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Preview: San Diego vs. Oregon State
Oregon State will get a test run at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas when it plays San Diego on Saturday. The Pac-12 Conference is hosting the game, and three others, as a prelude to the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament that will be held at the same venue for the first time in March. The Beavers returned their top eight scorers from last season and continue to hum along, despite losing 6-10 senior center Angus Brandt to a season-ending knee injury during the fourth game. They’ve won four straight and feature five players averaging in double figures. In its most recent game, San Diego played No. 15 San Diego State close for the first 10 minutes last Saturday before losing 72-56. The Toreros have a capable point guard in 5-7 sophomore Christopher Anderson, who entered the week ranked 17th in the nation in steals (2.75) and 20th in assists (6.2).
TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO (6-6): The Toreros had trouble matching up with San Diego State’s height and that could be an issue against Oregon State, the top rebounding team in the Pac-12. San Diego coach Bill Grier has said 6-9 senior forward Chris Manresa is the team’s most talented player, though he missed seven games following the season opener with an inflamed bulging disc in his lower back. The Toreros have gone 4-1 since his return. San Diego also needs 6-11 junior forward Dennis Kramer to regain his scoring touch. He averaged 11 points the first four games but is averaging only three in the last eight.
ABOUT OREGON STATE (8-2): Devon Collier made his first start of the season Wednesday in a 69-53 victory against visiting Howard. The 6-9 junior forward started 57 of his first 66 games at Oregon State, but coach Craig Robinson noticed last summer how well Collier played after coming off the bench and made him a reserve the first nine games. Collier averaged 15.4 points the first nine games, a moderate increase from the 13.1 he averaged last season. In his first start this fall, he took only five field-goal attempts, four below his season average, and scored 12 points.
TIP-INS
1. The Beavers have held six of their 10 opponents below 40 percent shooting and won all six games.
2. Oregon State junior G Roberto Nelson is averaging 22.5 points over the past four games and has made 13-of-18 from 3-point range in that span.
3. If the Beavers can beat San Diego, Towson and Texas Pan-American in their next three games, they’ll have their best start since the 1989-90 team began 15-2.
PREDICTION: Oregon State 75, San Diego 53
