Game Day Essentials: Game #5 vs Oregon St

Oregon State

Head Coach: Wayne Tinkle (10th year)
Location: Corvallis, OR
Conference: Pac-12
Nickname:  Beavers
Mascot:  Benny Beaver
Last time out: Defeated App St 81-71
Clothes not to wear: Orange, Black

Opening Line: Nebraska by 9

Nota bene:  

• Nebraska looking to start 5-0 for the first time since 2008-09
• Nebraska is 4-6 all-time vs Oregon St
• This is Nebraska's second game at the Sanford Pentagon. The Huskers beat Oklahoma St 79-56 in 2019
• Oregon St made a surprise run to the Elite 8 in 2021 as a 12 seed

Player to watch: Jordan Pope

Dynamic 6'2" PG who started day one last year as a freshman. Shooting 42.9 from 3pt range. Pope leads the Beavers in scoring at 19 ppg

Player to watch: Tyler Bilodeau

6'9" 220# F is a scoring force inside and leads the team in rebounds

Others to watch

• Christian Wright, Dexter Akanno  - Both are slashing type players capable of getting to the line. Both tend to take half their shots from 3 and tend to miss a lot of them.
• Tyler Stephenson-Moore - 6'3" Sr guard is arguably the best defender on the team and other main 3pt threat though he's more of a slasher.
• 4 headed center monster of KC Ibekwe, Chol Marial, Thomas Ndong, Gavin Marrs 
  • 6'10" 290# Ibekwe is the most well rounded and probably the biggest offensive threat. Rim protector/rebounder. Fouls and causes fouls. Bad FT shooter
  • Former Maryland player Marial clocks in at 7'2" 235. Shot blocker/rebounder. Has yet to attempt a shot vs a D1 school this season.
  • Ndong ia a 6'10" Canadian freshman who is the only one of this group likely to take a 3
  • Marrs is 7'0"

Roster/infirmary report

OUT

5   Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Junior - Likely out for the season
15  Blaise Keita     6-11    257 lbs    Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery

"Twitter Maybe"

2    Ramel Lloyd Jr.             6-6    210 lbs    RS Freshman

Possible starters for Nebraska

10    Jamarques Lawrence  6-3    183 lbs    Sophomore

30   Keisei Tominaga           6-2    179 lbs    Senior
3     Brice Williams               6-7    213 lbs    Junior
53   Josiah Allick                 6-8    231 lbs    Senior
51    Rienk Mast                 6-10    248 lbs    Junior

Bench

0    C.J. Wilcher                  6-5    214 lbs    Junior

9    Jarron Coleman            6-5    213 lbs    Senior
1    Sam Hoiberg                 6-0    183 lbs    Sophomore
11    Eli Rice                         6-8    213 lbs    Freshman

4   Juwan Gary                   6-6    221 lbs    Junior 
21    Matar Diop                 6-10    213 lbs    Freshman
31    Cale Jacobsen            6-4    200 lbs    RS Freshman
35    Henry Burt                  6-7    216 lbs    RS Freshman
24    Jeffrey Grace III         6-3    197 lbs    Sophomore 

Lloyd might be available though it's tough to see him commanding many minutes with this deep roster at this time

The Skinny: 

The Beavers have hit the highest highs and lowest lows during the Wayne Tinkle era. In 2021 they went on an absolute heater, winning the PAC-12 tourney to make the tournament and then made it all the way to the Elite 8. The next season they went 3-28.  Currently the Beavers seem to be on a bit of an upswing with a younger squad anchored by some talented sophomores. However, they're still a work in progress as they've had to take home buy-games to OT to win.

Philosophically both teams by default will try to take away the two and are more than willing to take 3s; plenty of deep balls in this one. Nebraska's big advantages in this one is their ability to limit second chance points and keep OSU off the FT line. The former should be fairly easy, the latter we shall see.  

Two things to track today:

• Who guards Jordan Pope?  Nebraska doesn't really play a straight man defense so you'll see switching but who is on him most of the game? Assume this will be Lawrence
• Does Nebraska attack differently depending on who is at center?  In a game vs Zach Eddy, the first thing you do is attack the rim the second he sits.  I assume the Huskers won't want to go at Chol much when he plays. How much does it matters who is in there?

This is technically a neutral game but it will be a home crowd for the Huskers. Expect this team to respond well in a friendly environment.

Prediction: Nebraska 75 - Oregon State 59