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This might not be the biggest OSU sporting event of the day, but it is still an important game for the Oregon State basketball team. After a tough loss 64-62 loss to 18th ranked Vanderbilt, the Beavs will play a winless Towson University team on the road. These are the type of games Oregon State had lapses of concentration in last year and if the Beavs want to earn an NCAA tourney bid (which continues to look more and more realistic) then OSU needs to dominate these sort of matchups.
Towson Tigers (0-4)
The Tigers have lost to two ranked teams this year in Michigan and Kansas, but have also lost to Belmont and UNC-Greensboro. They are led by senior forward Robert Nwankwo who is averaging 13.8 points and 9.3 rebounds, both team highs. The Tigers are led in assists by freshman Kris Walden with 3 assists, but he also averages 7 turnovers per game. In fact, as a team through four games they are averaging 23.8 turnovers a game. This sounds like an ideal matchup for a steal-happy Oregon State team.
Oregon State has some things it can practice in this game, primarily on the defensive end. Through all five games that OSU has played so far they have struggled to really guard on the perimeter. There has been way too much penetration into the lane, which leads to easy shots for opposing offenses. This is the primary issue dogging OSU, it makes it difficult to get out on shooters, and it makes it tough to start the offense for the Beavs. The second thing they need to work on is outside shooting. The Beavs are pretty efficient from inside the arc, if they convert a couple more of their outside shots, suddenly the lane will open up even more.
This game should be easily won by OSU, but there is plenty to work on. The Beavs should win by a mile, but they need to prove that they can win against teams they should beat.
Go Beavs!