is back and better than ever. Only hours after 15-seeded Oral Roberts knocked off 2-seeded Ohio State, Tennessee fell as well.
The Beavers dominated for nearly all 40 minutes. The win marks the first NCAA Tournament win for the program since 1982.
Right From the Tip
The Beavers showed no fear in a blazing start to the game. They used an early 16-5 run to grab an 11 point lead. Their lead did not fall back below 7 points for the remainder of the game.
Their run started on the defensive end, holding Tennessee to just 26% from the field, and 15% from three. The Beavers spent most of the game daring Tennessee to shoot outside, and it paid off for them. Tennessee started the game 0-9 from a distance.
The defense turned to offense for the Beavers as they opened up a 14 point halftime lead. Six different Beavers had made a field goal by halftime. They also spread the wealth effectively, with 6 different players dropping at least 1 dime.
Dominating With Defense
Going into the game, Tennessee had 6 players that average between 8.5 and 13 points per game. However, they don’t have a single player that averages above 13.
Tennessee relies on offense by committee, and no one showed up to the meeting. In the first half, in particular, no one on the team had more than 6 points. On top of that, no one shot above 50% from either the field of three for Tennessee in the first frame.
That continued into the second half, as Tennessee never topped 20% shooting from outside. The Beavers also held them to 33% from the field. Not a single player shot over 50%.
Silva’s Career Day
The Beavers’ senior center, Roman Silva, had himself a game. He entered the contest averaging just 5.3 points per game.
Against Tennessee, Silva came alive; he had 16 points without missing a single shot from the field. More impressive still, he did a lot of his damage against 2020’s SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Yves Pons.
“We knew that they were a physical team, and that if we made our presence felt inside, it would open up the floor for us,” Silva said. “My teammates trusted me, my coaches trusted me, to just go in there, it really helped set the tone for the rest of the game.”
All Beavers All the Way
Despite the difference in seed number, the game was lopsided most of the way. Nearly every statistic points the Beavers’ way, as they grew their lead to as large as 20.
Jarod Lucas, Zach Reichle, and Ethan Thompson combined for 22 in the second half. More than that trio, though, everyone ate for the Beavers. Nine second-half bench points also helped them maintain their lead.
Every Beaver starter grabbed at least 4 rebounds to help hold Tennessee to a 7 board deficit. Reichle and Thompson also combined for 5 second-half assists. The Beavers doubled Tennessee up in assists, 20-10, and Thompson led with 6.
“Our scouting report was that they really dig hard in their help if you can get by the first wave,” Head Coach Wayne Tinkle said. “We really worked hard on moving back behind any penetration, kicking the ball and sharing it.”
Tinkle says that the passing performance was indicative of the entire year that the Beavers have had.
“We have really come together as a team, and you saw it on display,” Tinkle said. “It’s just a credit of executing our offense, I thought we did a great job of that out of timeouts, especially the first 30-34 minutes.”
Up Next
The Beavers move on to the round of 32, where they will face off against Oklahoma St.
“We got the looks we were expecting to get early in the game to set the tone, and then the guys just kept making plays for each other, it’s fun to see them play that way,” Tinkle said. “They’re really enjoying each other’s spirit out there, which is what it’s all about.”
