7. Oregon State Beavers (6-2) LW: T-8
The Beavers are 6-2, fourth in the conference standings but have a strength of schedule that ranks No. 115, according to CBS Sports. Oregon State has experienced marginal movement in our Power Rankings primarily due to an inability to secure meaningful wins.
As of now, coach Wayne Tinkle’s signature win in 2018 is a neutral-site victory over Penn. OSU had a chance to knock off Atlantic-10 foe Saint Louis on Sunday but the Billikens protected their home court in a 65-61 win.
The offensive output of forward Tres Tinkle as well as the backcourt pairing of brothers Stephen and Ethan Thompson averages out just over 49 points per contest, an impressive mark. But that trio accounts for more than two-thirds of the scoring in Corvallis.
After missing out on the NCAA Tournament in the past two seasons, OSU will need to perform exceedingly well in Pac-12 play to have any sort of chance of reaching the Big Dance.
However, Tinkle’s team has one additional opportunity to make a statement: a neutral-site matchup with Texas A&M on Dec. 15.
While the Aggies sit below .500 and show little resemblance to the team that reached the Sweet Sixteen last year, a win for the Beavers would hold weight nonetheless and could serve as a springboard at the turn of the calendar.