Texas A&M v. Oregon State

Who will WIN this matchup?

Texas A&M Aggies (3-4)

Oregon State Beavers (6-2)

Current odds:

Texas A&M Aggies: (+180)

Oregon State Beavers: (-220)

• The line for this game is Oregon State by 4.5 points.

• Texas A&M hoped it was going to play a game last weekend against Boston College and return to .500, but what it got was just another odd twist to what has already been an otherwise forgettable start in 2018-19. The Aggies hit the court for the first time after 11 days off Saturday when they face Oregon State for the first time in 42 years in the Dam City Classic at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. Home victories over South Alabama and Northwestern State put Texas A&M back on track after a Nov. 9 loss to UC Irvine triggered a four-game skid that included a road setback at No. 6 Gonzaga along with neutral-site defeats to Minnesota and Washington (both during the Vancouver Showcase). The Aggies were scheduled to host the Eagles last Saturday, but BC’s flight was grounded first due to mechanical problems and later by the pilot who deemed travel to Texas unsafe, while Texas A&M reportedly declined the Eagles’ offer to push back the starting time – leaving each school to blame the other for canceling the game.

• The Beavers fell short of matching their best eight-game start since 1986-87 in Sunday’s 65-61 setback at Saint Louis despite sophomore guard Ethan Thompson’s first career double-double. Poor shooting (39.6 percent), turnovers (17) and foul trouble (four players finished with at least four) proved to be too insurmountable of a hill for Oregon State to climb against the preseason favorites in the Atlantic 10.

• The Aggies have already dealt with their fair share of adversity, as Admon Gilder (12.3 points in 2017-18) – the leading returning scorer from last season’s Sweet 16 team – has yet to play this season due to undisclosed “health issues,” while sophomore forward Isiah Jasey announced this week he was leaving the program. Savion Flagg leads the team in scoring (14.6 points) and rebounding (7.3) while ranking second in assists (2.6) and third in steals (1.3). Fellow sophomore guard TJ Starks (13.3 points) is one of three other Aggies averaging at least nine points – a group that includes Tennessee State graduate transfer Christian Mekowulu (9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds), who leads the SEC in offensive rebounds per game (3.7).

• Thompson (13.1 points, 6.0 rebounds) tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Billikens; he is averaging 20.7 points and nine boards over the last three games after totaling 26 points and 16 rebounds over his previous four outings. Tres Tinkle (20.0 points, 9.8 boards, 4.5 assists) is tied for first in the Pac-12 with five double-doubles, while second-leading scorer Stephen Thompson Jr. (16.1 points) needs two points to become the 10th player in Oregon State history to reach the 1,400-point mark. The Beavers have outscored opponents 314-204 in the paint but could take a hit in the area until mid-January after announcing center Gligorije Rakocevic will miss at least four weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot.

• Oregon State junior F Kylor Kelley needs two blocks Saturday to tie Scott Haskin (1988-93) for the school record with multiple blocked shots in nine consecutive games.

• Aggies F Josh Nebo has tallied 16 rebounds and 10 blocks despite playing a total of 38 minutes over his last two games.

• The Beavers, who lead the Pac-12 in scoring defense (65.0 points), rank second in the conference in assists (16 per game), steals (6.5) and assist/turnover ratio (1.3).