First Place on the Line When USC Visits Thursday

No. 12 Oregon and USC meet with first place in the Pac-12 on the line Thursday at 8 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena (ESPNU).

THE STARTING FIVE
• 1 – Oregon is the only school in the nation with its men's basketball, women's basketball and football teams all currently ranked in the Associated Press top 12. Women's basketball is No. 4, football is No. 5 and men's basketball is No. 12.
• 2 – Entering the week, Oregon is one of just six teams nationally with at least five NET Quadrant 1 wins (Arizona, Memphis, at Michigan, Seton Hall, at Washington). Baylor, Kansas, Seton Hall, West Virginia and Wisconsin are the others.
• 3 – With another four assists, Payton Pritchard will become the sixth player in Pac-12 history with 1,500 career points and 600 career assists. The other five are Gary Payton (Oregon State), Jordan McLaughlin (USC), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona), Tyus Edney (UCLA) and Jason Gardner (Arizona). He'll also become the first player in Pac-12 history with 1,500 career points, 600 career assists and 500 career rebounds. Prichard reached 500 career rebounds Saturday at Washington (Utah's Andre Miller also reached those career totals prior to the Utes' joining the Pac-12).
• 4 – Payton Pritchard is one of two players nationally averaging at least 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He enters the week needing 19 more assists to break the UO career record (614, Kenya Wilkins, 1993-97).
• 5 – Chandler Lawson recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds Saturday at Washington.
• BENCH – Now the winningest coach in Oregon history, Dana Altman is one of six active head coaches in NCAA Division I who have posted a winning record for the last 22 consecutive seasons. The other five - Mike Krzyzewski, Tom Izzo, Roy Williams, Bill Self and Jim Boeheim - are all in the Hall of Fame.

THE CLUTCH GENE
Four times this season, Payton Pritchard has registered double figures in the last five minutes of regulation and overtime to help Oregon close out a win. The list includes Memphis (10 points), Michigan (16), Texas Southern (16) and Washington (10).

SWEET SIXTEEN
Twice this season, Oregon has come from 16 points down in the second half to win. The Ducks first accomplished that Nov. 27 versus No. 13 Seton Hall at the Battle 4 Atlantis (71- 69) and repeated that feat Saturday in overtime at Washington (64-61).

PRITCHARD ON THE BRINK OF A PAC-12 FIRST
With four more assists, Payton Pritchard will become the first player in Pac-12 history with 1,500 career points, 600 career assists and 500 career rebounds. There are currently five players in Pac-12 history with 1,500 career points and 600 career assists - Gary Payton (Oregon State), Jordan McLaughlin (USC), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona), Tyus Edney (UCLA) and Jason Gardner (Arizona) - but none of those five reached 500 career rebounds. Utah's Andre Miller is in the 1,500/600/500 club, but he reached those totals prior to the Utes' joining the Pac-12.

PRITCHARD NAMED SPORTING NEWS MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Adding to his growing list of accolades, senior guard Payton Pritchard was recently named to the Sporting News Midseason All-America first team. He was joined on the Sporting News first team by Markus Howard of Marquette, Luke Garza of Iowa, Myles Powell of Seton Hall and Obi Toppin of Dayton.

PRITCHARD GARNERS NATIONAL HONORS AGAIN
For the second time this season, Payton Pritchard has been recognized nationally for his efforts on the court. He was named the NCAA March Madness national player of the week following his efforts in the Ducks' sweep of Arizona and Arizona State (Jan. 9-11). Pritchard had 17 points - including the game-tying bucket that sent the game to overtime - along with seven rebounds and six assists against No. 24 Arizona. He followed that by tying his career high with 29 points against Arizona State, hitting 6-of-9 from three-point range. Earlier this season, he was named the Oscar Robertson national player of the week following the Ducks' win at No. 5 Michigan.

PRITCHARD PRODUCING AT PROLIFIC LEVELS
Payton Pritchard is one of only two Division I players nationally averaging at least 19.0 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. Colbey Ross of Pepperdine is the other. Pritchard is also averaging 1.7 steals a game.

BLUFF CITY LAWSON
Freshman Chandler Lawson posted his best game of the season last Saturday at Washington. He recorded his first career double-double with season highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Memphis, Tenn., native is the only freshman to play in every game for the Ducks this season.

DUARTE HEATING UP
After reaching double figures just once in his first five games, Chris Duarte has scored in double figures in 12 of the last 14 contests. He's averaging 14.1 points per game in that span with a high of 31 Dec. 29 against Alabama State. During Oregon's last home weekend (Jan. 9-11), he had 17 points and eight rebounds against No. 24 Arizona, and 20 points and six rebounds versus Arizona State. He has a career-high five steals to go with 15 points Jan. 16 at Washington State.

JUISTON JUMP STARTS SEASON
After missing the month of December due to a knee injury suffered Nov. 29 against North Carolina, Shakur Juiston regained his early season form with an 11-point, nine-rebound effort Jan. 11 against Arizona State. He has four nine-plus rebound games this season.

SIXTH MAN
Sophomore Will Richardson has been sublime off the bench this season. His latest effort was a career-high 21-point game Jan. 9 versus Arizona where he scored the go-ahead bucket with :15 left in overtime. He has scored in double figures in seven of the last 12 games. Richardson leads the Pac-12 with nine double-figure scoring games off the bench. He tied the Matthew Knight Arena record with six steals Dec. 29 against Alabama State.