Oregon

Michigan State Women’s Basketball Lands Former Oregon Forward

Published

2 years ago

April 16, 2024

Michigan State Women’s Basketball Lands Former Oregon Forward

After an underwhelming season from the Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team, which finished last in the Pac-12 at 11-12, forward Grace VanSlooten entered her name in the transfer portal.

On Monday, she announced she will be joining Michigan State next season.

With Oregon entering the Big Ten next year, it should be beneficial for the Spartans to have a player who will know the Ducks’ tendencies. With Iowa’s Caitlin Clark heading to the WNBA, the Hawkeyes light could start to dim, and other Big Ten teams like the Spartans can start to brighten.

VanSlooten led the Ducks in scoring (15.0 points per game) this past season, outscoring all but one Spartan, guard Julia Ayrault, who led Michigan State with an average of 15.4. VanSlooten also averaged 7.1 rebounds per game. The only Spartan who recorded more this past season was, again, Ayrault.

The 6-foot-3 forward comes from a tough Pac-12 conference that she was able to thrive in. VanSlooten was named an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention for both the 2023-24 and 2022-23 seasons. She averaged 13.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in that 2022-23 season, her freshman campaign.

VanSlooten was ranked 18th in the transfer portal by ESPN’s Charlie Creme. Prior to Oregon, VanSlooten was a McDonald’s All-American in 2022 and was a five-star prospect coming out of high school.

Adding VanSlooten is a big step for Spartans coach Robyn Fraclick, who will be entering her second season at the helm. Fans can only hope VanSlooten can help fix the scoring holes left by two of the Spartans’ top-three scorers this past season — guards Moira Joiner and DeeDee Hagemann, who recently announced she would be transferring to Ole Miss.

Next season, the Spartans and every other Big Ten team have to beat out four new teams that they are not as familiar with, including a USC team that lost just six games this past season. VanSlooten could give Michigan State quite the edge when facing not only Oregon but also teams the former Duck was used to going up against in the Pac-12.

VanSlooten also provides some relief to a Spartan team that lost two vital players following a successful 2023-24 season.

excited for my next two years as a spartan!! 💚🤍 #spartyparty pic.twitter.com/yQlBQcQrSg
— grace vanslooten (@gvanslooten40) April 15, 2024

The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spring Showcase) will be held at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 p.m.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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Oregon

Auburn signs former Oregon State QB Tristan Ti’a

Published

2 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Press Room

Auburn signs former Oregon State QB Tristan Ti’a

Auburn’s quarterback room gained another piece out of the transfer portal on Sunday, and is now up to four scholarship players.

The latest signee is Oregon State transfer Tristan Ti’a, a source confirmed to AL.com. He comes to Auburn after spending one season with the Beavers, and will likely fill the backup quarterback role at Auburn behind Byrum Brown.

Ti’a was a backup during his freshman season at Oregon State, playing in three games. In that time, he completed 37 of his 53 passes for 385 yards with three passing touchdowns and two interceptions.

He’s the third and likely final transfer quarterback to sign with Auburn since the portal opened on Jan. 2, joining Brown and former USF third-string quarterback Locklan Hewlett. Incoming freshman Rhys Brush will also be in the quarterback room next season.

With Ti’a signing, Auburn is now up to 22 incoming transfers. The portal will remain open until Jan. 16. Keep up with all of Auburn’s incoming and outgoing transfers here.

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Oregon

Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase to enter transfer portal

Published

15 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Oregon outside linebacker Blake Purchase to enter transfer portal

Oregon is losing a second edge defender to transfer.

Blake Purchase will enter the transfer portal, he announced via X. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

“I want to start by thanking God for this journey and everything that has come with it,” Purchase told DenverSportsMedia.com. “Thank you to my family for the continued love and support they have given me. I’m forever grateful for these past three seasons at the University of Oregon. The lessons l’ve learned here will stay with me for a lifetime. Thank you to all the coaches who poured into me and helped me grow as both a person and a player. And to my teammates – the bonds we built are forever. You are my brothers for life.”

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Purchase had 32 tackles (4.5 for loss) with two sacks, one interception and one pass breakup this season. His 352 snaps on defense ranked 14th for UO this season.

Purchase had two tackles while redshirting last season and five tackles as a true freshman in 2023.

A four-star recruit out of Cherry Creek (Colorado) High School, Purchase was the No. 294 overall prospect and No. 34 edge defender in the class of 2023 in the 247Sports Composite.

Purchase will be the sixteenth scholarship player to transfer from UO this offseason, joining defensive backs Jahlil Florence, Dakoda Fields, Solomon Davis, Sione Laulea, Kingston Lopa and Daylen Austin, receivers Justius Lowe and Kyler Kasper, quarterbacks Austin Novosad and Luke Moga, offensive lineman Lipe Moala and running backs Jay Harris, Makhi Hughes and Jayden Limar. Oregon has 79 projected scholarship players in 2026.

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Oregon

Oregon State men slip up down stretch of competitive matchup with Portland

Published

1 day ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Oregon State men slip up down stretch of competitive matchup with Portland

Despite a strong start and competitive effort for much of the night, Oregon State men’s basketball fell apart down the stretch of a 82-76 loss to University of Portland on Saturday night at Chiles Center.

A corner three-pointer by Mikah Ballew buried the Beavers (9-10, 2-4 WCC), putting Portland up 78-70 with just 1:10 remaining.

The Pilots (9-10, 2-4 WCC) had four players in double figures: Cameron Williams with 23, Jermaine Webb Balsinger and Joel Foxwell with 18 apiece, and Ballew with 16.

The Beavers were led by Olavi Suutela with 19 points and Johan Munch with 14. Dez White, Josiah Lake II and Yaak Yaak each had 10, and OSU out-shot the Pilots — 47% to 43% — but untimely turnovers and missed shots hurt them in the second half.

OSU came out hot, taking a 18-8 lead early in the first half including 12 points from Suutela. It got up to 24-15 before the Pilots mounted a response.

Turnovers and miscommunication by the Beavers on offense led to a 8-0 run by Portland. OSU clung to its lead for a while, but Portland took its first at 31-30 late in the first half.

The Pilots carried a 39-38 lead into the break.

Coming out of the half, after some back and forth, the Beavers went on an 11-1 run — fueled by the scoring and defensive effort of Suutela, and inside play of Noah Amenhauser — to take a 54-45 advantage at the 13:11 mark.

Turnovers reared their ugly head once again for the Beavers, though, and a pair of jumpers by Joel Foxwell cut the OSU lead down to 56-53.

Portland retook the lead, 57-56, with 10 minutes remaining. With an increased energy on both ends of the floor and OSU missing open shots, the Pilots led 66-63 with six minutes remaining and never relinquished it.

Portland’s defense smothered OSU in the halfcourt, and Wayne Tinkle’s side couldn’t find an easy basket, settling often for one-on-one opportunities rather than consistent and meaningful ball movement. Portland led, 71-68, with 3:19 to go.

Trailing by nine, Lake II hit a three-pointer to cut it to six with five seconds left. Too little, too late for the Beavers as they slipped back below .500.

Next game: Oregon State (9-10, 2-4 WCC) vs. LMU (11-7, 2-3 WCC)