After the most recent game against Big Ten program Minnesota coincided with a football game, fans of Oklahoma Sooners basketball will now have an opportunity to watch their team against a major conference opponent... at 10:35 p.m. CT (at the earliest).

Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) vs. Oregon State Beavers (2-0) in the Phil Knight Invitational: 10:30 p.m. CT at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.

TV: ESPN2

Commentary: Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Radio: Sooner Radio Network (107.7 FM The Franchise in Oklahoma City; KTBZ 1430 AM in Tulsa; Tune In Radio App) with Tom Dore and Kevin Henry announcing

Line: Oklahoma -2.5 (as of 5L20 p.m. CT)

About Oregon State

• The Beavers are coached by Wayne Tinkle (no relation to late NASCAR legend Dick Trickle), who is in his sixth season in Corvallis. Through five-plus seasons, Tinkle has coached OSU to a record of 77-83, with his team going 18-13 (10-8) in 2018-19.
• Oregon State is led in scoring by the head coach’s son, Tres Trickle, who is averaging 26 PPG in the team’s first two contests. The 6’7” forward tallied 27 points on 10/16 shooting (6/8 from three) in the team’s most recent game — an 80-74 win over Iowa State in Corvallis.
• The Beavers are currently ranked 65th in KenPom’s ratings, sitting at No. 52 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 81 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Oregon State is a team that will try to slow OU down, as they sit at No. 300 in adjusted tempo (with the Sooners at No. 54 in the same category).

Two Things

• Back to full strength: Will Kristian Doolittle forced to miss the season opener against UTSA with an NCAA suspension, freshman Jalen Hill filled in as a starter in his first collegiate game. Hill was then forced to miss OU’s win over Minnesota after being placed in concussion protocol, but he’s now back in the lineup. This gives the Sooners all non-redshirt hands on deck for the first time this season.
• Slow offensive starts: After shooting only 36 percent from the field in the first half vs. UTSA, the Sooners shot just 23 percent in the first half against Minnesota. In both instances, the Sooners righted the ship in the second half and ended up winning going away, but this is the kind of thing that can bite them if it continues. Having said that, it’s difficult to consider a two-half sample size a “trend”, so perhaps this is much ado about nothing.

Prediction

After a down outing against Minnesota, I think freshman De’Vion Harmon returns to his form from the season opener, surpassing the 20-point mark. If Brady Manek combines Harmon’s hypothetical effort with a continuation of his steady play, I like OU’s chances.

Oklahoma 80, Oregon State 76