Oregon State @ Saint Louis

Who will WIN this matchup?

Oregon State Beavers (6-1)

@ Saint Louis Billikens (6-2)

Current odds:

Oregon State Beavers: (+150)

Saint Louis Billikens: (-170)

• The line for this game is Saint Louis by 3.5 points.

• A pair of defensive-minded teams clash Saturday as Oregon State visits Saint Louis. The Beavers pace the Pac-12 with an average of 65 points allowed per game while the Billikens are second in the Atlantic 10 surrendering 61.8 points.

• It was an offensive outburst, however, that propelled Oregon State to a win in its last outing. Guards and brothers Stephen and Ethan Thompson combined for 47 points, including a 10-of-14 performance from 3-point range, on Dec. 1 as the Beavers topped the century mark for the first time this season in a 101-77 win over visiting Missouri State. Stephen, a senior, was 5-of-9 from long range to set the school record with 187 career treys and is now 12 points away from the 1,400 mark and moving into 10th place on Oregon State’s career scoring list.

• While the Thompson brothers are averaging a combined 28.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, forward Tres Tinkle is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder. Tinkle, the son of head coach Wayne Tinkle, is averaging 20.7 points and 9.7 rebounds and also paces the squad with 4.6 assists per outing. However, the Beavers’ fourth-leading scorer, 6-11 senior center Gligorije Rakocevic (8.2 points, 4.2 rebounds), is expected to miss the month with a stress fracture in his foot and has been replaced in the starting lineup by junior college transfer Kylor Kelley.

• The Billikens, the preseason Atlantic 10 favorites, are 2-2 since a 4-0 start and are coming off a 61-56 loss Wednesday at Southern Illinois in which they hit season lows in scoring and shooting percentage (33.3). Senior guard Javon Bess leads the team in scoring (13.1) and rebounding (8.1) while starting backcourt mates Tramaine Isabell Jr. (12.1 points) and Jordan Goodwin (10.8) also average double digits. That trio also has accounted for 31 of the team’s 44 3-pointers and 61 of the squad’s 111 assists.

• Saint Louis has won two of three meetings between the programs, but Oregon State prevailed 63-60 in the Dam City Classic in Portland last Dec. 6 as Tinkle had 16 points and eight rebounds. Goodwin had a game-high 22 points for the Billikens.

• Saint Louis is 5-0 at home this season while allowing an average of 58.8 points per outing.

• With a win, the Beavers would match the program’s best eight-game start since 1986.