Game Notes: Top 15 Showdown Awaits Ducks, Wildcats

Oregon and Arizona square off Saturday in the first-ever game between top-15 teams at Matthew Knight Arena (1 p.m., ESPN).

THE STARTING FIVE
1 - Oregon has reached a number of historic milestones in program history:
* Seventh straight 20-win season.
* Seventh straight winning season for the first time in 77 years.
* 20 straight winning seasons as a head coach for Dana Altman.
* Program record 174 wins over seven seasons..
2 - No. 5 Arizona will be the second top-five team to visit Matthew Knight Arena this season. Back on Dec. 28, No. 2 UCLA became the highest-ranked team to play at MKA (an 89-87 Duck win). Oregon is 8-1 all-time versus ranked foes in Matthew Knight Arena (2-0 this season).
3 - Oregon is 20-3 overall for first time since the 1937-38 team was also 20-3 after its first 23 games. Oregon's 9-1 record in league play is the program's best since the 1938-39 NCAA Championship squad went 11-1 out of the gate in the Pacific Coast Conference, and finished 14-2.
4 - Oregon made its 21st consecutive appearance in the Associated Press poll this week, which is tied for the longest streak in school history. The Ducks were also ranked for 21 consecutive weeks over the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
5 - Oregon has held 19-of-23 opponents under 70 points this season.
+1 - The Ducks lead the nation at 7.3 blocks per game, and also lead the nation in total blocks with 169. Individually, Chris Boucher is eighth nationally in blocks per game (2.9), with Jordan Bell 34th (2.2 bpg).

FINISHING STRONG
Under coach Dana Altman, Oregon has a 39-16 record (.709) during the second half of Pac-12 play. That breaks down to 4-5 in 2011, 7-2 in 2012, 5-4 in 2013, 7-2 in 2014, 8-1 in 2015, 7-2 in 2016 and 1-0 in 2017. Only Arizona (42) has won more over the last six seasons.

SEASON TRENDS
Here's look at some trends from the season. The Ducks are:
   * 18-0 when blocking more shots than opponents
   * 16-0 when scoring 70 or more points
   * 16-0 when leading at the half
   * 16-0 when having more assists than opponents
   * 16-0 when committing fewer fouls than opponents
   * 15-1 when outrebounding opponents

WIN STREAK AT MKA REACHES 39 GAMES
Oregon's winning streak at Matthew Knight Arena is currently at 39 games, which is the longest string of home wins in UO history. Oregon last dropped a home game Jan. 8, 2015 (Arizona, 80-62). Two of Oregon's four longest home winning streaks have come under Dana Altman.

DUCKS' HOME WINNING STREAK NOW SECOND NATIONALLY
With three long home winning streaks ending in December, Oregon now owns the second-longest active home winning streak in the nation behind only Kansas. In December, UCLA halted Kentucky's 42-game streak, and Stephen F. Austin's 31-game streak came to an end as did South Dakota State's 34-game streak. Through Feb. 2:

   Streak   Team
1.   51 games   Kansas
2.   39 games   Oregon

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The Ducks are 107-13 (.891) all-time at Matthew Knight Arena since the building opened in 2011.

OREGON NETS SEVENTH STRAIGHT WINNING SEASON
The Ducks have now secured their seventh straight winning season. It is just the third time in school history that Oregon has strung together seven or more consecutive winning seasons, and the first such occasion in 77 years. The Ducks last had seven winning seasons in a row from 1934-40 for coaches William Reinhart and Howard Hobson. The program record is 10 consecutive seasons from 1923-32 under George Bohler and Reinhardt.

SEVEN-YEAR ITCH
Oregon has now set the school record for the most wins over a seven-year period with 174. The previous record of 170 was established just last season (2009-10 to 2015-16).

FOR THE DEFENSE
Under Dana Altman, Oregon is 118-14 when holding opponents under 70 points, including an 86-6 mark the last five seasons.

DUCKS REACH 100 WINS
The Jan. 26 win over Utah was the program's 100th over the last four seasons. It is the third straight year that the Ducks have recorded 100 wins over four seasons.