UO, USC Have Proven Resilient
01/22/20 | Men's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Oregon and USC will meet Thursday night in Eugene, five days after each completed a dramatic second-half comeback to win in overtime.
No matter how the first 30 minutes or so play out Thursday night at Matthew Knight Arena, don't count either team out.
Oregon and Southern California each proved its will to win this past Saturday, when the Ducks overcame a 16-point deficit to win at Washington in overtime, and USC dug out of a 21-point hole at home to beat Stanford.
The Ducks and Trojans will meet Thursday in Eugene (8 p.m., ESPNU). The winner will become the first five-win team in the Pac-12 this season.
"Honestly, we're just trying to go game by game," UO senior Shakur Juiston said. "We're not trying to look forward, past anybody else. We're not looking forward to taking over (atop) the Pac; we're just trying to win the game, get better for those 40 minutes."
It took more than 40 minutes for both the Ducks and the Trojans on Saturday, before each came away victorious. USC got a three-pointer from Elijah Weaver to force overtime against Stanford, while Payton Pritchard hit the game-winning three for Oregon at Washington.
Pritchard enters Thursday's game with 596 career assists; with four more, he will become the first men's player in Pac-12 history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 600 assists in his career. Pritchard has played in 96 wins by the Ducks during his four-year career, and with one more will tie Johnathan Loyd for the most in UO history.
Against the Trojans, Pritchard will be tasked with helping contain high-scoring guard Jonah Mathews, who is fifth in USC history with 217 made three-pointers. Oregon's front line, meanwhile, will be tested by the Trojans' trio of 6-foot-11 senior Nick Rakocevic, 6-9 freshman Onyeka Okungwu and 6-10 freshman Isaiah Mobley.
"The combination of the three guys, they're very talented, long; all of them can score," UO coach Dana Altman said. "When you combine all three of them, they really give you a good look."
The Ducks will counter with a frontcourt rotation that's been in flux all season — and Thursday could be no different. A week after freshman CJ Walker returned from injury in Washington, the Ducks were in a "wait and see" situation with freshman post N'Faly Dante as of Wednesday, after he didn't finish the game at UW.
Walker, Dante, Juiston and Francis Okoro all have missed at least some time this season due to injury, so if anything Oregon is acquainted with making adjustments in the post.
"It's all about having enough guys," Walker said. "We've got enough people that if one goes down, someone else can come up."
Walker missed three games with a knee issue before playing both games last week. He played 25 combined minutes against WSU and Washington, contributing seven points and five rebounds.
"It felt good to get out there and get back in the mix," Walker said. "Catch a couple alley (oops), get a couple rebounds. So next game I'll be more comfortable."
Though Dante couldn't finish the UW game, the Ducks saw freshman Chandler Lawson step up at both ends of the floor to complement Pritchard's heroics in the overtime victory. The 6-8 freshman from Memphis had his first double-digit scoring game and first double-digit rebound performance in college, both in the same game, and helped Oregon adapt its attack against UW's zone defense as Saturday's game wore on by being a pivot man in the middle of the floor.
"I always tell Chandler, just be confident in whatever you do," Juiston said. "Even if it's a mistake, be confident. I thought that game really opened up his eyes for a bigger, brighter season, and even for his future. One game can build your confidence for the rest of your life, honestly."
Lawson played 28 minutes off the bench at UW, after the Ducks shuffled their starting lineup by inserting sophomore Will Richardson. More shuffling could be in store Thursday against the Trojans.
"I'm more concerned with who finishes than who starts," Altman said. "We'll keep looking at it and trying to put the right combinations out there."
Oregon and Southern California each proved its will to win this past Saturday, when the Ducks overcame a 16-point deficit to win at Washington in overtime, and USC dug out of a 21-point hole at home to beat Stanford.
The Ducks and Trojans will meet Thursday in Eugene (8 p.m., ESPNU). The winner will become the first five-win team in the Pac-12 this season.
"Honestly, we're just trying to go game by game," UO senior Shakur Juiston said. "We're not trying to look forward, past anybody else. We're not looking forward to taking over (atop) the Pac; we're just trying to win the game, get better for those 40 minutes."
It took more than 40 minutes for both the Ducks and the Trojans on Saturday, before each came away victorious. USC got a three-pointer from Elijah Weaver to force overtime against Stanford, while Payton Pritchard hit the game-winning three for Oregon at Washington.
Pritchard enters Thursday's game with 596 career assists; with four more, he will become the first men's player in Pac-12 history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 600 assists in his career. Pritchard has played in 96 wins by the Ducks during his four-year career, and with one more will tie Johnathan Loyd for the most in UO history.
Against the Trojans, Pritchard will be tasked with helping contain high-scoring guard Jonah Mathews, who is fifth in USC history with 217 made three-pointers. Oregon's front line, meanwhile, will be tested by the Trojans' trio of 6-foot-11 senior Nick Rakocevic, 6-9 freshman Onyeka Okungwu and 6-10 freshman Isaiah Mobley.
"The combination of the three guys, they're very talented, long; all of them can score," UO coach Dana Altman said. "When you combine all three of them, they really give you a good look."
The Ducks will counter with a frontcourt rotation that's been in flux all season — and Thursday could be no different. A week after freshman CJ Walker returned from injury in Washington, the Ducks were in a "wait and see" situation with freshman post N'Faly Dante as of Wednesday, after he didn't finish the game at UW.
Walker, Dante, Juiston and Francis Okoro all have missed at least some time this season due to injury, so if anything Oregon is acquainted with making adjustments in the post.
"It's all about having enough guys," Walker said. "We've got enough people that if one goes down, someone else can come up."
Walker missed three games with a knee issue before playing both games last week. He played 25 combined minutes against WSU and Washington, contributing seven points and five rebounds.
"It felt good to get out there and get back in the mix," Walker said. "Catch a couple alley (oops), get a couple rebounds. So next game I'll be more comfortable."
Though Dante couldn't finish the UW game, the Ducks saw freshman Chandler Lawson step up at both ends of the floor to complement Pritchard's heroics in the overtime victory. The 6-8 freshman from Memphis had his first double-digit scoring game and first double-digit rebound performance in college, both in the same game, and helped Oregon adapt its attack against UW's zone defense as Saturday's game wore on by being a pivot man in the middle of the floor.
"I always tell Chandler, just be confident in whatever you do," Juiston said. "Even if it's a mistake, be confident. I thought that game really opened up his eyes for a bigger, brighter season, and even for his future. One game can build your confidence for the rest of your life, honestly."
Lawson played 28 minutes off the bench at UW, after the Ducks shuffled their starting lineup by inserting sophomore Will Richardson. More shuffling could be in store Thursday against the Trojans.
"I'm more concerned with who finishes than who starts," Altman said. "We'll keep looking at it and trying to put the right combinations out there."
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