On Saturday at 2:00 PM PT on Pac-12 Networks, Stanford men’s basketball will take on the Oregon State Beavers in a home contest at Maples Pavilion. Stanford comes in at 12-14 overall and 7-9 in the Pac-12 while Oregon State comes in at 11-16 overall and 3-13 in the Pac-12.
Last time out: On Thursday, Stanford fell to Oregon at home by a final score of 78-65.
RECAP: Stanford MBB gets overpowered by Oregon
On Oregon State: The Beavers have not had a good season as is evident by their record. They’ve lost seven games in a row and have not won a road game or neutral site game all season long. Most recently, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when they played at Cal on Thursday. They just can’t seem to win away from Corvallis.
Sophomore guard Jordan Pope continues to do all he can to help this Beaver team build up a dam as he averages 17.0 points per game on 45.0% shooting from the field, 37.5% shooting from 3-point range, and 87.8% shooting from the foul line. He’s been playing well. Sophomore forward Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 13.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while senior guard Dexter Akanno is averaging 10.4 points per game. Nobody else on the team scores in double figures on average and only one other player is scoring above six points per game.
As a team, the Beavers average 68.2 points per game on 43.7% shooting from the field, 32.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 72.7% shooting from the foul line. They average 32.9 rebounds, 11.3 assists, 6.1 steals, 3.6 blocks, and 12.6 turnovers per game while also averaging a -1.9 rebound margin and a -0.8 turnover margin per game. Their opponents average 72.2 points per game on 43.7% shooting from the field, 32.4% shooting from 3-point range, and 71.6% from the foul line.
Keys to the game: For Stanford, the first thing they need to do is just have clean possessions. Take care of the ball, take good shots, and maintain a good offensive flow. If they do that, they’re gonna be tough for Oregon State to stop.
Next, Stanford has to contain Pope. He’s going to look to have a big night and carry the load in this one. If Stanford does a good job defending him, they’ll be in a good spot. If not, the Beavers could pull off the upset.
Finally, Stanford needs to maintain good energy on the glass. They can’t let Oregon State get second chance scoring opportunities. Maxime Raynaud, James Keefe, Brandon Angel, and Spencer Jones need to go to work inside on the glass. If they do, Stanford should be sitting pretty.
Prediction: Even though Stanford has lost three straight games, it’s important to keep in mind Oregon State has lost seven straight and they haven’t won a game away from Corvallis all season. Not to mention the fact that Stanford found a way to win in overtime when they played in Corvallis earlier this season. I gotta roll with Stanford in this one. 85-73 Cardinal is how I see this one playing out. Facing the Beavers at home is just what the doctored ordered to get them back in the win column.
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