Pac-12 Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

The Beavers and Wayne Tinkle had a magical end to their 2020-2021 season, one that they were picked to finish last in the conference. They were the Cinderella of the tournament, going on an unbelievable run to the Elite Eight. Much debate occurred throughout that run whether the Beavers were hot and for real or just incredibly lucky with a smoke-and-mirrors defensive approach coupled with a slow-crawling tempo.

It’s hard to say that their run was simply luck, considering their continued success at limiting quality perimeter looks throughout their run. As mentioned in their team preview, the Beavers held their opponents collectively to 26% from outside during their run. They were also the best 3-point defending team in the conference, where opponents shot just 32.5% on the season.

Senior Warith Alatishe is going to be asked to take a big step in replacing graduated Ethan Thompson on offense. Alatishe averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds last season. He is the fulcrum to Tinkle’s defensive system and serves as an elite on-ball defender with the ability to contest a variety of shots. If he can show growth on the offensive end, the Beavers’ journey back to the tournament could be a whole lot smoother.

The platoon of guard play this season will be interesting to watch as the Beavers look for the best way to replace Thompson’s contributions. Gianni Hunt, Jarod Lucas, and Tre’ Williams are all capable scorers in their own right but most importantly can help stabilize the perimeter defense.

The Beavers may not have the same storybook ending that they had last year, but TInkle’s team is set to stay competitive and within reach of every matchup in this upcoming conference schedule.