WATCH: Oregon, Oregon State women's basketball pioneers

WATCH: Oregon, Oregon State women’s basketball pioneers

STANFORD, CA - JANUARY 08: Oregon State Beavers guard Sydney Wiese (24) and Oregon State Beavers center Marie Gulich (21) celebrate with teammates their win during the regular season game between Oregon State University Beavers and the Stanford Cardinals women basketball on January 08, 2017 at Maples Pavilion. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Before there was Sydney Wiese and Ruth Hamblin’s Oregon State team in the Final Four, before Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard took Oregon to the Elite Eight, Bev Smith and Carole Menken-Schaudt helped make it all possible.

The stars for Oregon and Oregon State, respectively, in the days immediately preceding the creation of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament sat down with Travis Teich to talk about the very beginning of the women’s basketball rivalry between the two teams, including the unheard-of decision to televise a women’s basketball game.

Menken-Schaudt led the nation in scoring in the 1980-81 season, while Smith made two Kodak All-American teams. The pair set the Pac-12 programs on a path to their current levels among the best in the country, and taught the Pacific northwest about the talent found in the women’s game, players who only required an opportunity to excel.

Watch the full report, from NBC affiliate KMTR, right here.

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