University of Oregon
22-6, 11-4
Washington State
9-19, 1-15
After Holding Serve Vs. WSU, Ducks Now Alone in First
02/25/16 | Men's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Photo: Eric Evans
EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon is two wins away from clinching a share of the Pac-12 title after beating Washington State on Wednesday, 76-62, the Ducks' record 24th consecutive victory in Matthew Knight Arena.
How It Happened: Oregon (22-6, 11-4 Pac-12) didn't quite get the wire-to-wire effort head coach Dana Altman was looking for, but the Ducks still led throughout in sending the Cougars to their 14th consecutive defeat. The Ducks used a 12-0 run to go up 17-3 out of the gate, and though WSU remained within shouting distance for much of the game, the lead was never back in single digits after the UO men went up 28-17 on a Chris Boucher bank shot off an alley oop attempt late in the first half.
Everybody on the floor got involved as Oregon broke the game open in the opening minutes. Boucher started the 12-0 run with a three-pointer, Dillon Brooks scored on the next possession, Elgin Cook's rebound-basket made it seven straight, Tyler Dorsey hit a three on the next trip and Brooks scored again to make it a dozen in a row for the Ducks. Boucher ended an extended UO drought with a basket for a 26-17 lead, and his athletic adjustment on the alley oop attempt from Cook put Oregon up double digits the rest of the way.
In the second half, Washington State (9-19, 1-15) rallied within 11 on a couple of occasions. Brooks hit a three-pointer with a hand in his face for a 55-41 Oregon lead, and Cook used a spin move to get to the basket for a 61-44 advantage, then blocked a shot at the other end. The Ducks didn't always play with a sense of urgency, but they responded whenever the Cougars seemed poised to mount a serious threat.
Who Stood Out: Cook led the Ducks with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting, blocked a career-high three shots and added six rebounds as Oregon posted a 38-29 advantage on the boards. Cook also had three steals, as the Ducks forced 13 turnovers and turned them into 23 points. Boucher recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and he blocked four shots. Brooks added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Dorsey scored 12 points on 3-of-6 three-point shooting.
What It Means: Oregon entered the night tied with Arizona atop the Pac-12, but the Wildcats lost at Colorado earlier Wednesday. The Ducks enter their final three games with a full game lead over both Arizona and Utah, and hold the tiebreaker over each. Win two out of their last three, against UW, UCLA and USC, and Oregon will clinch at least a share of the conference title.
Quotable:
Dana Altman, UO head coach
On his impressions of the game
“We outrebounded them, which was good. Our second-chance points, 15-6, and points off turnovers, 23-7, obviously were the difference in the game. In the halfcourt our defense wasn't sharp, especially in the second half. At times our ball movement was good. But it was a game we had to have.”
On what concerns him entering Sunday's game with UW
“We're going to have a tough matchup. Our defenses on the threes has got to improve. We gave up 9-of-20 (to WSU), and all 20 of them were good looks.”
Tyler Dorsey, UO freshman
On Oregon's effort overall
“We had ups and downs in the game, but we never let them come back.”
Elgin Cook, UO senior
On having the lead in the Pac-12 race
“I think it's more pressure. But we still want to approach every game like it's our last game. Play hard, play Oregon basketball.”
Notable: Boucher's double-double was his team-leading seventh of the season. … Boucher's four blocks pushed his season total to 91, three of the UO single-season record set by Jordan Bell last year, and tied with Tony Woods for fourth on the UO career record list. … Walk-on Phil Richmond made his UO debut in the final minute.
Up Next: The Ducks wrap up their home schedule with senior night against Washington in Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday (5:30 p.m., ESPNU).
