Preview: Oregon State at Saint Mary’s

MORAGA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging Saint Mary’s squad looks to rebound from a rare setback when it hosts struggling Oregon State in a nonconference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at McKeon Pavilion.

The Gaels (17-3), whose 10-game winning streak was snapped in a 62-54 loss at Santa Clara on Saturday, have been one of the nation’s most efficient teams. They will be heavily favored against an Oregon State team that has lost four of its last five games.

Saint Mary’s is led by forward Paulius Murauskas, who has been a consistent force. Over his last five games, he is averaging 22.2 points, including a 30-point outing in a win over Seattle on Jan. 4. His ability to score from multiple levels will challenge the Beavers’ defense.

Oregon State (10-11) is coming off an 81-64 home loss to Pacific, part of a difficult stretch where it has allowed an average of 79.2 points in its last five defeats. The Beavers will need a stronger defensive effort to compete with the disciplined Gaels.

A player to watch for the Beavers is guard Yaak Yaak, who led the team with 13 points in the loss to Pacific. He has shown flashes of scoring ability, reaching double figures in three of his last seven games, but Oregon State has struggled to find consistent offensive production beyond sporadic individual efforts.

The Gaels have been dominant at home this season, while Oregon State has found wins hard to come by on the road. The matchup pits Saint Mary’s methodical, high-percentage offense against an Oregon State team searching for stability.

Wednesday’s game is the final nonconference tune-up for both programs before they resume their respective league schedules. For Saint Mary’s, it’s a chance to regain momentum before a pivotal West Coast Conference slate. For Oregon State, it represents a major opportunity to secure a resume-building road victory against a top-tier opponent.