Three-minute preview: Kansas men’s basketball vs. Oregon State

▪ WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Saturday at the Sprint Center

▪ TV/RADIO: ESPN2; KCSP (610 AM)

▪ ABOUT KANSAS (7-1): On Friday afternoon, Kansas coach Bill Self hinted that he would likely give senior forward Hunter Mickelson his second straight start. Mickelson, who has seen limited minutes, started on Wednesday while senior forward Jamari Traylor (ankle) and junior forward Landen Lucas (toe) sat out with injuries. Traylor and Lucas should be available on Saturday, Self said, and that could mean a crowded frontcourt, with freshmen Cheick Diallo and Carlton Bragg both scrapping for minutes. In a victory over Holy Cross Wednesday, Diallo had 12 points, four rebounds and four turnovers in 18 minutes. “Our fans will be frustrated some this year,” Self said, “because some guys will play some in some games and situations may dictate in other games they don’t play as much.” The Jayhawks, meanwhile, have won six straight and are currently the top three-point shooting team in the country, hitting 47.2 percent of their shots from deep. They will have a week off for final exams after Saturday’s game. Kansas and Oregon State are meeting for just the second time ever; the Jayhawks claimed a victory over Oregon State at the Sprint Center on Nov. 30, 2012. KU is 27-6 all-time in the Sprint Center.

▪ ABOUT OREGON STATE (6-1): The Beavers, in their second season under coach Wayne Tinkle, have started 6-1 this season, with their lone loss coming at home against Valparaiso. For Kansas, the scouting report will start in the backcourt. Senior guard Gary Payton II, the son of the former NBA All-Star, is one of the best guards in the country, averaging 16.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. The Beavers also added a handful of talented newcomers to the program, including freshman shooting guard Stephen Thompson, freshman big man Drew Eubanks and freshman forward Tres Tinkle, the son of Wayne Tinkle. The Jayhawks must guard the three-point line. The Beavers are shooting better than 41 percent from three-point range while struggling to convert in the paint.

This story was originally published December 11, 2015 at 6:38 PM with the headline "Three-minute preview: Kansas men’s basketball vs. Oregon State."