With the Oregon State men's basketball team (11-3, 1-1 Pac-12) earning a split on the mountain road trip to open Pac-12 play, and the No. 3 women's basketball team (14-0, 2-0) sweeping Utah and Colorado in Corvallis, BeaversEdge.com Managing Editor Brenden Slaughter gives you the latest on both squads in another edition of the 3-2-1.

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1. There's something about playing in Boulder...

Raise your hand if you thought Wayne Tinkle and Co. would knock off Colorado in Boulder following the Buffs' win over No. 4 Oregon days prior and the Beavers losing to Utah haplessly the same night. Simply put, the Beavers shocked just about everyone in the college basketball world by way of their 76-68 comeback win. After looking out of sorts in Salt Lake City just days earlier, Tinkle and Co. were able to flip the script and arguably earn its first signature win of the season. For the Beavers to stroll into Coors Events Center and earn a win against a CU team that is currently ranked No. 25 in the country was oh so important on many levels. Not only do the Beavers now have a signature win on the road, but they were also able to give their NET Rankings a boost, moving up to 55th in the most recent edition. There's no doubt that Tinkle challenged his team after the loss to the Utes in Salt Lake City and the result was what I believe to be the potential of this team. Boulder has been kind to the Beavers in recent seasons, and with any luck, this most recent success will lead to more as the team opens Pac-12 home play.

2. The 1-3-1 could be Oregon State's X-Factor: If there was one definable wrinkle that the Beavers unleashed on Colorado in the second half to completely turn the tide, it was the use of the 1-3-1 defense. Beaver fans will no doubt remember the unique and trapping zone defense as a near staple of the Craig Robinson era, but in recent games, we've seen Tinkle and his staff utilize it quite effectively. With the Beavers boasting a ton of athleticism, length, and finesse, there's no reason that they can't utilize this defense effectively to get out in transition and force a more up-tempo style of play. Prior to the start of the year, the Beavers talked about wanting to get out and run in transition more, so perhaps using the 1-3-1 could be the perfect X-Factor to flip a game in the Beavers' favor.

3. Rueck has the Beavers humming

With the Beavers off to the best start in program history at 14-0, there's no doubt that we're witnessing a very special 2019-20 season. Prior to the start of the year, Rueck told the media that he felt this team was very similar to the 2014-15 team that went all the way to the Final Four in the sense of togetherness and talent... 14 games in, it sure looks like Rueck was spot on with his analysis of this years' group. Despite the Beavers not playing their best game of the year against Colorado this past Sunday, they rolled over the Utes days prior and have the ability to run opponents out of the gym when things are going right. This team has a strong case to be the No. 1 team in the country and I have no doubt that they'll be playing their best basketball come seasons end. Sit back and enjoy the ride Beaver fans, this year is going to be special...

1. Is what we saw against Colorado from Tinkle and Co. sustainable?

While the win in Boulder was massive on multiple levels, it's important to keep in context that it was just one game. With that being said, I'm curious to see in the coming weeks if the team we saw beat CU is the OSU team we should expect this season, or if the team that lost to Utah is more of the mean. With matchups against the Arizona schools looming at home, we won't have to wait long to see if the momentum and strong play continues.

2. How will the Beavers fare on the road against two tough programs?

After handling their business with relative ease over the weekend against Utah and Colorado, the Beavers will have a much tougher challenge this weekend against No. 18 Arizona and Arizona State. The Sun Devils aren't quite where they have been in recent years, they've upset the Beavers in years' past while the Wildcats have suddenly become a very relevant team thanks to dynamic point guard Aari McDonald. The weekend will test the Beavers certainly, but given how well they've been playing, it's hard to see them dropping a contest in the desert.

Oregon State WBB will remain undefeated; MBB will ride momentum in Gill

It's a big upcoming weekend of play for both teams as men will welcome the Arizona schools to Gill Coliseum for their Pac-12 home opener, while the women will head for warmer temperatures for a road-series against the Arizona schools.

If there was ever a must-sweep weekend for Tinkle and Co., it just might be this weekend. While it's a little early and perhaps premature to call any games "must-wins", the Beavers need to pad their resume every single time they step on the court if they hope to be in the discussion for the Big Dance. Taking care of ASU and No. 24 Arizona in Gill would go a long way in bringing the Beavers back to the foreground of the bubble. It's a tough ask to knock off two very talented teams at home, but if the Beavers can carry the CU momentum and play to their ability, I could see them earning a sweep.

On the flip side, I expect the Beavers to continue their strong play in Arizona this weekend. Simply put, Rueck and the Beavs have been humming like a fine-tuned machine and there's little reason to think that's going to change anytime soon. Arizona will likely be the closer game of the two, but as long as the Beavers do what they do, they'll return home with a pair of Pac-12 road wins.