SEATTLE (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive contest defined more by missed shots than made ones, the Seattle Redhawks used a dominant first-half performance to build a cushion that withstood a late Oregon State rally, securing a 60-50 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Sunday at a sparsely attended Key Arena.

The game, a rematch of a January meeting won by Oregon State, never approached offensive artistry. Both teams struggled mightily from the field, with Seattle shooting 20 of 53 and Oregon State managing just 19 of 51. The Beavers’ offensive woes were particularly acute, as they posted an offensive rating of just 77.9 points per 100 possessions, a figure that underscored their scoring difficulties throughout the afternoon.

Seattle seized control from the opening tip, leveraging its defensive activity and rebounding to create separation. The Redhawks forced 12 Oregon State turnovers, converting them into 12 points, and held a decisive 9-4 advantage on the offensive glass. That effort, combined with a 7-of-20 performance from three-point range compared to Oregon State’s 6 of 23, allowed Seattle to construct a 36-18 halftime lead. The Beavers managed only six field goals in the first twenty minutes.

John Christofilis, a hometown guard from Seattle, provided the first-half spark for the Redhawks, scoring 11 of his team-high 16 points before the break, including three three-pointers. Will Heimbrodt added 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks, his interior presence disrupting numerous Oregon State attempts at the rim.

The second half saw a determined push from the Beavers, who outscored Seattle 32-24 after halftime. The visitors chipped away at the deficit, fueled by the interior play of Jorge Diaz Graham and the perimeter shooting of Matija Samar. Diaz Graham, a 6-foot-11 forward from Spain, scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half and blocked two shots, while Samar, a guard from Slovenia, knocked down three three-pointers en route to 14 points, all after intermission.

Oregon State’s defense also stiffened, holding Seattle to 24 second-half points on 8-of-27 shooting. A three-pointer from Samar with 1:57 remaining cut the Seattle lead to 56-52, marking the closest the Beavers had been since the game’s opening minutes and capping a 34-20 run.

However, Seattle’s composure at the free-throw line and a final defensive stand sealed the outcome. After Samar’s three, the Redhawks closed the game on a 4-0 run, all from the charity stripe. Jojo Murphy, who finished with 11 points and 3 assists, hit two free throws with 3:22 left and another pair at the 1:43 mark. When Oregon State’s Josiah Lake missed a three-pointer that would have cut the lead to three with just over a minute left, Seattle secured the rebound and effectively ran out the clock.

The most critical sequence of the game occurred not during Oregon State’s comeback, but in the final minute of the first half, when Seattle extended its lead from a manageable 11 points to an imposing 18. With Oregon State trailing 31-22 and possessing the ball in the final 40 seconds, a turnover by Keziah Ekissi led to a fast break. Although Will Heimbrodt missed a transition jumper, the Redhawks retained possession after the ball went out of bounds. Following a timeout, they executed a set play that resulted in a Heimbrodt three-pointer with 1:08 left. On the ensuing Oregon State inbound, Maleek Arington stole the pass and was fouled, sinking two free throws. Another Beavers turnover led to two more Seattle free throws by Arington with 49 seconds left. This 7-0 burst in a mere 19-second span transformed a 31-22 lead into a 38-22 chasm, a deficit from which Oregon State could not fully recover despite its valiant second-half effort.

Beyond the key scorers, Seattle’s Houran Dan contributed 10 points and 3 rebounds, while Arington filled the stat sheet with 4 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, and relentless defensive pressure. For Oregon State, Yaak Yaak added 7 points, but the Beavers’ offense was hampered by a season-low 4 assists against 12 turnovers.

With the win, Seattle improved to 16-11 overall, avenging its 68-55 loss in Corvallis earlier this season. Oregon State, which had won three of its last four coming in, including a 90-63 rout of San Francisco, fell back to .500 at 14-14. The game’s total of 110 points fell well under the pregame over/under line of 137, a fitting conclusion for a contest won with defense and grit. Seattle next hosts Saint Mary’s on Wednesday, while Oregon State returns home to face Pepperdine on Saturday.