CORVALLIS – Oregon State makes its soft opening to the 2019-20 men’s basketball season with an exhibition game against Carroll College in Gill Coliseum at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Beavers play also play an exhibition game against Warner Pacific next Tuesday before officially opening the season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against Cal State-Northridge.

Though OSU has as much experience as any Pac-12 team with the return of Tres Tinkle, Ethan Thompson and Kylor Kelley, the Beavers have plenty of new faces. Seven newcomers, including four freshmen and three junior college transfers, join the team this season.

Roman Silva, 7-1, 265-pound junior post Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (transfer from San Bernardino College)

Here are three questions we recently asked each of the first-year players:

Question: What attracted you to Oregon State?

Jarod Lucas: For me, it was coach (Wayne) Tinkle, coach (Stephen) Thompson. My dad coached me in high school, so it was perfect fit.

Joey Potts: I just thought it was the best opportunity for me to be the best player I can be. I had great place I could have gone, but I felt like this place is where I can be the best.

Roman Silva: Biggest thing about Oregon State for me was the culture, the culture the coaches have created over the past couple years. Being on campus is what sealed the deal for me. Once I was here and saw how the group of guys ran things, that put me over the top.

Julien Franklin: Probably just the great atmosphere. Coach Tinkle has really emphasized about changing the whole program around. All the coaches are great guys, and it felt like a perfect fit for me.

Dearon Tucker: Just the coaching staff. They brought me and made me feel like I was welcome. The older guys made me feel like I’m supposed to be here.

Gianni Hunt: It felt like home. Everybody is real welcoming here. Nice family environment. Great college campus. I have a cousin who played football here, Raashad Reynolds. He was a good connection.

Sean Miller-Moore: Family environment. When I came here, I knew they were big on family. Coach Tinkle is obviously Tres’ dad, and Ethan and coach Thompson, very family oriented. It was a no-brainer after that. I’m big on family.

Dearon Tucker, 6-10, 240-pound freshman forward Hometown: Dallas, Tex. (Legacy Early College)

Julien Franklin, 6-7, 200-pound freshman guard Hometown: Brea, Calif. (Villa Park HS)

Q: What do you hope to contribute to the Beavers this season?

Hunt: Energy and effort, honestly. Whatever my coaches and teammates need, I’m going to do.

Franklin: I feel like I bring effort at the defensive end, and versatility. Wherever the coach needs me, I’ll play.

Miller-Moore: Energy. Leadership. And a guy who is willing to do anything.

Silva: I definitely feel I bring a post presence. Kylor is a big guy and a rim protector, but as far as anchoring down, I can really help this year. Something the coaches have been on me, about taking deep seals and positioning myself down low.

Lucas: I bring my shooting ability. I think I have one of the better shots around. I think I bring a lot of energy. I’m a young guy, so maybe there’s a game here or there where we’re not bringing it, maybe I can bring some energy.

Potts: I just try to go hard every day and make everyone better, so we can produce and win.

Tucker: Feel like I bring a lot of aspects. Rebounding, finishing at the rim, and they’ve been working on my shot blocking lately.

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Gianni Hunt, 6-3, 180-pound freshman guard Hometown: Lakewood, Calif. (Bishop Montgomery HS)

Sean Miller-Moore, 6-5, 200-pound junior guard Hometown: Toronto (transfer from Thornlea Secondary School)

Q: What’s your favorite coach Wayne Tinkle story?

Potts: I just like his sayings. He has a lot of trademark things he says in practice and they’re all pretty funny.

Hunt: Probably be when we do 3-on-2 drill and he’ll hop in with us. It’s exciting to see coach get out there and shoot a jumper.

Silva: I really like when he talks about how they’ve progressed over the years at Oregon State.

Miller-Moore: It’s just funny when people forget plays, he’ll say we’ve been doing this play since Jesus was on JV.

Franklin: Probably when I played ‘spikeball’ with him at his house. He killed us. It was me and Jarod against he and D-Tuck. They totally destroyed us. I didn’t think he could be that good at spikeball, but he is.

Lucas: The other day, he’s talking to somebody and he said “man, you’re playing like a fart in a skillet.” I never heard that one before. You hear a lot of new ones from coach Tinkle.

Oregon State forward Joey Potts, 6-10, 200-pound junior forward Hometown: Petaluma, Calif. (transfer from College of Marin)

--Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel

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