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

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.

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.