Preview: San Diego Toreros at No. -- Oregon State Beavers

CORVALLIS, Ore. (Interstat) — The surging Oregon State Beavers look to continue their strong home-court play when they host the struggling San Diego Toreros in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Gill Coliseum.

Oregon State (15-6) enters on a high note after a thrilling 92-87 overtime victory over Gonzaga last Thursday. The Beavers have won five of their last six games, with their only stumble in that stretch a narrow 55-51 road loss to Loyola Marymount.

The Beavers are led by standout guard Jenna Villa, who is coming off a career-high 31-point performance in the win over Gonzaga. Villa has been on a scoring tear, averaging 24.7 points over her last three games and scoring 25 or more points in four of her last six outings. Her backcourt partnership with Kennedie Shuler, who dished out nine assists against the Bulldogs, provides a potent offensive combination.

San Diego (8-14) snapped a three-game skid with a 69-60 home win over Loyola Marymount last Saturday. The Toreros have struggled on the road this season, however, and face a steep challenge against an Oregon State team that is 9-2 at home.

The Toreros will rely heavily on guard Kylie Ray, who has been a consistent bright spot during a difficult season. Ray is averaging 22.1 points over her last seven games, including a 26-point, 9-rebound, 5-assist effort in the win over LMU. Forward Eva Ruse is coming off a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in that contest and will be key in battling Oregon State’s frontcourt.

Oregon State holds a significant advantage in record and recent form. The Beavers’ balanced attack, which features four players averaging double-figure scoring in conference play, will test a San Diego defense that has allowed an average of 67.2 points per game.

This game is the first of a home-and-home series between the teams, who will meet again in San Diego on Feb. 26.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST. Oregon State will host San Francisco on Saturday, while San Diego travels to face Portland.