Photo by: GoDucks.com
Ducks Set For Exhibition with NCU
11/05/16 | Men's Basketball
For the third straight season, Oregon opens the exhibition slate against Northwest Christian (Monday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.), which is coached by one of the greatest players in University of Oregon history, Luke Jackson.
THE STARTING FIVE
1 - Preseason picks. Oregon has already accumlated a number of firsts for the 2016-17 season. Among the noteworthy preason prognostications:
* First preason No. 1 ranking (Lindy's)
* First time selected No. 1 in Pac-12 poll
* Highest-ever preseason rank by AP (No. 5)
* Ties highest rank all-time by AP
* First AP preseason all-American (Dillon Brooks)
* First Sports Illustrated cover since 1977
2 - The Ducks graduated just two scholarhship seniors from that 2015-16 team, but they were key players. All-Pac-12 forward Elgin Cook started all 38 games and averaged 14.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest, while forward Dwayne Benjamin was invaluable as Oregon's sixth man, averaging 7.8 points per game.
3 - Dana Altman became just the third coach in league history to win Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons joining California's Mike Montgomery (2003, 2004) and Arizona's Lute Olson (1988, 1989 and 1993, 1994). Altman trails only Olson (seven) and Montgomery (four) for career conference coach of the year awards, and is tied with George Raveling and Lorenzo Romar with three a piece on that list.
4 - The Ducks return four starters from last season: All-America forward Dillon Brooks (16.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg); single-season blocks record holder Chris Boucher (12.1 ppg, 5.4 ppg, 2.9 bpg), Pac-12 all-freshman wing Tyler Dorsey (12.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and national assist-to-turnover leader Casey Benson (6.0 ppg, 4.9-to-1 A-TO-R).
5 - NCU Connections: The ultimate stat sheet filler, Luke Jackson (2000-04) is still the No. 2 scorer in school history (1,970 points), is the career leader in free throws made (506), and ranks eighth in rebounds (746), sixth in assists (424), second in steals (160) and ninth in three-pointers (174). He is also the only player in school history with two triple-doubles. In addition to Jackson, The Beacons also have former Duck assistant coach Fred Litzenberger on the bench. On the NCU roster, senior guard Brendyn Taylor is the younger brother of former Duck sharp-shooter Bryce Taylor (2005-08). Senior guard Jay Mayernik first played against Oregon while at Southern Oregon - 13 years ago in the 2003-04 season. Also on the NCU roster is senior forward Bradley Laubacher, a four-year member of Oregon's men's track and field team, who tied for seventh in the high jump at the 2016 Pac-12 Championships.
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES
For 2016-17, Oregon returns 69 percent of its scoring, 66 percent of its rebounding, 71 percent of its assists, 58 percent of its steals and 85 percent of its blocked shots from last season.
DUCKS REACH HIGH MARK IN HUMAN POLLS
The Ducks' preseason ranking of No. 5 matches its all-time high in the Associated Press poll. Oregon was ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll of 2016. The Ducks were also No. 5 for two weeks in December of 2002. Oregon's No. 5 preseason ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll is one spot shy of the all-time high of No. 4, which came in the March 14, 2016, poll.
THE STARTING FIVE
1 - Preseason picks. Oregon has already accumlated a number of firsts for the 2016-17 season. Among the noteworthy preason prognostications:
* First preason No. 1 ranking (Lindy's)
* First time selected No. 1 in Pac-12 poll
* Highest-ever preseason rank by AP (No. 5)
* Ties highest rank all-time by AP
* First AP preseason all-American (Dillon Brooks)
* First Sports Illustrated cover since 1977
2 - The Ducks graduated just two scholarhship seniors from that 2015-16 team, but they were key players. All-Pac-12 forward Elgin Cook started all 38 games and averaged 14.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest, while forward Dwayne Benjamin was invaluable as Oregon's sixth man, averaging 7.8 points per game.
3 - Dana Altman became just the third coach in league history to win Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons joining California's Mike Montgomery (2003, 2004) and Arizona's Lute Olson (1988, 1989 and 1993, 1994). Altman trails only Olson (seven) and Montgomery (four) for career conference coach of the year awards, and is tied with George Raveling and Lorenzo Romar with three a piece on that list.
4 - The Ducks return four starters from last season: All-America forward Dillon Brooks (16.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg); single-season blocks record holder Chris Boucher (12.1 ppg, 5.4 ppg, 2.9 bpg), Pac-12 all-freshman wing Tyler Dorsey (12.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and national assist-to-turnover leader Casey Benson (6.0 ppg, 4.9-to-1 A-TO-R).
5 - NCU Connections: The ultimate stat sheet filler, Luke Jackson (2000-04) is still the No. 2 scorer in school history (1,970 points), is the career leader in free throws made (506), and ranks eighth in rebounds (746), sixth in assists (424), second in steals (160) and ninth in three-pointers (174). He is also the only player in school history with two triple-doubles. In addition to Jackson, The Beacons also have former Duck assistant coach Fred Litzenberger on the bench. On the NCU roster, senior guard Brendyn Taylor is the younger brother of former Duck sharp-shooter Bryce Taylor (2005-08). Senior guard Jay Mayernik first played against Oregon while at Southern Oregon - 13 years ago in the 2003-04 season. Also on the NCU roster is senior forward Bradley Laubacher, a four-year member of Oregon's men's track and field team, who tied for seventh in the high jump at the 2016 Pac-12 Championships.
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES
For 2016-17, Oregon returns 69 percent of its scoring, 66 percent of its rebounding, 71 percent of its assists, 58 percent of its steals and 85 percent of its blocked shots from last season.
DUCKS REACH HIGH MARK IN HUMAN POLLS
The Ducks' preseason ranking of No. 5 matches its all-time high in the Associated Press poll. Oregon was ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll of 2016. The Ducks were also No. 5 for two weeks in December of 2002. Oregon's No. 5 preseason ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll is one spot shy of the all-time high of No. 4, which came in the March 14, 2016, poll.
Players Mentioned
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