Portland St. @ Oregon preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2017 ) Portland St. 84, Oregon 95

Oregon freshman Bol Bol’s dynamic offensive game is highlighted by a surprisingly strong perimeter shot, but coach Dana Altman is quick to remind everyone that his 7-foot-2 phenom is far from a finished product. Bol makes his collegiate debut Tuesday when the 16th-ranked Ducks host Portland State, which was picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll.

After settling for an NIT bid last season, the Ducks are setting their sights higher with a mix of youth and veterans such as junior point guard Payton Pritchard, who led the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and assists (4.8) last season. The Ducks were picked to finish first in the Pac-12 preseason poll and boast two of the best shot blockers in the country in Bol and 6-foot-9 sophomore Kenny Wooten, who led the conference with 2.6 blocks per game last season. Bol figures to be a centerpiece of the Oregon offense, but there have been questions about his inconsistent play in the past. “We said from the start he's a unique player, unique talent,” Altman told reporters. “There’s a lot more there. He coasts a lot. But he’s getting better. He’s working at it. He’s going to be a work in progress all year but there's a lot more that he can do.”

TV: 11 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT PORTLAND STATE (2017-18: 20-14): The Vikings’ impressive backcourt features seniors Michael Mayhew, Deante Strickland and Holland Woods, who was named Big Sky freshman of the year after averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 assists last season. Strickland and Woods scored 18 points apiece in last Friday’s 119-89 exhibition win over Multnomah. Second-year coach Barret Peery said his team’s up-tempo approach will be similar to last year, when the Vikings finished third in the nation in scoring (85.2 points per game) and second in steals (9.8) and turnovers forced (18.1).

ABOUT OREGON (2017-18: 23-13): Bol had 19 points and freshman forward Francis Okoro added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench to lead five players in double-figures in last Thursday’s 77-58 exhibition win over Western Oregon. The Ducks’ backcourt received a boost with the addition of graduate transfer Ehab Amin, who led the NCAA with 3.4 steals per game in 2016-17 for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before sitting out last season due to injury. Altman doesn’t expect to settle on a starting lineup until December, but senior wing Paul White (9.4 points last season) figures to be a key part of the team’s imposing frontline.

TIP-INS

1. Oregon has won 20 straight home openers – including last season’s 70-54 victory over Coppin State.

2. Portland State beat two Pac-12 schools (Stanford and California) in the same season for the first time in school history last year.

3. Pritchard sat out last Thursday’s exhibition game due to bruised ribs but is expected to be available for the opener.

PREDICTION: Oregon 97, Portland State 76