Oregon State Basketball: 3 reasons why Beavers can win Pac-12 in 2019

By Bryan Mauro | Jan 17, 2019

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 07: Oregon State Beavers mascot Benny the Beaver walks on the court during the team's first-round game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Washington Huskies at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers won 69-66 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 08: A Pac-12 basketball logo is displayed on the court after a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament between the Stanford Cardinal and the UCLA Bruins at T-Mobile Arena on March 8, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bruins won 88-77. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

3. Schedule

The schedule a team plays in their conference that is not a true round robin format, always has to be factored in, when evaluating whether a team has a legitimate chance at making a run for their regular season conference crown. The schedule the Beavers were blessed with is favorable. They are already off to a 3-0 start in the league after defeating rival Oregon, and both LA schools.

Oregon State is going to enter the tough part of their schedule this week with games at Arizona State and Arizona. If they can navigate that part of the schedule unscathed the Beavers return home to face Washington State and Washington. The remaining California schools of Stanford and California, and both mountain schools in Utah and Colorado the Beavers only get once. They play Arizona schools as well as both Washington and LA schools twice as well as Oregon.

The Beavers have a chance to rack up several wins based on where the games fall in their schedule. The toughest stretch is going to be at the end of the month and the early part of February when they must travel to both Colorado and Utah. The mountain schools are always on the same trip for most teams, and can be a grind due to many factors. The altitude adjustment is usually the first one that always gets mentioned. Utah and Colorado are capable teams that can beat anyone in the league in their buildings. If the Beavers want to finish at the top of the league. They must control the favorable home games they have.

Next. Pac-12 Power Rankings. dark

It is a must that through their trips of Arizona and Washington the Beavers should win at least one game. A win on the road at either Arizona school or at Washington, will go a long way towards the Beavers resume come March. If they do that Coach Tinkle and his team are going to be well positioned to win the league outright.

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