Oregon State walked into Jan. 31 and walked out with a road win — barely. The Beavers edged San Diego 78-76 in overtime, surviving a furious Toreros push that turned the final minutes into a possession-by-possession grind.
How it happened
The game’s shape was defined by two swings. Oregon State carried the first clear edge into halftime, leading 30-25. San Diego responded with its best stretch after the break, pouring in 35 points in the second half to Oregon State’s 30 and dragging the Beavers into overtime.
In the extra session, Oregon State found just enough separation. The Beavers scored 18 points in overtime to San Diego’s 16 — a narrow margin that proved decisive in a two-point final.
Turning point: San Diego’s second-half surge forces OT
Down five at the break, San Diego flipped the pressure with a 35-point second half. That burst was the difference between a regulation loss and an overtime chance, and it put Oregon State in a position where every empty trip mattered.
Closing time: Oregon State’s OT execution
Overtime was a sprint. Oregon State’s 18 points in the extra period — against San Diego’s 16 — held up as the Beavers took the final margin. In a game that tightened late, that two-point edge in OT was the entire story.
What it means going forward
For Oregon State (12-12), the win stabilizes a team that came in on a WWLLW run and now adds another close finish to its résumé. For San Diego (10-14), the loss stings because the pathway was there: erase a halftime deficit, win the second half by five, and still come up two points short after overtime.
San Diego’s recent LWLWW form showed up in the fightback, but Oregon State’s ability to answer in the extra period ultimately separated the teams in a matchup decided by the smallest margins.