Washington basketball returns home to face Oregon State

Washington basketball needs to recover from a bad weekend in the Bay Area, and the Oregon schools are going to be a tough test

This week, Washington basketball takes on notoriously tough Oregon State, and 13th ranked Oregon. It should tell us a lot about the fight this Husky team has in them for the remainder of the season.

The Huskies are shooting 31.7 % from behind the three-point line on the season. When the threes aren’t falling, they need to find ways to get the ball inside. Isaiah Stewart can’t be the only source of offense in the paint, and the Huskies definitely have the athletes to play with more slashing in the offense.

After the California game, head coach Mike Hopkins challenged the three upperclassmen, juniors Nahziah Carter and Hameir Wright, and senior Sam Timmins to step up as leaders and on the floor.

Carter has been the only one of those three to provide major offense, as Wright and Timmins have been essentially non-factors on that end of the floor.

Thursday’s night opponent is Oregon State who split their series at home, losing to Arizona State in a close game, but then blowing out then #24 Arizona.

Last year, Oregon State lost both games against the Huskies, but the two schools play each other tough every year. This game will probably come down to the final possession.

Senior forward Tres Tinkle leads the Beavers in scoring, averaging 19.9 points per game, along with 6.8 rebounds. He’s shooting 46.8% from long range, so he’s a threat to score from anywhere on the floor.

The Beavers start two other forwards, in senior Kylor Kelley who’s third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.2 points per game, and junior Alfred Hollins who averages 6.4 ppg. The Beavers start two guards, junior Ethan Thompson averages 16.8 points per game, good for second on the team, and junior Zach Reichle who’s currently 9.5 ppg.

The Beavers tend to go as their starters do, as they were able to knock off Arizona because all five of their starters scored in double figures. The matchup of the experienced frontline of Tinkle and Kelly against the five-stars in Stewart and Jaden McDaniels will probably end up being what decides the game. Getting one-on-one matchups for Stewart is going to be a huge key for a Husky victory.