Oregon State Preview Capsule

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Oregon State

Last season: 16-16, 7-11 Pac-12.

Nickname: Beavers.

Coach: Wayne Tinkle.

Conference: Pac-12.

Who's gone: Forward Drew Eubanks, who declared early for the NBA draft and eventually landed in the San Antonio Spurs organization.

Who's back: Tres Tinkle is the conference's top returning scorer with an average of 17.6 points per game. He also averaged 7.2 rebounds. Senior guard Stephen Thompson Jr. and sophomore Ethan Thompson, the sons of assistant coach Stephen Thompson, collectively contributed 25.7 points per game last season. Alfred Hollins, who averaged 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds as a freshman, is likely to start, too.

Who's new: Lots of newcomers are in the mix for Eubanks' role, including freshman Jack Wilson, a 7-footer who missed his senior prep season with a back injury, 6-foot-11 freshman Warren Washington and 7-foot junior Kylor Kelley, a transfer from Lane Community College in Oregon. The Beavers lost their request and appeal to grant immediate eligibility for BYU transfer Payton Dastrup. After he sits out this season, the 6-foot-10 forward will have two years of eligibility remaining.

The Skinny: The Beavers have experience and maturity and may surprise the conference if they can figure out how to win close games — a problem last season when nine of their 11 conference losses came by single digits. They need to stay healthy, too, because that caused the team issues two seasons ago.

Expectations: The Beavers were picked in the Pac-12 preseason media poll to finish 10th in the league, above only California and Washington State. Oregon State also finished 10th last season. Oddsmakers have the Beavers with a one-in-350 chance to win the NCAA Tournament.