Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Pritchard Leading Ducks' Resurgence Entering Saturday's Civil War
01/26/18 | Men's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
After a slow start to conference play, Oregon's point guard has helped the Ducks build momentum entering Saturday's home game against OSU (5 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
Over the first two weeks of the Pac-12 season, the Oregon men's basketball team won just once, against a field of competition that, entering the start of play around the league Friday, was a collective one game under .500 in Pac-12 play.
Over the most recent two weeks of the conference season, the Ducks won twice, against a field of competition that was a collective 10 games over .500 in Pac-12 play.
In short: The UO men have experienced more success, against tougher competition, over the last two weeks. And it's no coincidence that their point guard has seen his production spike in that period, too.
"I'm just trying to keep everybody up, making sure everybody's focused," said UO sophomore point guard Payton Pritchard, who leads the Ducks into their return to action against Oregon State in Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday (5 p.m., Pac-12 Network). "And me, too — as a leader, I have to be the most focused, the most energetic, just on point. Talking with coach, leadership isn't just one day, it's every day. So that's what I'm trying to do."
Pritchard has backed up his words over the two weeks of play prior to Saturday's Civil War. On the Ducks' road trip that began with an upset at Arizona State on Jan. 11, through last week's harrowing win at home over UCLA, Pritchard averaged 18.3 points, six assists and four rebounds per game.
"He has made a difference," UO coach Dana Altman said. "He has taken a lot of leadership. He's trying to get our defense intact; communication kind of starts with him. He's done a very good job."
The Ducks enter the Civil War rematch at 13-7 overall and 3-4 in conference play. They're still digging themselves out of a hole they created the opening two weeks of Pac-12 action, when they split with Utah and Colorado — who were a combined 9-9 in league play entering Friday — and then suffered a listless defeat at Oregon State (11-8, 3-4).
Pritchard combined for 28 points on 9-of-28 shooting in those three games, with six assists and nine turnovers. After a stagnant offensive performance against the Beavers, Pritchard had a conversation with Altman about his role as a leader. Since then, the results have spoken for themselves.
"He's just showing us how coach likes things, and what they did last year — obviously they went to the Final Four last year, so he knows what they needed to do to accomplish those things," UO graduate transfer MiKyle McIntosh said. "He's been telling us what we need to do, and showing us too. Not just talking, but actually doing what he says."
What are some of those things?
"Getting hands on balls, rebounding, boxing out — stuff that wins games, wins championships," Pritchard said. "I feel like I have to be the one that starts that, starts the communication, gets everybody talking. Things that Jordan Bell and Dillon Brooks did last year, and Dylan Ennis."
At Oregon State three weeks ago, Pritchard was 1-of-6 from three-point range. The Ducks were stagnant offensively, too often settling for quick three-pointers as the Beavers packed the lane in their zone defense. Pritchard was as guilty as anyone.
He also was hampered by two quick fouls that helped limit him to 28 minutes, six under his season average. Smarter shots, smarter defense — Pritchard learned several valuable lessons in Corvallis that he took to heart in the two weeks since.
"That was a bad game in general," he said. "We could fix a lot of things. We're definitely going to be way more prepared for this game."
Altman certainly hopes so, and that the Ducks can continue building on the momentum they've established over the last two weeks, against the toughest competition the Pac-12 has to offer in the Arizona and Los Angeles schools.
"This is a good group," Altman said. "I think they've got something left, and I sure hope that we can finish strong. But there's no guarantees and there are no magic wands. We have picked it up the last four games. Now it's just a matter of how we finish."
Over the most recent two weeks of the conference season, the Ducks won twice, against a field of competition that was a collective 10 games over .500 in Pac-12 play.
In short: The UO men have experienced more success, against tougher competition, over the last two weeks. And it's no coincidence that their point guard has seen his production spike in that period, too.
"I'm just trying to keep everybody up, making sure everybody's focused," said UO sophomore point guard Payton Pritchard, who leads the Ducks into their return to action against Oregon State in Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday (5 p.m., Pac-12 Network). "And me, too — as a leader, I have to be the most focused, the most energetic, just on point. Talking with coach, leadership isn't just one day, it's every day. So that's what I'm trying to do."
Pritchard has backed up his words over the two weeks of play prior to Saturday's Civil War. On the Ducks' road trip that began with an upset at Arizona State on Jan. 11, through last week's harrowing win at home over UCLA, Pritchard averaged 18.3 points, six assists and four rebounds per game.
"He has made a difference," UO coach Dana Altman said. "He has taken a lot of leadership. He's trying to get our defense intact; communication kind of starts with him. He's done a very good job."
The Ducks enter the Civil War rematch at 13-7 overall and 3-4 in conference play. They're still digging themselves out of a hole they created the opening two weeks of Pac-12 action, when they split with Utah and Colorado — who were a combined 9-9 in league play entering Friday — and then suffered a listless defeat at Oregon State (11-8, 3-4).
Pritchard combined for 28 points on 9-of-28 shooting in those three games, with six assists and nine turnovers. After a stagnant offensive performance against the Beavers, Pritchard had a conversation with Altman about his role as a leader. Since then, the results have spoken for themselves.
"He's just showing us how coach likes things, and what they did last year — obviously they went to the Final Four last year, so he knows what they needed to do to accomplish those things," UO graduate transfer MiKyle McIntosh said. "He's been telling us what we need to do, and showing us too. Not just talking, but actually doing what he says."
What are some of those things?
"Getting hands on balls, rebounding, boxing out — stuff that wins games, wins championships," Pritchard said. "I feel like I have to be the one that starts that, starts the communication, gets everybody talking. Things that Jordan Bell and Dillon Brooks did last year, and Dylan Ennis."
At Oregon State three weeks ago, Pritchard was 1-of-6 from three-point range. The Ducks were stagnant offensively, too often settling for quick three-pointers as the Beavers packed the lane in their zone defense. Pritchard was as guilty as anyone.
He also was hampered by two quick fouls that helped limit him to 28 minutes, six under his season average. Smarter shots, smarter defense — Pritchard learned several valuable lessons in Corvallis that he took to heart in the two weeks since.
"That was a bad game in general," he said. "We could fix a lot of things. We're definitely going to be way more prepared for this game."
Altman certainly hopes so, and that the Ducks can continue building on the momentum they've established over the last two weeks, against the toughest competition the Pac-12 has to offer in the Arizona and Los Angeles schools.
"This is a good group," Altman said. "I think they've got something left, and I sure hope that we can finish strong. But there's no guarantees and there are no magic wands. We have picked it up the last four games. Now it's just a matter of how we finish."
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