Colorado lost its head coach and its third straight game at home on Thursday night, and they are looking for their first win in 11 days. Oregon State is trying for its first victory of the calendar year.
Something will give when the Beavers travel to Boulder on Saturday for a Pac-12 matchup.
Oregon State (3-16, 1-8 Pac-12) hasn’t won since an 88-76 win over Utah on Dec. 30, which accounts for its only conference win to date. Six straight losses have followed, the last coming Thursday night when the Utes got their revenge with an 84-59 win in Salt Lake City.
The Beavers have had a steep, quick fall to where they are now. In the NCAA Tournament last year they reached the Elite Eight after an unexpected run to the Pac-12 Tournament title. They beat Colorado in that championship game.
Things have not gone nearly as well this year. Before the current skid Oregon State lost 10 in a row, and its last five losses are by double digits.
“I’m the coach,” Wayne Tinkle told The Oregonian this week. “It’s on me.”
The Buffaloes (13-9, 5-7) have lost five of their last six, with the only victory coming at Oregon on Jan. 25. Thursday’s loss to the Ducks was compounded with the absence of head coach Tad Boyle, who was out after testing positive for COVID-19.
He is expected to return for Saturday’s game, but Eli Parquet (foot) likely won’t play.
Colorado is trying to regroup and turn things around for the last stretch of the regular season. The upside is seven of its last eight games are against the bottom half of the Pac-12 standings, including two against the Beavers. The Buffaloes’ toughest game comes against No. 7 Arizona at home on Feb. 26
“Every team goes through tough stretches,” said Mike Rohn, who served as acting head coach in Boyle’s absence. “But we have to go to work tomorrow and come back ready to play Saturday.”
–Field Level Media
