Oregon State started the game out of sync with only three points and a litany of mistakes and turnovers. The offense just did not have much movement and when they did get enough separation for an open shot they struggled to make those as well. When the freshman (Derrick Bruce, Stephen Thomson Jr., and Tres Tinkle) came in you could see the team pick up in terms of athleticism, especially on the defensive end.
Defensively the Beavers were reliant on using their athletic advantage to make up for poor rotations but when they were on and making the right movement they were able to force turnovers and forced double digit turnovers which led to 12 OSU points which partially gave them the edge for their six point halftime lead.