Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Ducks Find Continuity Entering Civil War
02/16/19 | Men's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Six weeks after facing OSU amid a flurry of personnel changes, the Oregon men's basketball team has found stability entering the rematch Saturday (7:30 p.m., Pac-12).
Oregon fans would blanch at the idea, but there's one way the UO men's basketball team would love to emulate its rivals from Corvallis.
Compared with the Ducks, Oregon State has enjoyed remarkable stability this season. That's something Oregon would like to enjoy for itself over the final four weeks of the regular season, continuing with a road game against those Beavers on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
With Paul White feeling recovered from the ankle injury he suffered a month ago at Arizona State, the Ducks are ready to avenge the loss they suffered to Oregon State in Eugene back on Jan. 5.
"We've had some very humbling experiences — that being one of them," White said. "But right now we're a more close-knit group. Right now I think we're in a good space."
The last time the Ducks (15-9, 6-5 Pac-12) faced the Beavers (15-8, 7-4), they were less than a month removed from freshman Bol Bol's season-ending foot injury, and sophomore Kenny Wooten was still sidelined by a broken jaw. Freshman Francis Okoro made just his second career start, and freshman Miles Norris needed to play double-digit minutes for the first time in his career.
The Ducks fielded their sixth different starting lineup in a period of eight games that night, a 77-72 victory for OSU. Overall this season, 10 different players have started for Oregon; seven have done so for OSU. The Beavers had had five players start at least 16 games, the Ducks just two.
"They've really defined their roles right from the start," UO coach Dana Altman said. "They've been who they are for a long time. We've changed our roles so many times this year."
The first Civil War game of the season, though, hinted at the team Oregon was to become without its five-star freshman Bol. The Ducks used a pressing defense to overcome a double-digit deficit and take a late lead, though the Beavers rallied to win.
That pressure has caused various opponents fits since. And now the Ducks have their rim protector Wooten back in the lineup, though he missed practice earlier this week due to illness.
Wooten blocked 11 shots during Oregon's sweep of Cal and Stanford last week, looking fully recovered from the broken jaw that sidelined him for four games around the first of the year.
"The games he hasn't played in, we haven't been very good," Altman said. "… When he played like he did against Stanford, that was the best performance I think I've seen him have. He right from the start set the tone."
White continued to sit out some practices this week, but said his ankle injury is feeling "a lot better" than in recent weeks. White said he tried to push through the injury to set an example for younger teammates, but he could only play limited minutes in some games.
When White has been limited, the Ducks have missed him as the pivot man in their offense, and as an on-ball defender in the press defense.
"I at least wanted to set an example, trying to fight through the adversity rather than giving up," White said. "It took a long time. But I'm here now."
A win Saturday night would help Oregon as the Ducks push for a top-four finish in the Pac-12, and thus a bye on the opening night of the conference tournament. But White said the UO men are trying to block out such thinking.
"When we stop to look at things in groups or clusters, we start to overwhelm ourselves," White said. "What's worked for us is looking at one practice at a time, one game at a time. And hopefully that results in more wins."
Compared with the Ducks, Oregon State has enjoyed remarkable stability this season. That's something Oregon would like to enjoy for itself over the final four weeks of the regular season, continuing with a road game against those Beavers on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
With Paul White feeling recovered from the ankle injury he suffered a month ago at Arizona State, the Ducks are ready to avenge the loss they suffered to Oregon State in Eugene back on Jan. 5.
"We've had some very humbling experiences — that being one of them," White said. "But right now we're a more close-knit group. Right now I think we're in a good space."
The last time the Ducks (15-9, 6-5 Pac-12) faced the Beavers (15-8, 7-4), they were less than a month removed from freshman Bol Bol's season-ending foot injury, and sophomore Kenny Wooten was still sidelined by a broken jaw. Freshman Francis Okoro made just his second career start, and freshman Miles Norris needed to play double-digit minutes for the first time in his career.
The Ducks fielded their sixth different starting lineup in a period of eight games that night, a 77-72 victory for OSU. Overall this season, 10 different players have started for Oregon; seven have done so for OSU. The Beavers had had five players start at least 16 games, the Ducks just two.
"They've really defined their roles right from the start," UO coach Dana Altman said. "They've been who they are for a long time. We've changed our roles so many times this year."
The first Civil War game of the season, though, hinted at the team Oregon was to become without its five-star freshman Bol. The Ducks used a pressing defense to overcome a double-digit deficit and take a late lead, though the Beavers rallied to win.
That pressure has caused various opponents fits since. And now the Ducks have their rim protector Wooten back in the lineup, though he missed practice earlier this week due to illness.
Wooten blocked 11 shots during Oregon's sweep of Cal and Stanford last week, looking fully recovered from the broken jaw that sidelined him for four games around the first of the year.
"The games he hasn't played in, we haven't been very good," Altman said. "… When he played like he did against Stanford, that was the best performance I think I've seen him have. He right from the start set the tone."
White continued to sit out some practices this week, but said his ankle injury is feeling "a lot better" than in recent weeks. White said he tried to push through the injury to set an example for younger teammates, but he could only play limited minutes in some games.
When White has been limited, the Ducks have missed him as the pivot man in their offense, and as an on-ball defender in the press defense.
"I at least wanted to set an example, trying to fight through the adversity rather than giving up," White said. "It took a long time. But I'm here now."
A win Saturday night would help Oregon as the Ducks push for a top-four finish in the Pac-12, and thus a bye on the opening night of the conference tournament. But White said the UO men are trying to block out such thinking.
"When we stop to look at things in groups or clusters, we start to overwhelm ourselves," White said. "What's worked for us is looking at one practice at a time, one game at a time. And hopefully that results in more wins."
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