6. Oregon State Beavers
Despite finishing dead-last in the conference in 2016, head coachWayne Tinkle’s program has a few resources that they can look to build upon going into this season.
Prior to an injury that kept him out of 26 of his team’s 32 games,Tres Tinkleshowed he could be one of the bright young stars of the conference. He averaged 20.2 points and 8.3 rebounds, providing a physical edge that the Beavers would deeply benefit from.
GuardStephen Thompson Jr.also returns for the Beavers and is joined in Corvallis by his younger brother Ethan. In high school, the younger Thompson averaged 23 points and eight rebounds per game and will certainly provide a jolt for team that ranked last in the Pac-12 on offense.
Defensively, the Beavers will be led by big manDrew Eubanks, who initially tested the waters of the NBA Draft in 2016. Last season, he averaged 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, and will anchor an improved defense in the front court.
After shooting a meager 43 percent from the floor last year, look for OSU to utilize its talent and find their way into tight games against some of the top teams in the conference.
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