PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon State men’s basketball is taking on No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes in Corvallis on Saturday night.
Here’s what Oregon State needs to do in order to take on the Buffs:
1. Tinkle needs to be aggressive
Tres Tinkle is one of the most talented players not only in the conference but in the country. He has a very impressive skill set all around, with his ability to shoot and his ability to get into the paint and use his size to get an easy shot. Tinkle needs to come out against the experienced Buffs and set the mentality for his team early, let the Buffs know that the Beavers won’t be a pushover and he needs to lead the charge and set the tone.
2. Kelley needs to be involved on both ends
Kylor Kelley has been a menace defensively for opposing teams. Whenever teams are able to blow by defenders and get in the paint, Kelley is there to either block the shot or alter it at the are minimum. Kelley being a fact defensively is a given but if the Beavers want to get a win against the Buffs, he also needs to be a factor on the offensive side. If he can get the inside game going for the Beavers, that will force the Buffs to collapse on him when he has the ball on the inside then, he can find the open shooter around the perimeter.
3. Push the pace for easy baskets on fast breaks
There are plenty of times in win and losses for the Beavers when they have a chance to push the pace and get some easy fast breakpoints. I am not questioning Wayne Tinkle and his coaching style but, I think with some talented athletes like the Beavers have with his son Tres, Ethan Thompson, and Kelley, they could push the pace at times and come away with the easy baskets.
4. Apply pressure on the perimeter
In the Buffs loss to the Ducks, the Ducks were able to apply a ton of pressure on the perimeter in their second-half comeback win. The Beavers need to bring the physicality on the perimeter to this matchup much like they did against the Utes and the Ducks, because it makes it tough for the shooters to get the space they need to take a comfortable and confident shot.
5. Control the flow of the game
Whatever the Beavers need to do to control the flow of the game they need to do, if that means a few baskets in the fast break like I have stated then slow it down, or keep the game fast-paced or whatever the Beavers do, but the main focus for them is to keep the pace of the game in their control. They cant let the Buffs determine the flow of the game and control the game.
6. Thompson needs to win his matchup against Wright
Ethan Thompson is the Beavers go-to defender on the perimeter, he is going to have to guard and try and slow down Colorado’s leading scorer and playmaker McKinley Wright. Thompson can’t let him get going or get in his rhythm, he is great at creating his own shot and forcing defenses to collapse on him and finding the open man for the score. Wright currently averages 13.6 points a game and dishes out 5.2 assists a game.