Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle — who ‘grew up’ on Loyola’s campus and going to Chicago Cubs games — prayed for the chance to face the Ramblers in the Sweet 16
Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said his prayers before taking a pregame nap Sunday. He sent a hope to a higher power he would be able to face Loyola in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, a full-circle moment for him and his family.
His prayers were answered when the Beavers beat Oklahoma State in the second round, setting up his dream scenario.
“I just said this would be unbelievable,” Tinkle said after the 80-70 victory.
No. 8 seed Loyola, which upset top-seeded Illinois, will play No. 12 seed Oregon State in a Midwest Region semifinal Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The prospect of facing the Ramblers stirred nostalgia in Tinkle, who spent most of his childhood in Chicago. His father, Wayne Tinkle Sr., was dean of students at Loyola and fostered a lifelong fandom of the Chicago Cubs in his son.
The family moved from Milwaukee to Chicago in the late 1960s when Tinkle’s dad was hired at Loyola, and he often took his son to work with him on days they could skip out early for a Cubs game.
“I grew up on their campus,” Tinkle said.
He watched the Ramblers play Detroit, which was coached by Dick Vitale at the time.
“I remember stories about George Ireland,” Tinkle said, referring to the coach of Loyola’s 1963 national championship team who was at the helm until 1975. “I remember going to see him play when I was like 5 or 6 years old.”
Like many Chicagoans, Tinkle’s fondest memories were created in Wrigleyville. He recalled idolizing Billy Williams, waiting by the players parking lot to get Bobby Murcer’s and Rick Monday’s autographs and sitting in the bleachers back when seats were $2.50.
He recalled attending a long extra-inning game at Wrigley Field as a kid, although he wasn’t sure of the opponent or year.
“There was a little rain delay in the middle,” said Tinkle, the youngest of 11 children. “We thought it was over and were walking out and all of a sudden we hear this eruption of cheers. I don’t know if they hit a home run or a double to extend it, but they let us back in to watch the final.”
(On June 24, 1976, the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 in 13 innings on a home run at rain-soaked Wrigley Field.)
Tinkle’s dad’s career — and then his own — took him far from Chicago.
Wayne Sr. left for an administrative career at Gonzaga. The 6-foot-10 Tinkle graduated from high school in Spokane, Wash., and played center at Montana.
After a lengthy international playing career, he coached at his alma mater as an assistant before becoming head coach from 2006 to 2014.
Since he took over at Oregon State in 2014-15, the Beavers haven’t finished better than fourth in the Pac-12, but this is their second NCAA Tournament appearance. They were bounced in the first round in 2016.
This season the Beavers were picked to finish last in the Pac-12, and they wound up tied for sixth. But they caught fire in the conference tournament — beating UCLA, Oregon and Colorado — to earn an NCAA Tournament invitation as an automatic qualifier.
They’ve looked as impressive in Indianapolis. They beat No. 5 seed Tennessee70-56 in the first round and dismissed No. 4 seed Oklahoma State by holding the Cowboys to their lowest shooting percentage (27.7%) since 2014.
The Beavers’ balance and variety of scorers can present a challenge, but Loyola’s defense was responsible for snuffing Illinois.
Oregon State and Loyola represent a group of teams in this season’s tournament that often are undervalued. The Pac-12 has long lived in the shadows of other power conferences, but it placed four teams in the Sweet 16.
“We’ve got some talented, talented teams in our league,” Tinkle said. “We’re obviously putting everybody on notice. I’m very happy for our program, but I’m extremely happy for the Pac-12. Maybe now we’ll get some damn respect.”
Tinkle will savor Saturday’s game against the Ramblers, adding to his collection of Chicago memories.
“They’re a great team,” he said. “This is really going to mean something extra special for me and my family.”
He took his son, Tres, who played for him at Oregon State, to some Cubs games in 2016. He celebrated the World Series from afar.
When the Beavers’ NCAA Tournament run ends, Tinkle said he was promised a reward.
Cubs strength and conditioning coach Shane Wallen, who played football at Oregon State, has kept in touch with Tinkle during the team’s run while keeping Tinkle informed on Cubs news.
“He says he has a Cubs gift bag for me,” Tinkle said. “I’ll look forward to getting that in the mail.”
Of course, a national championship trophy would be the real prize.
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