When No. 17 Oregon tips off at Bramlage Coliseum against No. 25 Kansas State tonight, 6 p.m. on ESPN2, it will mark the first time in Oregon men’s basketball history that a ranked Ducks team has played a ranked non-conference opponent on the road.
Freshman phenomenon Michael Beasley and his teammates will certainly look to make things uncomfortable for Oregon (5-1), but the environment in Manhattan, Kan. might be the biggest obstacle for the Ducks to overcome.
“You can’t get tickets to get into these buildings so it’ll basically be just us back there in a very hostile environment,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. “This is basketball country they’re going into back there. There’s not much going on but basketball right now. It’s a big, big game for them having a Pac-10 team come in there.”
The only Ducks that Kent expects to see in Kansas are the volleyball players, who Kent said will be a very positive presence in such a hostile environment.
“Maybe they can give us a little lift and hopefully we can play well and it gives them a little lift when they get ready to play their matches,” he said.
Beasley is the most high profile of the Wildcats (5-1), after having Tajuan Porter-like breakout performances early in his freshman year. The 6-foot-10-inch forward is averaging 27.2 points and 15.5 rebounds per game through his first six college games.
“He’s a load inside, with nice touch around the rim and out on the perimeter,” Porter said. “For a guy his size he has a great gift.”
Kent is equally impressed with Beasley.
“He has a Dennis Rodman mentality when it comes to rebounding the basketball, he goes and tries to get everything,” he said. “Between Maarty (Leunen) and Joevan (Catron), they’re going to have their hands full having to hold him down.”
Porter said he thinks that Leunen will have to step up his game, but his experience will serve him well in matching up with Beasley.
“It’s going to be a great matchup with him and Maarty Leunen, Maarty is an experienced player, he’s a senior,” Porter said. “Michael Beasley is still a freshman with a lot to learn. Although he’s good, I think Maarty’s going to do a good job on him, shutting him down and keeping him off the boards.”
Kent called the game the biggest of the Ducks’ pre-season schedule this year, and said the environment will be much more hostile than Georgetown, the toughest game on last year’s pre-season schedule.
“This is the biggest game on (the pre-season schedule) in terms of the caliber of opponent and the environment and everything else,” he said. “When it’s all said and done it’s going to force us to grow up one way or another … and help get us ready for Pac-10 play.”
“You need teams to challenge you to get ready for the Pac-10,” Porter said. “The Pac-10 conference is one of the toughest conferences in the country right now, so I think Kansas State’s going to be a good test for us and hopefully we can overcome.”
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