Ducks Rebound To Split In Desert

Saturday, February 4

Tempe, AZ

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

14-10,8-5Pac-12

Arizona State

16-8,7-6Pac-12

Oregon

Arizona St.

Photo by: GoDucks.com

02/04/23 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Oregon surged early in the second half and held off a comeback bid by Arizona State to get a gritty road win Saturday.

By: Rob Moseley

TEMPE, Ariz. — Oregon didn't trail over the final 19 minutes Saturday at Arizona State, but the Ducks had to survive some harrowing moments down the stretch before completing a 75-70 victory over the Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena.

The Oregon men (14-10, 8-5 Pac-12) split a weekend of conference play for the fourth time in five weeks since the new year began. The Ducks avenged a loss to ASU in Eugene on Jan. 12, and moved into a tie for fourth place in the Pac-12 entering Sunday.

"Really pleased — the guys did a good job and it was a good win for us," UO coach Dana Altman said. "It just gets us to next week. We've got the L.A. schools coming in, obviously really big games. .. We're just gonna have to play really hard and really well, and try to build something here."

After taking a 12-point lead with 11:31 to play Saturday, the Ducks saw Arizona State close within one three different times in the final few minutes before holding ASU scoreless on it final four possessions.

N'Faly Dante led the Ducks with 18 points, including two buckets after ASU had cut Oregon's lead to one, at 67-66 and 69-68. Keeshawn Barthelemy added 15 points and Will Richardson scored 14, with each hitting a trio of three-pointers.

Keeshawn Barthelemy ASU

How It Happened: Oregon trailed 10-5 before getting buckets from Jermaine Couisnard and Nate Bittle to close within one. The Ducks then went 4:29 without scoring, but ASU could only muster a single three-pointer in that stretch, before itself going 4:31 without scoring. The Ducks tied it 13-13 before the Sun Devils ended their cold streak, and baskets by Dante and Rivaldo Soares gave Oregon a brief 17-16 lead.

Arizona State rallied back in front, and threatened to take an eight-point lead into halftime. After ASU went up 28-24, Richardson received a technical foul while advocating for a foul call at the other end. The Sun Devils made both free throws, got a stop and tried to set up a breakaway layup just before halftime. But Soares deflected the pass and Barthelemy hit a three at the other end; what could have been a UO deficit of 32-24 was instead 30-27.

Barthelemy hit another three to open scoring in the second half, and he scored a few minutes later to cap a 7-0 run that gave Oregon a 41-34 lead. Barthelemy hit two more jumpers for leads of 44-36 and 46-37, and Oregon eventually led by as much as 12 at 52-40.

Huge win for the Ducks! ?? @OregonMBB jumps ASU in the #Pac12MBB standings with a road victory over the Sun Devils. pic.twitter.com/OqpJv7dYvv
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) February 5, 2023

To that point in the second half, ASU's defensive pressure had resulted in several fouls against the Sun Devils. From that point on, the pressure affected the Ducks, and ASU cut into the lead. A 6-0 run got the Sun Devils within 58-54, and they hit a three to get within 64-62.

After a three-pointer by Richardson, ASU scored four straight to get within one at 67-66. But Dante scored on the next possession, and he scored again after ASU got back within one at 69-68. The Ducks turned it over with a 71-70 lead, but the Sun Devils didn't score again in the final minute, and Oregon made 4-of-6 from the free-throw line to survive the comeback bid.

Notable: Barthelemy made his first start since November, stepping into the starting lineup for Soares. … Richardson's three assists gave him 464 in his career, sixth in UO history behind Aaron Brooks (471, 2003-07). … Richardson has played in 139 games at Oregon, fourth in UO history behind E.J. Singler (142, 2009-13).

Quotable:
UO Dana Altman on the fight to the finish by the Ducks
"We turned the dang thing over too much (17 times), but we made some plays where we had to, and got some big rebounds."

UO Dana Altman on the steal by Soares and three by Barthelemy before halftime
"Instead of being down eight, we're down three, and then we came out in the second half and outscored them 10-4, and the game flipped there. So, big play by Waldo to end the half, and a couple big shots by Kee."

Up Next: The Ducks host USC in Matthew Knight Arena on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2).