Oregon State visits Loyola Marymount following Rataj's 28-point game

Updated Jan. 1, 2025 3:43 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Oregon State Beavers (11-3, 1-0 WCC) at Loyola Marymount Lions (8-6, 0-2 WCC)

Los Angeles; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Oregon State visits Loyola Marymount after Michael Rataj scored 28 points in Oregon State's 89-79 victory against the Portland Pilots.

The Lions have gone 6-2 in home games. Loyola Marymount is ninth in the WCC with 30.6 points per game in the paint led by Jevon Porter averaging 5.7.

The Beavers have gone 1-0 against WCC opponents. Oregon State has a 0-2 record in one-possession games.

Loyola Marymount makes 43.0% of its shots from the field this season, which is 3.5 percentage points higher than Oregon State has allowed to its opponents (39.5%). Oregon State has shot at a 48.8% rate from the field this season, 7.2 percentage points greater than the 41.6% shooting opponents of Loyola Marymount have averaged.

The Lions and Beavers match up Thursday for the first time in WCC play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Will Johnston is averaging 11.9 points and 3.2 assists for the Lions.

Rataj is shooting 48.5% and averaging 16.4 points for the Beavers.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lions: 7-3, averaging 69.6 points, 32.7 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 5.5 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.8 points per game.

Beavers: 7-3, averaging 75.6 points, 31.7 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 7.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.1 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.