Preview: Oregon State at Washington State

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to build momentum as the new year begins will meet Sunday when the Oregon State Beavers visit the Washington State Cougars in a nonconference men’s basketball game at Beasley Coliseum.

Oregon State (8-7) enters having split its last six games, most recently defeating San Francisco 70-62 on Tuesday. The Beavers have shown resilience, including a road win at Arizona State on Dec. 21, but also suffered a lopsided 102-64 loss to Santa Clara just two days later.

A key player for the Beavers is guard Isaiah Sy, who is coming off an 18-point performance against San Francisco. Over his last six games, Sy has averaged 10.0 points, showing scoring bursts but with some inconsistency.

Washington State (6-9) has also been uneven, following a three-game win streak with a 69-55 loss at Seattle on Tuesday. The Cougars have struggled away from home, with five of their next six games scheduled on the road after this contest, making a win at Beasley Coliseum a priority.

The Cougars will rely on forward ND Okafor, a defensive presence who has blocked multiple shots in four of his last six games, including a five-block performance against Nevada on Dec. 7. Okafor is averaging 8.7 points and 2.5 blocks over that stretch.

This matchup pits Oregon State’s search for road consistency against a Washington State team desperate to protect its home floor before a lengthy road stretch. The Beavers have the better overall record, but both squads have demonstrated similar volatility through the season’s first two months.

The game tips off at 5 p.m. EST Sunday.

Following this game, Oregon State returns home to host Seattle on Jan. 8. Washington State begins a difficult road swing at Saint Mary’s on Jan. 10. The teams will meet again in a rematch at Oregon State on Feb. 4.