Oregon State Beavers vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys Betting Preview
The NCAA tournament continues on Sunday with the second round, and one interesting matchup in the Midwest will feature two red-hot teams in the No. 12 seeded Oregon State Beavers (18-12) versus the No. 4 Oklahoma State Cowboys (21-8). This matchup will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse, with tipoff scheduled for 9:40 pm ET.
After winning the Pac-12 tournament, the Beavers kept their solid play going in the first round. They upset the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers 70-56. In the win, Oregon State had four players score in double digits and got a double-double out of guard Ethan Thompson (13 points, ten rebounds, six assists). They will try to persevere as underdogs again on Sunday as they face the Cowboys.
Speaking of Oklahoma State, they were able to avoid being upset in the first round by beating No. 13 Liberty 69-60. Avery Anderson III had 21 points and seven rebounds, while Cade Cunningham added 15 points and five rebounds. With one of the best players in the nation in Cunningham, the Cowboys will try to move into the Sweet 16 on Sunday.
Oklahoma State are the favorites in this one. They are -250 to win while the Beavers’ moneyline sits at +205. The spread features Oregon State +6 while the over/under for total points is 140.5.
By The Numbers
Offensively, the Cowboys hold the advantage in this one. They rank 39th in the nation averaging 77.1 points per game. Oregon State ranks 206th, averaging 69.1 points per game.
Defensively, it is Oregon State who holds the advantage. They rank 128th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 69.2 points per game to opponents. Oklahoma State falls to 237th in the nation allowing 72.9 points.
Oregon State Looks To Play Out Cinderella Story
It has been quite a solid couple of weeks for the Oregon State Beavers. Despite being the five seed in the Pac-12 conference tournament, they were still able to pull it out, beating Colorado 70-68 in the final. Having embraced that underdog mentality, they will look to keep the Cinderella story going on Sunday.
Leading the way for the Beavers is senior guard Ethan Thompson. On the season, he is averaging 15.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
The only other player averaging double digits is guard Jarod Lucas. This season, he has averaged 13 points. Other contributors include Warith Alatishe (9.7 points, 8.5 rebounds) and Zach Reichle (7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, three assists).
Oklahoma State Looks To Keep Rolling
The Cowboys have also played some really good ball down the stretch. They have won four of their last five with victories over the likes of Baylor and two wins over West Virginia. After beating Liberty Friday, Oklahoma State will look to get through the first weekend with a win over Oregon State on Sunday.
The Cowboys have arguably one of the best players in the nation in guard Cade Cunningham. A likely lottery pick, many feel Cunningham could be the top pick in the NBA’s draft. This season he has averaged 20 points on 44.5% shooting. He is also chipping in 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
Other major contributors include Avery Anderson III (12 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals), Isaac Likekele (9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists), Kalib Boone (9.6 points, 5.6 rebounds), and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds).
Taking Oklahoma State, But Can They Cover
Sometimes in basketball, it boils down to who has the best player on the court and, for this game, that would be Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham.
This could be a close game throughout but expect Cunningham and the Cowboys to pull it out. The Beavers have been pesky, though, so covering the six-point spread is not a guarantee. I like Oklahoma State but only on the moneyline.
