The UCLA Basketball team is looking for that elusive road sweep as they prepare to take on Oregon State in a Sunday night affair.
The UCLA Basketball team is having their best start to Pac-12 Conference play since the Ben Howland era, but can they keep it going against Oregon State?
And another thing, if the Bruins do win, they would have their first road sweep of the Oregons since Steve Alford began his tenure as well as getting a road sweep outside of that 2016-17 season. Needless to say, a lot is on the line.
Here is everything you need to know about UCLA vs. Oregon State…
UCLA Basketball vs. Oregon State Game Day Info
Records: UCLA Bruins 10-6, 3-0 (T-2nd) | Oregon State Beavers 10-4, 2-0 (T-4th)
Location:Â Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, OR
Tipoff: 7:00 p.m. PT
TV: FS1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Radio: AM 570 (Los Angeles)
Satellite Radio: Sirius – Ch. 381 | XM – Ch. 972
OnlineRadio: Tune-In
Odds: Oregon State -5.5, O/U: 156
Last Game: UCLAÂ d. Oregon, 87-84 OTÂ |Â Oregon State d. USC, 79-74 OT
ESPN Win Predictor: Oregon State 67.9% – UCLA 32.1%
Projected Starters:
UCLA – G Jaylen Hands, G Prince Ali, F Kris Wilkes, F Chris Smith, C Moses Brown
Oregon State – G Stephen Thompson, Jr., G Zach Reichle, G Ethan Thompson, F Tres Tinkle, F Kylor Kelly
Head Coaches:  UCLA (interim) – Murry Bartow | Oregon State – Wayne Tinkle
Rosters:Â UCLAÂ | Oregon State
UCLA Basketball vs. Oregon State: Stats, Final Word and Prediction
UCLA Key Individual Stats :
- Kris Wilkes – 17.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, .444 FG%
- Moses Brown – 12.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, .677 FG%
- Jaylen Hands – 11.6 ppg, 6.9 apg, 3.8 rpg
Oregon State Key Individual Stats:
- Tres Tinkle – 20.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.2 apg
- Stephen Thompson, Jr. – 15.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg
- Ethan Thompson – 12.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .465 FG%
Team Stats
| Team | Avg Pts | Opp. Pts | FG% | Rebs | Asts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â UCLA | Â 79.4 | 74.6 | .465 | 43.1 | 14.9 |
| OSU | 73.9 | 66.1 | .468 | 39.1 | 15.6 |
Pac-12 Standings
- Arizona 4-0, 13-4
- Washington 3-0, 12-4
- UCLA 3-0, 10-6
- Oregon State 2-0, 10-4
- USC 2-1, 9-7
- Arizona State 2-1, 11-5
- Utah 2-2, 8-8
- Colorado 1-3, 10-6
- Stanford 1-3, 8-8
- Oregon 0-2, 9-6
- Washington State 0-3, 7-9
- California 0-4, 5-11
Players to Watch
- Prince Ali – When the situation calls for a leader, Ali has been able to step up, just as he did in the waning minutes of the Oregon game.
- Moses Brown – The 7’2 center is finding his mojo again and will need to put a lot of effort into today’s game if the Bruins want a win.
Last Word
Who knew the UCLA basketball team would be in this position shortly after firing their coach? Since Alford was relieved of his duties, the Bruins have gone 3-0, starting out undefeated in Pac-12 play. Interim head coach Murry Bartow has somehow gotten this team to buy into what he is teaching.
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Although, it has not gone so smoothly. In their last game against Oregon, the Bruins were pretty sloppy for the majority of the game. But one thing is apparent, this team is not quitting.
The Bruins collectively came alive in the final minute to score 15 points and force overtime. In extra time, after Oregon scored four quick points, the Bruins managed to go on a 7-0 run and get the win.
This display showed that the Bruins not only have the talent but the ability to fight, fight, fight and not give up when things look bleak.
With that in mind, how will the Bruins do against a solid Oregon State team? The Beavers have been getting better every year Wayne Tinkle has been in charge and this might be their best team under his guidance.
Oregon State is also undefeated in conference play after beating Oregon and then USC in their last game. The thing about the win over the Trojans was that they did it without their leading scorer and rebounder, Tres Tinkle, who was nursing an ankle injury. He is still a game-time decision for UCLA, but the Bruins need to prepare as if he is playing. Tinkle, son of the coach, is fundamentally sound and knows how to get his team involved (he is also the team’s assist-leader).
UCLA also has to be mindful of Stephen Thompson, Jr. who scored 34 points for the Beavers in their won over the Trojans.
The Bruins’ defense is also improving, so they could technically slow down the uptempo Beavers, but they are also going to need to come together on the offensive end and play better than they did at Oregon. With that in mind, this should be a close win for the Bruins. Hopefully.
Prediction: UCLA 82 – Oregon State 80