No. 7 Oregon State women stuff No. 19 UM 75-53 in Thanksgiving tournament
While other University of Miami students relaxed and enjoyed Thanksgiving leftovers Friday afternoon, the 19th-ranked women’s basketball team faced its toughest test so far this season against No. 7 Oregon State.
For the second game in a row, the Hurricanes got scorched from the perimeter and it cost them a 75-53 loss in the 13th annual Miami Thanksgiving Tournament. UM was 23-1 in the tournament entering Friday’s game, its only previous loss against No. 15 Maryland in 2017.
“You bring in a very sophisticated team with great size, great shooters and great guard play, it exposes everything,” UM coach Katie Meier said of Oregon State (6-0). “We needed it, and I’m not surprised we got exposed by this team. A lot of teams will be exposed by them. They don’t miss any flaw on the opponents.”
The Miami University Redhawks (4-2) played the Liberty Flames (1-5) in the late-afternoon game. The Hurricanes (4-2) play the Redhawks in a Battle of Miamis Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
The Hurricanes kept things close early against Oregon State, but went scoreless the final four minutes of the first quarter to fall behind 18-11. Oregon State got hot from the perimeter late in the half, and made four three-pointers in a span of seven minutes to open up a 10-point lead.
OSU led 36-28 at halftime and continued to burn the Canes from outside. Four of the Beavers’ first five baskets of the second half were three-pointers, resulting in a 17-point lead that stretched to 25.
Miami gave up 12 three-pointers and made just 3-of-20 (15 percent).
“I told our players we needed an `A’ effort in order to win, they’re that good and burn you for every mistake,” Meier said. “I didn’t see an `A’ effort. Discipline was the biggest issue. ...The start of the third quarter was very deflating. Lack of focus. We took two crazy shots, didn’t defend on the back end. That was nine points right there and at that point we weren’t smart enough to chip away.”
Preseason All-American Beatrice Mompremier led UM with 13 points and seven rebounds. Endia Banks added 12 points. Starting guards Mykea Gray and Kelsey Marshall struggled, shooting a combined 2-of-13.
“Our point guard play was nowhere in comparison to theirs,” Meier said.
Banks felt the team was flat during warmups. “I sensed it at the beginning of the game, nobody had energy, nobody’s talking or clapping, we all came out flat and didn’t impose our will.”
Oregon State has been one of the nation’s top teams in recent years. Its 147-31 record since the start of the 2014-15 season is seventh-best in the country, trailing UConn, Notre Dame, Baylor, Maryland, South Carolina and Louisville.
Two of OSU’s players — Mikayla Pivec and Destiny Slocum —were on the preseason watch lists for the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy. Pivec went 8-of-12 for 21 points and Slocum wa 7-of-11 for 20.
“She is as good as I’ve seen as far as being patient and composed,” Meier said of Pivec.
Mompremier, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year and preseason All-American, was familiar with Pivec as they were teammates on the USA Basketball Pan Am Games team over the summer.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 4:57 PM.