In under a week, Oregon State’s men’s basketball team has seen four players enter the transfer portal—Michael Rataj, Da’John Craig, Nate Kingz, and Parsa Fallah—with three of them being starters.
On Tuesday, April 1st, the Beavers will face the UCF Golden Knights in the first round of The Crown postseason tournament in Las Vegas. UCF, led by Coach Johnny Dawkins from the Big-12, is also dealing with a similar issue, having lost seven players to the portal.
With both teams facing significant roster challenges, here are three things to expect on Tuesday:
- Oregon State Must Play Small
Earlier this week, when discussing Oregon State’s struggles with the transfer portal, I pointed out that “Parsa Fallah” was one potential bright spot. Now, that is no longer the case. Behind Fallah, the Beavers have 7’1″ Matthew Marsh, who averaged 18.3 minutes per game last season, scoring 6.1 points and grabbing 4.2 rebounds. However, his playing time has sharply dropped in subsequent seasons. Oregon State may need to adjust by going small, featuring Josiah Lake II as a third guard, alongside Damarco Minor, Liutaraus “LT” Lelevicius, and a group of rotating wing players.
- Oregon State Can Take Advantage of UCF’s Thin Bench
UCF fans may be feeling down after seven players entered the transfer portal this week, including star wing Keyshawn Hall, who averaged 18.6 PPG and 7 rebounds this season. Alongside Hall, five other players who started games this season have also left, leaving the team with inexperienced bench players. If Wayne Tinkle’s defense can apply pressure, Oregon State could take advantage of UCF’s lack of depth and inexperience.
- Coaches Must Get Creative
Bill Parcells once said, “If they want you to cook the dinner, they at least ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” In this analogy, the transfer portal is like a refrigerator that breaks in the middle of the night, causing food to spoil. Now, it’s up to the coach to make something out of what remains.
Wayne Tinkle has faced criticism from fans over the years, but his ability to devise effective zone defenses is unquestioned. Given the loss of key players, including the team’s captain and starting center, Tinkle will need to find creative solutions for Oregon State when they face UCF on Tuesday.
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