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Oregon State Basketball: Opponent Preview - Arizona Wildcats (Game 19)

Arizona will be looking to stop the bleeding at home against the Beavers.

By The_Coach
NCAA Basketball: Arizona at Arizona State Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Wildcats (13-6, 7-6)

  • Head Coach: Sean Miller (12th Season, Overall: 298–106)
  • Points For: 77.7 PPG (62nd)
  • Points Against: 68.7 PPG (48th)
  • Last Game/Streak: 82-79 Loss at Colorado (2L)

The Skinny

NCAA Basketball: Arizona at Oregon State
Arizona’s Jordan Brown scored 25 points on 10-12 shooting earlier this year against Oregon State.
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
  • James Akinjo (14.6 PPG)
  • Bennedict Mathurin (11.7 PPG)
  • Azuolas Tubelis (11.6 PPG)
  • Jordan Brown (9.8 PPG)
  • Terrell Brown Jr. (8.3 PPG)
  • Christian Koloko (5.3 PPG)
  • Dalen Terry (4.7 PPG)
  • Ira Lee (3.4 PPG)

Almost a month ago when Arizona met Oregon State in Corvallis, it looked more like a showcase game for the Wildcats, who steamrolled Wayne Tinkle’s crew in a 98-64 victory.

On Thursday, the Beavers will try to enact their revenge, as Sean Miller tries to get his squad off a two-game losing skid, which has put them on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament.

The pressure is beginning to ramp up in the desert, as Miller’s stay is beginning to wear on fans a bit. The program went through a wild interaction with the NCAA during their infractions scandal and as the Pac-12 begins to re-shift their balance of power, the Wildcats aren’t exactly standing at the top.

It’s also been a unique experience this season, as like most programs, Arizona has dealt with a unique amount of roster turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve added crucial transfers like point guard James Akinjo (Georgetown), big man Jordan Brown (Nevada) and sharpshooter Terrell Brown Jr. (Seattle) to the mix, while some foreign influence from Bennedict Mathurin (Canada) and Azuolas Tubelis (Lithuania) has changed their complexion all together.

This is a strong group that Miller has in tow, that’s discovering itself more and more by the day. And maybe, this recent two game losing skid is just what they needed to get themselves regrouped and focused. But let’s just hope the Wildcats keep sliding and that it’s Oregon State who is ready to bury their poor outing against Colorado and move forward with a surprise road victory.

Hey, we can all dream right?

Game Info

  • Date: Thursday, February 11th
  • Time: 5:00 PM PT
  • Location: McKale Center (Tucson, Arizona)
  • Coverage: Pac-12 Networks