Oregon State University Preview

Oregon State enters the game 2-1 in conference and 7-7 overall, sweeping the Arizona's at home and losing to the Cougars last night 84-70. The Huskies have won 8 straight against the Beavers, most recently the quarter final game in the Pac-10 tournament.

OSU runs a 10 man rotation with some height. Their shortest starter is 6-3 and their tallest is 6-10.

Jared Cunningham leads the team in scoring with 14.1 per game and also grabs 3.3 steals per game. He does, however, average more turnovers (2.4) than assists (2.2).

Omari Johnson leads the Beavers in rebounding with 6.7 boards per game and is third in scoring with 9.6 points per game. He is also averaging more turnovers (1.6) than assists (1.1).

Overall the Beavers are committing 15 turnovers per game, while only managing 13 assists per game. 4 players are averaging 2 or more turnovers per game. Only 3 players are averaging 2 or more assists per game with the highest by Joe Burton at 2.7.

The Beavers rebound decently, averaging 34 or so per game. The do allow their opponents to grab 35 a game. UW is averaging nearly 41 per game and allows 34 per game.

Jared Cunningham is probably the most dangerous player on the Beaver team. He is a 6-4 guard who is athletic, strong, and quick. His ball handling skills are not the greatest, but he does a decent enough job.

This is the perfect game for Ross to get the start. With OSU being a taller team (6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-9, 6-10), Ross is a much better match up for Cunningham or Devon Collier than Venoy Overton. Putting Ross in the game allows Holiday to defend Cunningham. Not that Ross isn't talented enough defensively to shut down Cunningham, but Holiday is much more proven defender and is very experienced.

Predicted Line Ups

Oregon State

Calvin Haynes 6-3 188lb G
Jared Cunningham 6-4 182lb G
Devon Collier 6-7 206lb F
Omari Johnson 6-9 220lb F
Angus Brandt 6-10 237lb F/C

Washington

Isaiah Thomas 5-9 185lb G
Justin Holiday 6-6 185lb F
Terrence Ross 6-6 190lb F
Matthew Bryan-Amaning 6-9 240lb F
Aziz N'Diaye 7-0 260lb C

Keys to the Game

Rebounding

MBA has been fantastic since the start of conference play, averaging 8.3 boards per game. Aziz does better against taller teams where he can body up a bit more. He didn't see a lot of action last game and may have a somewhat tougher time tomorrow against OSU's zone. If the Huskies can continue to out rebound their opponents they will see a lot of success come their way. Hustle plays win ball games and that starts with hard work on the glass.

Outside Shooting

OSU runs a 1-3-1 zone that gives the Huskies some good opportunities at the long ball. The Huskies went 10-26 last game, far from their abilities. The Huskies have yet to find their range against Pac-10 teams, but with Ross heating up and Holiday always in excellent form the Dawgs may be  able to find themselves this next game.

Passing

The Huskies had another great passing night with 19 assists led by I.T. at 9 and Venoy with 5. With Gaddy out, it was nice to see the Huskies could cope and still dish the ball with ease. Moving the ball around is key to defeating and penetrating a zone defense.

Free Throws

The Huskies only attempted 10 shots from the line last game, 1 in the first half. They only made 5. With the Dawgs barely getting to the line, at home and the road, they need to capitalize on what limited shots they get. In close situations free throws will win and lose ball games. Look at the UA-Cal game yesterday. Derrick Williams scored 31 points, got to the line 22 times and made 16. UA won by 2. I.T. went 4-6, not bad, but 5-6 is much better.

Defensive Intensity

OSU is very turnover prone and this is great for the Huskies who live on the transition game. The Dawgs could easily force 20 turnovers if they play their cards right and really get after it. The Huskies do need to handle the ball well as the Beavers are one of the best teams in the nation with 11 steals per game.

Final Thoughts

UW should have a somewhat difficult game. In that I mean, OSU will be competitive for most of the game, but the doors should blow open in the second half when our talented bench really starts shining. As long as the Huskies take care of the ball their defensive and offensive skills will do their job and win the game without much trouble. They also need to avoid foul trouble, something they did a great job of yesterday.

Final Score Prediction

UW-90 OSU-70