Oregon State is close to clinching fourth place and an automatic quarterfinals berth in the West Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament.

There’s work to do, however, as the Beavers try to hold off San Francisco and possibly Saint Mary’s and Pacific during the final week of the regular season.

Finishing fourth means a less tiring road to the WCC tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. As the No. 4 seed, the Beavers need to win three games in three days to win the championship, while fifth or sixth means playing a fourth game.

Oregon State (15-14, 11-7 WCC) finishes the regular season with two road games, Thursday at Saint Mary’s (9-9) and Saturday at Pepperdine. The Beavers clinches fourth on Thursday with a win over the Gaels, coupled with a loss by San Francisco (10-8) to Portland.

OSU also nails down fourth by winning both games this week, or one win coupled with one San Francisco loss.

It gets dicier if the Beavers lose both road games. At 11-9, the Beavers wins a tiebreaker as long as Pacific (9-9) isn’t involved, as the Tigers swept the season series from Oregon State.

If not fourth, Oregon State isn’t likely to fall below fifth. Though there is a longshot scenario where the Beavers could be the No. 7 seed in the event of a four-way tie for fourth with San Francisco, Saint Mary’s and Pacific.

Helping Oregon State’s situation is the remaining schedules for San Francisco and Pacific. The Tigers have co-WCC leaders Portland and Gonzaga remaining on its schedule, while the Dons have Gonzaga left.

Also in the Beavers favor: they’re hot. OSU has won six of its last seven games, the only loss coming in overtime to Gonzaga.

Oregon State cannot finish higher than the No. 4 seed. If the Beavers were to tie Washington State (13-6) for third, the Cougars own the tiebreaker, having swept the season series from OSU.

If Oregon State comes up short of a WCC tournament championship, there are other postseason opportunities available. The NCAA manages the WBIT, a 32-team tournament set up with a format like the men’s NIT. Beyond that is a 48-team WNIT, a tournament in which the Beavers participated in 2022.

Here is the WCC tournament schedule:

WCC WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

At Orleans Arena, Las Vegas

Thursday, March 6

Game 1: No. 10 vs. No. 11, noon

Friday, March 7

Game 2: No. 8 vs. No. 9, noon

Game 3: No. 7 vs. Game 1 winner, 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 8

Game 4: No. 5 vs. Game 2 winner, noon

Game 5: No. 6 vs. Game 3 winner, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 9

Game 6: No. 4 vs. Game 4 winner, 11:30 a.m.

Game 7: Washington State vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m.

Monday, March 10

Game 8: Portland or Gonzaga vs. Game 6 winner, noon

Game 9: Portland or Gonzaga vs. Game 7 winner, 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 11

Game 10: Game 1 vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.

—Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel | @nickdaschel.bsky.social | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.