Friday, December 30
Eugene, Ore.
7:00 PM
University of Oregon
13-2, 2-0
84
vs
61
USC
14-1, 1-1
1
2
F
USC
29
32
61
Oregon
38
46
84
Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Ducks Deny Another Pac-12 Unbeaten
12/30/16 | Men's Basketball
Oregon followed its win Wednesday over UCLA with a thrashing of USC, 84-61, on Friday night.
EUGENE, Ore. —The Oregon men's basketball team capped an emphatic statement to the Pac-12 Conference, and to the rest of the nation, by following its win Wednesday over No. 2 UCLA with an 84-61 thrashing of previously undefeated and No. 22 USC on Friday before 10,051 in Matthew Knight Arena. The blowout provided UO coach Dana Altman with his 700th career victory.
How It Happened: The No. 21 Ducks (13-2, 2-0 Pac-12) blew the game open with a 21-3 run to open the second half and take a 59-32 lead. Dylan Ennis had a layin and a three-pointer to get things going, the first five of 14 points he scored during the run. The Ducks eventually led by as much as 31 at 70-39, on a fadeaway jumper by the resurgent Dillon Brooks.
The Ducks led 38-29 at halftime, shooting .452 while committing just three turnovers, and limiting the Trojans to .296 shooting. Oregon had 12 assists on 14 field goals, playing with a level of efficiency becoming of the preseason Pac-12 favorites. Overall the Ducks committed a season-low six turnovers, and finished with 24 assists on 32 field goals.
Oregon carried over some momentum from Wednesday's win over UCLA, and jumped out to a quick 13-4 lead. But after Brooks hit a jumper on an inbounds play, the Ducks went 6:30 before making another shot, an 0-of-9 stretch in which USC took a 19-15 lead. The Ducks then clamped down on defense and turned the tables, holding USC without a field goal for 7:12 late in the first half and ripping off a 14-4 run to a 29-23 lead.
Who Stood Out: Brooks followed up his game-winning three Wednesday with a season-high 28 points Friday, on 9-of-10 shooting. Ennis made 8-of-15 attempts for 20 points, and added six rebounds. Freshman guard Payton Pritchard provided another sublime contribution, dishing out seven assists to give him 16 in the two games this week. Big men Jordan Bell and Chris Boucher combined for 20 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks — all five by Boucher.
What It Means: The Ducks suddenly look like the class of the Pac-12 Conference, after knocking off previously 13-0 UCLA and then previously 14-0 USC in back-to-back games.
Quotable:
Head coach Dana Altman
On his overall impressions
"The numbers that really stick out, 24 assists and six turnovers. I really like seeing that. Twenty-four assists on 32 baskets — the only time we didn't move the ball was in that five-minute stretch there where they went on the 15-2 run. We just took really bad shots and gave them a little momentum there. … We mentioned that we didn't like those shots, and to get the ball moving again, and then our defense picked up a little bit again. But other than that four-, five-minute stretch there, I thought we played pretty good."
Senior forward Chris Boucher
On Oregon's big week after a holiday break
"We knew after Christmas, coach told us, 'Go home, free up your mind and when you come back be focused.' We knew coming back it would be a tough stretch and we had two undefeated teams to beat. We stayed focused, passed the ball — we had 24 assists on 32 baskets — and I feel like when we play together, we can beat any team."
Junior forward Jordan Bell
On if the Ducks are playing to their potential
"I honestly think we can be even better. Obviously we had some mistakes — we should be outrebounding teams by more than one (39-38) — but I think we're making the right steps in the direction of the team we can be."
Notable: The Ducks extended their home win streak to 35 games, second-longest in the nation behind Kansas. … Boucher entered the single-season top 10 in blocks with 40 in just 13 games; that is tied for seventh (Boucher set the UO season record last year with 110). ... Oregon freshman M.J. Cage, who is on track to redshirt, was again not in uniform but did not sport the walking boot he wore Wednesday on the bench. … USC is playing without sophomore preseason all-America candidate Bennie Boatwright, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who suffered a knee sprain in late November.
Up Next: The Ducks begin their first road trip of conference play at Washington on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN2).
How It Happened: The No. 21 Ducks (13-2, 2-0 Pac-12) blew the game open with a 21-3 run to open the second half and take a 59-32 lead. Dylan Ennis had a layin and a three-pointer to get things going, the first five of 14 points he scored during the run. The Ducks eventually led by as much as 31 at 70-39, on a fadeaway jumper by the resurgent Dillon Brooks.
The Ducks led 38-29 at halftime, shooting .452 while committing just three turnovers, and limiting the Trojans to .296 shooting. Oregon had 12 assists on 14 field goals, playing with a level of efficiency becoming of the preseason Pac-12 favorites. Overall the Ducks committed a season-low six turnovers, and finished with 24 assists on 32 field goals.
Oregon carried over some momentum from Wednesday's win over UCLA, and jumped out to a quick 13-4 lead. But after Brooks hit a jumper on an inbounds play, the Ducks went 6:30 before making another shot, an 0-of-9 stretch in which USC took a 19-15 lead. The Ducks then clamped down on defense and turned the tables, holding USC without a field goal for 7:12 late in the first half and ripping off a 14-4 run to a 29-23 lead.
Who Stood Out: Brooks followed up his game-winning three Wednesday with a season-high 28 points Friday, on 9-of-10 shooting. Ennis made 8-of-15 attempts for 20 points, and added six rebounds. Freshman guard Payton Pritchard provided another sublime contribution, dishing out seven assists to give him 16 in the two games this week. Big men Jordan Bell and Chris Boucher combined for 20 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks — all five by Boucher.
What It Means: The Ducks suddenly look like the class of the Pac-12 Conference, after knocking off previously 13-0 UCLA and then previously 14-0 USC in back-to-back games.
Quotable:
Head coach Dana Altman
On his overall impressions
"The numbers that really stick out, 24 assists and six turnovers. I really like seeing that. Twenty-four assists on 32 baskets — the only time we didn't move the ball was in that five-minute stretch there where they went on the 15-2 run. We just took really bad shots and gave them a little momentum there. … We mentioned that we didn't like those shots, and to get the ball moving again, and then our defense picked up a little bit again. But other than that four-, five-minute stretch there, I thought we played pretty good."
Senior forward Chris Boucher
On Oregon's big week after a holiday break
"We knew after Christmas, coach told us, 'Go home, free up your mind and when you come back be focused.' We knew coming back it would be a tough stretch and we had two undefeated teams to beat. We stayed focused, passed the ball — we had 24 assists on 32 baskets — and I feel like when we play together, we can beat any team."
Junior forward Jordan Bell
On if the Ducks are playing to their potential
"I honestly think we can be even better. Obviously we had some mistakes — we should be outrebounding teams by more than one (39-38) — but I think we're making the right steps in the direction of the team we can be."
Notable: The Ducks extended their home win streak to 35 games, second-longest in the nation behind Kansas. … Boucher entered the single-season top 10 in blocks with 40 in just 13 games; that is tied for seventh (Boucher set the UO season record last year with 110). ... Oregon freshman M.J. Cage, who is on track to redshirt, was again not in uniform but did not sport the walking boot he wore Wednesday on the bench. … USC is playing without sophomore preseason all-America candidate Bennie Boatwright, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who suffered a knee sprain in late November.
Up Next: The Ducks begin their first road trip of conference play at Washington on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN2).
Team Stats
USC
ORE
FG%
.310
.464
3FG%
.389
.400
FT%
.818
.667
RB
38
39
TO
17
6
STL
4
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
28
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
6
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
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/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
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