Oregon State Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for Beavers

Can the Beavers navigate a tricky early schedule?

The Beavers released their schedule on Thursday, showcasing for the first time their non-conference opponents. It could be a difficult season ahead for Oregon State as a few high-major programs and sneaky-good mid-majors are peppered throughout the early season. The upside for OSU is that the gauntlet they’ve lain for themselves could provide them with plenty of opportunities to bolster their NCAA Tournament résumé.

Beavers fans may notice that the level of opponents in this season’s non-conference games is much higher than in years past. Oregon State raised the level of competition in the early going to comply with the Pac-12’s new policy that the average five-year NET ranking of non-conference opponents must be equal to or better than 175. The school established a home-and-home with Iowa State, which begins this season in Corvallis, scheduled a road game against Texas A&M, and are slated to take on Oklahoma at the Moda Center in Portland as part of the Phil Knight Invitational. These three matchups with high-major programs present the Beavers with their three best early chances to boost their stock for an at-large bid.

There are some dangerous mid-majors in the early offing, too. While the Beavers may not run into much trouble against the Mountain West’s basement tenants, Wyoming and San Jose State, three other schools may present stiffer competition. Oregon State hosts Cal State Northridge in its home opener on Nov. 5 and will have to contain reigning Big West POY Lamine Diane. Another Big West foe, UC Santa Barbara, comes to town two weeks later. Former Beaver and current Gauchos guard Jaquori McLaughlin could have a big night in his return to Gill Coliseum. Lastly, a tussle in Houston with UT San Antonio just before Christmas could give OSU headaches. Juniors Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace form one of the scariest guard pairings in the C-USA.

In addition to the games mentioned, Oregon State will also host in-state foes Portland State, as well as two SWAC opponents in Grambling State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. OSU only has two true road games – against Texas A&M and Wyoming – but will play three neutral site games: against Oklahoma in Portland, San Jose State in Las Vegas, and UTSA in Houston. These five games could be crucial for the Beavers if they plan to make it back to the Big Dance.

But no matter how well they fare in the non-conference schedule, the Pac-12 season looms large after the New Year.