Oregon State Beavers Basketball: Monday Notebook

With the Oregon State women's and men's basketball teams wrapping up nonconference play this past Sunday, BeaversEdge.com Managing Editor Brenden Slaughter gives you the rundown on Scott Rueck and Wayne Tinkle's squads as they enter Pac-12 play.

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RECORD: 12-0

ON DECK: Jan. 3rd vs Utah (7 p.m. Pac-12 ) - Jan. 5th vs Colorado (12 p.m. Pac-12)

RUNDOWN: Armed with an undefeated record and No. 3 national rank, the Oregon State women's basketball team is poised to continue its strong play heading into the Pac-12 slate. The Beavers wrapped up their nonconference slate on Sunday with a 69-50 romp over Cal State Bakersfield. Moving forward, head coach Scott Rueck and Co. will be looking to keep up the heat heading into the opening weekend of Pac-12 play. The Beavers will have the benefit of starting conference play in the friendly confines of Gill Coliseum as Utah and Colorado will be the first conference opponents to face the No. 3 Beavers. With the Beavers largely cruising through nonconference play and having a strong case to be the No. 1 team in the country, it'll be interesting to see how they respond to the rigors of conference play. Both the Utes and Buffs have played the Beavers very tough in previous seasons, and I expect that to continue this weekend. OSU should win both contests at home, but undefeated Colorado (12-0, 1-0 Pac-12) could be the more dangerous of the two as they've been quite solid to start the season. In any case, this Oregon State women's basketball team is as good as any, perhaps the best Rueck has had during his time in Corvallis and I don't expect the momentum to slow down anytime soon. Look for the Beavers to come out of week one with two wins in front of their home fans at Gill Coliseum.

Quick Hits

- Oregon State ranks seventh nationally in field-goal percentage defense (32.1)

- The Beavers are sixth nationally in rebounds per game (45.6)

- OSU is second in the country in rebound margin (+ 14.2)

- The Beavers are 10th in the country in scoring margin, winning their contests by an average of 25.3 points.

- Mikayla Pivec leads the Pac-12 in rebounds per game (9.9), ranks fourth in field goal percentage (58.3), is sixth in scoring (15.4), and is fourth in assists per game at 5.6. She's also fourth in the conference in minutes played per game, averaging 31.9 per game.

- Taylor Jones leads all Pac-12 freshmen in scoring and blocks, averaging 14.1 points on 61 percent shooting, and swatting two shots per game. She's also seventh in the conference in rebounds per game (7.8).

- Aleah Goodman is sixth in the conference in three-point percentage, knocking down 44 percent of her threes. Additionally, she's eighth in assists, averaging just under five per game.

- As a team, the Beavers lead the Pac-12 in three-point percentage (37.5) and come in second in blocks per game (6.0).

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RECORD: 10-2

ON DECK: Jan. 2nd @ Utah (5:30 p.m. Pac-12) - Jan. 5th @ Colorado (3 p.m. ESPNU)

RUNDOWN: After wrapping up its nonconference slate with a win over North Dakota, the Oregon State men's basketball team now turns its attention to the Pac-12 slate. While the Beavers boast a 10-2 record, there's been some inconsistencies that Wayne Tinkle and Co. will look to shore up before the start of conference play. When breaking down the Beavers' nonconference schedule, they've got one bad loss (Texas A&M) and one good loss (Oklahoma), against 10 victories, so all considering, this is about as good of a start as you could have hoped for. Sure, the Beavers are still finding their rhythm and settling into a groove, but outside of the A&M and Oklahoma contests, Tinkle and Co. took care of business and now find themselves in a fortuitous position heading into the toughest road-trip the Pac-12 has to offer. Perhaps the most interesting development against North Dakota was Ethan Thompson scoring a career-high 25 points... if the Beavers can get Thompson to have scoring outbursts on a more regular basis, it could really ease the pressure off Tres Tinkle and allow the offense to flow more smoothly. Thompson is certainly still settling into his new role, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him be more aggressive and continue to look for his shot in Pac-12 play. When the Beavers have guys other than Tinkle that can score, distribute, and make plays, they're a much more balanced and dynamic offensive unit. With Colorado and Utah boasting their usual strong squads, this weekend will be a very difficult challenge for the Beavers. Starting conference play on a high note is a huge advantage and the Beavs can't afford to fall behind early if they're going to chase an NCAA Tournament berth. Getting a split on the mountain road trip would be a big step in showing that the Beavers are for real this season.

QUICK HITS

- Tres Tinkle is second in the Pac-12 in scoring per game (20.4) and is ninth in rebounds (7.3) and assists (4.2). Additionally, Tinkle is second in the Pac-12 in steals per game (2.0) and is fourth in three-point percentage (49.1). With Tinkle becoming a far more effective three-point shooter in his senior season, he's made himself a much more complete player. The uptick in percentage will also likely draw more attention from NBA scouts as one of the knocks on him a year ago was hitting the three consistently. If Tinkle can continue his hot shooting through Pac-12 play, the sky is the limit for him and the team.

- The Beavers are 76th in the NCAA Net Rankings

- Kylor Kelley is second nationally in blocked shots (4.33) and the Beavers lead the Pac-12 in blocked shots per game (6.4)

- As a team, the Beavers are third in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage (48.8) and rank second in assists per game, recording just over 17 per game. Additionally, the Beavers commit the second-fewest turnovers, averaging just 11.7 per contest.