Colorado @ Oregon St. preview
Gill Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Feb 16, 2017 ) Colorado 60, Oregon St. 52
Colorado has yet to win a true road game and now opens Pac-12 play with four of its first six away from Boulder. That challenging stretch begins Friday night when the Buffaloes visit Oregon State.
In compiling an 8-4 nonconference record, Colorado is a combined 8-2 in home/neutral-site contests but 0-2 on the road with one-sided losses against Xavier (96-69) and Colorado State (72-63). “The level of play goes up when conference play happens, much like the level of play goes up in the postseason,” Buffaloes coach Tad Boyle said in a post-practice news conference Wednesday. “They (the Colorado players) need to understand that. … When we do what we’re supposed to do, the wins and losses take care of themselves. I’m still getting our young guys to figure that out and our older guys to impart their sense of urgency.” The Beavers, meanwhile, also went 8-4 in non-league play with a 7-1 record at home and a 1-3 mark in road/neutral-site contests.
TV: 11 p.m. ET, ESPNU
ABOUT COLORADO (8-4, 0-0 Pac-12): Boyle’s Buffaloes roared out to a 6-0 start, but have since dropped four of their last six games, beating only 6-8 New Mexico (75-57) and outlasting visiting South Dakota State 112-103 in double overtime. Freshman point guard McKinley Wright IV has been a revelation as he’s scored in double figures in all 12 games so far and is pacing the team in scoring (17 points per game), assists (4.7), steals (1.3), blocked shots (0.8), field-goal percentage (50.7) and 3-point percentage (41.0) while ranking second in rebounding (5.2). Senior swingman George King (14.3 points) and guard Namon Wright (11.6) are the only other players averaging double figures for the Buffaloes who rank in the Pac-12’s bottom half in scoring (76.8), field-goal percentage (45.4), 3-point percentage (33.1) and free-throw percentage (71.9).
ABOUT OREGON STATE (8-4, 0-0): After a 2-3 start, the Beavers had won six straight before a 79-78 road loss at Kent State on Dec. 21 – their last game before Friday’s conference opener. The return of sophomore forward Tres Tinkle has been huge for Oregon State after he missed all but six games with a wrist fracture a season ago and is currently is pacing the squad with 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals while averaging 3.2 assists and shooting 83.9 percent from the free-throw line. Starting guards and brothers Stephen Thompson Jr. (16.3 points) and Ethan Thompson (10.3) and forward Drew Eubanks (14.6) also are averaging double figures for the Beavers, who are averaging 80.1 points and shooting 51.9 percent from the floor at home this season.
TIP-INS
1. Colorado leads the series 14-6 after 85-78 and 60-52 wins a year ago. The latter game, played on Feb. 16, also stands as the last true road win for the Buffaloes who have lost four straight since.
2. Oregon State ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (70.2 points allowed per game) and steals (6.9).
3. Beavers reserve C Gligorije Rakocevic missed the Kent State game with a calf injury and his status is uncertain for Friday.
PREDICTION: Oregon State 79, Colorado 76