University of Oregon
Mercer
Ducks Show No Mer-cy, Dominate Bears 84-64
12/23/06 | Men's Basketball
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -Aaron Brooks scored 27 points and Bryce Taylor added 21 to lead No. 21 Oregon to an 84-64 victory over Mercer on Saturday.
Maarty Leunen had 10 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, and Adam Zahn added career highs of 15 points and 11 rebounds for the short-handed Ducks (11-0), who are off to their best start in 60 years. Oregon was 12-0 in 1946-47.
Freshman James Florence had 19 points for Mercer (5-6) and fouled out with 5 minutes remaining.
Playing without three starters because of injuries, Oregon went with a big lineup that produced its best rebounding effort of the season. The Ducks had a 55-29 advantage on the boards.
With just eight healthy players, Oregon led 44-31 at halftime and extended that to 54-34 early in the second half.
Florence hit a 3-pointer to start a 10-0 run for the Bears, but they couldn't get any closer.
Leunen answered with a rebound dunk, and Brooks had 10 points in a 3-minute stretch to push the lead to 73-54.
Oregon led by as many as 11 in the first half before Florence took over, scoring nine straight points. His long 3-pointer pulled the Bears within one with 7:27 to go in the first half.
Florence hit another 3-pointer 4 minutes later to cut it to 34-31, but Zahn's rebound dunk sparked a 10-0 run that gave the Ducks a 44-31 halftime advantage.
Leunen had 10 rebounds in the first half, including seven of Oregon's 16 offensive boards.
