Jacksonville St. @ Oregon St. preview

A five-game nonconference win streak isn't normally cause for celebration for most schools in the Pac-12 Conference. But it would be a small milestone for Oregon State, which has won four in a row going into Tuesday game with defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State, because the host Beavers won a grand total of five games during an injury-plagued 2016-17 season.

Oregon State overcame a lethargic first half to win its fourth straight game, 85-58, over winless Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday, the 16th straight loss for the visiting Golden Lions who trailed just 37-34 at halftime. The Beavers went on a 19-0 run over one five-minute stretch in the second half to widen their league to 76-49, and cruised home for the lopsided victory. Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle told his team afterward that they must be prepared to start much better in their final three nonconference games before opening Pac-12 play. "We made it pretty loud and clear in the locker room that the price of poker is going up with our opponents this week," Tinkle said in his postgame press conference.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE (7-2): The Gamecocks, who lost to Louisville, 78-63, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last March, return three starters from a squad that finished 20-15. Senior guard Malcolm Drumwright leads the team in scoring (14.4) and assists (3.2) and has connected on 23-of-48 3-pointers (47.9 percent). Junior guard Jamall Gregory (10.9) and 7-foot senior center Norbertas Giga (10.7), who scored 30 points in the NCAA loss to Louisville, also are averaging in double figures.

ABOUT OREGON STATE (6-3): Tinkles' son, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Tres Tinkle, leads the team in scoring (18.6) and rebounding (7.4) after playing in just six games last season because of a wrist injury. Junior guard Stephen Thompson Jr., the son of the former Syracuse star, is second in scoring (16.1) after leading the Pac-12 with an average of 36.2 minutes per game as a sophomore. Drew Eubanks, a 6-foot-10 junior forward, is third in scoring (15.3) and second in rebounding (6.3) and ranks sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (70.8 percent).

TIP-INS

1. Oregon State had 11 steals in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and ranks second in the Pac-12 in that category with an average of 7.1 thefts per game.

2. The Beavers are 37-9 when leading at halftime in four seasons under Tinkle.

3. Oregon State F forward Alfred Hollins, who came off the bench to score 13 points in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, is shooting a team leading 73.7 percent (14-of-19) from the floor.

PREDICTION: Oregon State 67, Jacksonville State 63