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Oregon State returns almost everyone from last year’s 1-17 team. But is that good?

With four returning double-digit scorers and a top 50 recruiting class, the only way to go is up for OSU.

Oregon Statge v Kansas Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images

They won four D-I games.

They finished 264th in KenPom.

They were one of the worst Pac-12 sports teams ever.

But, as is said every summer, there is always next season. And as for Oregon State, despite coming off its worst season in program history, the Beavers might not actually be that bad in 2017-18. Seriously.

OSU is one of the few Pac-12 teams that wasn’t hammered with early NBA Draft entrants and transfers. Oregon State, along with USC and Stanford, return each of their respective double-digit scorers from the past season.

Double-digit Pac-12 scorers from 2016-17

Team Player PPG Status
Team Player PPG Status
Arizona Allonzo Trier 17.2 Returning
Arizona Lauri Markkanen 15.6 NBA Draft
Arizona Rawle Alkins 10.9 Returning
Arizona Dusan Ristic 10.9 Returning
Oregon Dillon Brooks 16.1 NBA Draft
Oregon Tyler Dorsey 14.6 NBA Draft
Oregon Chris Boucher 11.8 Graduated
Oregon Jordan Bell 10.9 NBA Draft
Oregon Dylan Ennis 10.9 Graduated
UCLA TJ Leaf 16.3 NBA Draft
UCLA Bryce Alford 15.5 Graduated
UCLA Lonzo Ball 14.6 NBA Draft
UCLA Isaac Hamilton 14.1 Graduated
UCLA Aaron Holiday 12.3 Returning
UCLA Thomas Welsh 10.8 Returning
Utah Kyle Kuzma 16.4 Returning
Utah David Collette 13.6 Returning
Utah Lorenzo Bonam 12.5 Graduated
USC Bennie Boatwright 15.1 Returning
USC Chimezie Metu 14.8 Returning
USC Jordan McLaughlin 12.9 Returning
USC Elijah Stewart 12.3 Returning
Cal Jabari Bird 14.3 Graduated
Cal Ivan Rabb 14 NBA Draft
Cal Charlie Moore 12.2 Transferred
Cal Grant Mullins 10.3 Graduated
Colorado Derrick White 18.1 Graduated
Colorado Xavier Johnson 14.8 Graduated
Colorado George King 11.1 Returning
Arizona State Torian Graham 18.6 Graduated
Arizona State Tra Holder 16.2 Returning
Arizona State Shannon Evans 15 Returning
Arizona State Obinna Oleka 12.5 Graduated
Stanford Reid Travis 17.4 Returning
Stanford Dorian Pickens 12.6 Returning
Washington State Josh Hawkinson 15.5 Graduated
Washington State Ike Iroegbu 12.6 Graduated
Washington Markelle Fultz 23.2 NBA Draft
Washington David Crisp 13.8 Returning
Washington Noah Dickerson 12.5 Returning
Washington Matise Thybulle 10.5 Returning
Oregon State Tres Tinkle 20.2 Returning
Oregon State Stephen Thompson, Jr 16.3 Returning
Oregon State Drew Eubanks 14.5 Returning
Oregon State Jaquori McLaughlin 10.5 Returning

Tres Tinkle (20.2 PPG), Stephen Thompson (16.3 PPG), Drew Eubanks (14.5 PPG), and Jaquori McLaughlin (10.5 PPG) are all set to return to Corvallis this fall. The only players that Wayne Tinkle had to say goodbye to this spring were Daine Muller and Matt Dahlen, neither of which averaged more than 11 minutes or five points per game. Cheikh N’diaye, who was granted a medical hardship by the NCAA this month, could play for the Beavers next season.

Even with the returning production, questions still remain for OSU. The Beavers were 305th in offensive efficiency, 267th in effective field goal percentage and 345th in turnover percentage, per KenPom. Oregon State also failed to notch the top 150 in any major offensive statistical category last season.

Building The Dam published a great piece last month on potential changes OSU could make to its offensive identity to help spark a change next season. The article suggests a quicker tempo to allow OSU’s guards to feel more comfortable and allow time to set up on defense. There was a massive disparity in average possession length for the Beavers last season. OSU was 330th in average possession length on offense, but just 20th in average defensive possession length. When paired with Oregon State’s efficiency ratings on both sides of the court, it’s evident that OSU had a difficult time scoring the rock and was slow to get back on defense.

With top 100 recruit Ethan Thompson on campus next season, Oregon State will have more athleticism and confidence on offense. Another significant boost is Tres Tinkle, who appeared in just six games last season after a broken right wrist. Tinkle, if healthy, will likely be the most balanced and important player for OSU next season. He could be a potential double-double threat on a nightly basis.

We’ll know more about Oregon State’s roster and rotation as the summer progresses, but I find it highly unlikely that the Beavers fail to win at least 10 games next season. Three recruits rated 3-stars or better have signed LOIs for the 2017-18 campaign, every double-digit scorer returns, and Wayne Tinkle has the flexibility of a moderately deep backcourt to mix and match and see what works. The Beavers should have a bit more bite in 2018.