Inspired Effort Lifts Ducks To Win

Thursday, February 28

Eugene, OR

8:00 PM

University of Oregon

16-12, 7-8

Arizona State

19-9, 10-6

Arizona St.

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans Photography

02/28/19 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score: Oregon 79, ASU 51

The UO men played one of their most impressive games of the season Thursday, dominating ASU offensively, defensively and on the boards in a 79-51 victory.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — In the wake of the snowstorm that hit the Willamette Valley this week, UO coach Dana Altman had to move to a hotel room while his house was without electricity. The power was supposed to be turned back on Thursday, Altman said, and his Ducks brought the energy on the court as well.

The final home weekend of the 2018-19 season for Oregon men's basketball began with one of the Ducks' most impressive performances of the season Thursday, a 79-51 victory over the Pac-12's second-place team, Arizona State, before 7,682 fans in Matthew Knight Arena.

The UO men (16-12, 7-8 Pac-12) shot 49.2 percent as a team and held Arizona State to 32.1 percent — including a season-low 12.5 percent (3-of-24) from three-point range. Oregon also had a commanding 44-26 edge on the boards.

"We came out with a lot of energy today — high hands, rebounding from the jump," said UO freshman Louis King, who led all scorers with 19 points. "And we got a great win."

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How It Happened: The Sun Devils (19-9, 10-6) made their first two shots of the game to grab the early lead, but the Ducks then forced them into eight straight misses while rallying into a 9-6 lead, and the home team never trailed again. Ehab Amin broke a 9-9 tie with a three-pointer, and he tipped in a miss to put Oregon up 16-10. ASU rallied to tie it one more time at 16-16, but Payton Pritchard put the Ducks up for good with a tie-breaking three-pointer, and King finished a four-point play as the home team pushed its lead to eight in the first half, 30-22.

The lead remained eight at halftime, 34-26, and Oregon kept up the pressure coming out of the break. Arizona State missed its first nine shots of the second half, which the Ducks parlayed into a 12-0 run for a 20-point lead at 46-26.

"We went into the locker room for halftime, came out knowing we had to keep up the same energy, the same high tempo we had the first half," King said.

King and Pritchard combined to score 13 straight for Oregon midway through the half as the Ducks pushed the lead to 62-38. A three-pointer by Victor Bailey Jr. for the final points of the night gave the UO men their biggest lead of the game at 28.

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Who Stood Out: King made 7-of-12 shots for his 19 points, and Pritchard added 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Freshman post Francis Okoro led the effort on the boards with a career-high 10 rebounds, and Amin rebounded from playing just five total minutes a week earlier on the road trip to Los Angeles by contributing 11 points, five rebounds and three steals.

"Coach has been telling me just to stay positive, just be ready whenever you're called," Amin said. "That's all I can control, is staying ready."

What It Means: Coming off a three-game losing streak, the Ducks wanted badly to build some momentum for the postseason, and Thursday's win was a nice first step. Next up is Senior Day on Saturday against Arizona.

"It should be a big game for us, and pretty emotional as well," Amin said. "Hopefully we'll take care of business."

Up Next: The Ducks close out their 2018-19 home schedule against Arizona on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN2).