This was the kind of game and outcome the Oregon State Men's basketball team wanted to jump start a potentially special season. 26 NBA Scouts were in Gill Saturday afternoon, including Blazer GM Neil Olshey to watch this Big 12, Pac-12 battle. Tres Tinkle has turned some NBA heads and so has Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton so their was an added sense of pressure on that duo. Tinkle looked a little scattered early but he stepped up big time in the second half and hit the two key buckets in crunch time to seal the 80-74 victory!
Haliburton was scoreless in the first half but came thru for the Cyclones with 15 points in the second half. Iowa State was down nine at intermission 43-34. But a 15-6 surge with about nine minutes to go put the Cyclones up 66-65. That is when Tres Tinkle showed off his prowess from long distance hitting two incredible three-pointers to seal the Beavers second straight win.
Now the 2-0 Beavs head to the Phil Knight Invitational Tuesday night at the Moda Center. Another Big 12 team will be the opponent. Oklahoma will be a big challenge. You can hear the game on 1190 KEX with Mike Parker on the call beginning at 7:30pm