Cal Basketball: Oregon State Preview Box

Two Pac-12 rivals square off in a non-conference game to open the season

CAL (14-18, 7-11 Pac-12 in 2019-20) vs. OREGON STATE (18-13, 7-11 Pac-12)

WHERE: Gil Coliseum, Corvallis, Ore.

WHEN: Wednesday, 4 p.m.

TV/RADIO: Pac-12 Networks/810-AM

CAL-OREGON STATE HISTORY: Cal leads 89-63. The teams split two games last season, each winning on its home floor. Cal is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings.

CAL STORYLINES: The Bears play the Beavers in a non-conference matchup in the first of two games at Corvallis to open their season. Cal faces Northwest University, an NAIA program from Kirkland, Washington, at 3 p.m. on Thursday . . . Cal won six more games last season than each of the two previous years, but they were just 1-10 in road games. The Bears will need to improve in those settings because their 15 road or neutral games this season are the most of any team in the Pac-12 . . . Cal beat Pepperdine 81-71 in its season opener a year ago, snapping a two-year losing streak in debuts . . . Coach Mark has not announced a starting lineup . . . Four players could make their Cal debut against the Beavers: graduate transfers Makale Foreman and Ryan Betley, and freshman Monty Bowser and Jalen Celestine.

OREGON STATE STORYLINES: The Beavers, in Year 7 under coach Wayne Tinkle, are led by senior guard Ethan Thompson, who averaged 14.8 points and 4.5 assists points last season and has 16 career games of at least 20 points. Thompson put his name in the NBA draft pool last spring then withdrew it . . . The Beavers lost two key players from a year ago: forward Tres Tinkle (the coach’s son), who finished his career as the program’s all-time scoring leader (2,333 points) and 7-foot center Kyle Kelley, who set OSU’s career record with 211 blocked shots . . . the Beavers’ roster features five new players, four of them transfers . . . OSU has won its past six home openers.

CAL GAME NOTES: Click here 

OREGON STATE GAME NOTES: Click here 

.

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Cal Sports Report on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page