Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils vs Oregon State Beavers Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 2

Oregon State hosts Mississippi Valley State at Gill Coliseum, and the Beavers' perfect start sits on top of a losing season a year ago.

The Matchup

Oregon State has opened with a flourish at Gill Coliseum, and the Beavers are 3-0, scoring 97.3 points per game and allowing 71.0. The season underneath that start was far less impressive: 17-16 last year, scoring 71.1 points per game and allowing 74.2, a team that was outscored on the season. Mississippi Valley State arrives 0-3 from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, scoring 62.3 and allowing 87.0, after a 3-30 season in which the Delta Devils scored 64.2 and allowed 83.0.

These rates blend three games from this season with last season, and that blend is the whole story here, because it cuts Oregon State's rating from a powerhouse down to a good team hosting a bad one. Daniel Freitag leads the Beavers at 17.7 points per game, Josiah Lake II adds 4.3 assists per game, and Xavion Staton leads them at 10.7 rebounds per game.

The Delta Devils answer with Matt Anglo at 11.3 points per game, Eli Pippins at 3.0 assists per game, and Tymias Williams at 8.3 rebounds per game. Freitag, Lake, Staton, Anglo, Pippins, and Williams all carry no injury designations into this game.

The counterpoint needs no dressing up. Mississippi Valley State won three games last season, Oregon State is at home and scoring at will, and if the Beavers' starters build a huge lead early, the Delta Devils have no scorer who can pull it back.

Key Factors

The first factor is the gap between Oregon State's start and its rating. A team that was outscored across last season does not become a 33-point favorite on three good games, and the price here is built on the start rather than the full picture.

The second factor is Williams inside. His 8.3 rebounds per game give the Delta Devils a way to end possessions and slow Oregon State's second-chance scoring, which is where buy-game blowouts usually balloon.

The third factor is the total of 153.5, a number that assumes Oregon State keeps running. A favorite that eases off in the final ten minutes, as home teams in this spot usually do, leaves a margin in the twenties rather than the thirties.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.