Oregon men's basketball penultimate Pac-12 Civil War: How to watch, injuries, more

Jan 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Brennan Rigsby (4) passes to forward Kwame Evans Jr. (10)
Jan 21, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Brennan Rigsby (4) passes to forward Kwame Evans Jr. (10) | Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The long-lived West Coast rivalry is quickly coming to an end. As the Oregon Ducks head to the Big Ten and the Oregon State Beavers remain in the Pac-2, the in-state feud has just two games remaining in the Pac-12 men’s basketball conference.

Oregon State is on a four-game losing streak while Oregon is currently vying for a ticket to the NCAA Tournament in March.

Oregon currently sits third in the Pac-12 with a 16-8 overall record. Oregon State is 11th in the conference and has an 11-3 record.

The two teams will play for the first time this season on Saturday. Here’s how to watch the game, some key matchups, and both teams’ injuries reports:

How to watch Oregon MBB vs. No. Oregon State

Key matchups

Because the Ducks have both a height and strength advantage, I expect them to play zone defense. This will allow the players a bit more breathing room on the defensive end of the court.

Oregon State’s leading scorer is guard Jordan Pope at 17.3 PPG. He also leads the Beavers in assists with 3.4 per game.

Michael Rataj, a forward for the Beavers, leads the team with 5.9 rebounds per game.

Jermaine Couisnard leads the Ducks in points with 14.9 per game which is less than Pope’s. Oregon’s rebound leader, Kwame Evans Jr., and assists leader, Jackson Shelstad, also trail those of Oregon State.

I expect this to be a highly competitive offensive battle but with Oregon’s physical advantages, I think the Ducks will walk away with a necessary dub.

Oregon injury report

Jesse Zarzuela is still categorized as out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.

Nate Bittle missed his fourth consecutive game with what has been categorized as an illness. There has yet to be a report on if he is available for the Ducks’ game against Oregon State.

Mookie Cook is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Keeshawn Barthelemy is out for the remainder of the season with a leg injury.

Oregon State injury report

Nate Meithof has been sidelined since early November with a knee injury and is currently categorized as out for the season.

Final score: Oregon 85, Oregon State 74

Schedule

Schedule