CORVALLIS – With each passing week, a return to the court is looking less and less likely for Oregon State sophomore forward Tres Tinkle.

Tinkle, the Beavers leading scorer and rebounder at the time he broke his wrist on Nov. 25, has missed 16 games this season. The count will jump to 18 games by the end of the week, as head coach Wayne Tinkle ruled him Tuesday out for home games against No. 5 Arizona on Thursday and Arizona State on Saturday.

“Still no updates,” he said. “He’s not going to play this weekend. That’s where it is.”

Tinkle said there would be an announcement of any changes in status. When asked if there was still hope the forward could return this season, the coach said he was “not going to make any comment.”

If Tres Tinkle does not return, he may qualify for a hardship waiver that would earn him an extra season of eligibility. That application does not take place until after the season.

The 6-foot-8 Montana native and coach’s son, who continues to wear a removable black cast on his lower right arm, would not be able to qualify for a waiver if he returned for any remaining games this season.

Oregon State (4-18, 0-9 Pac-12) has won one game against a Division I opponent without him in the lineup. Tinkle and sophomore guard Stephen Kaçak Bahis Siteleri Thompson Jr. – the team’s top scorer in his absence – have not played together since the Beavers’ season opener.

OSU is guaranteed a losing record and not in contention for postseason play, yet his return could spark a team with nine available scholarship players, seven of whom are freshmen or sophomores.

Redshirt freshman guard Kendal Manuel said he would like Tinkle to return for the season’s stretch run but also knew he would have “to do what’s best for him.”

“We don’t want him to come back too early and then re-injure it or do something that’s going to further make him sit out for next year or something,” Manuel said. “We just want to make sure he does what’s best for him, gets healthy. Then when he can come back, he’ll come and spark us.”

Freshman guard JaQuori McLaughlin said the team would be excited to get Tinkle back but that the rest of the season remained uncertain.

“He’s our best player, so that’ll help,” McLaughlin said. “I hope (he’ll return). I don’t know, but I hope.”

— Danny Moran

dmoran@oregonian.com

@DannyJMoran

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