Leaders Keeping Ducks' Eyes On The Prize As Colorado Visits Wednesday
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Since the end of the UO football season, point guard-turned-receiver Johnathan Loyd has been a consistent presence around Matthew Knight Arena, working to get his basketball skills back to peak form.
The player who won more games in a UO uniform than anyone else, Loyd has been a role model for the guy who replaced him as the face of the team, Joseph Young. From Loyd, Young said he's learned lessons about a positive attitude and hard work.
Young would like to follow in Loyd's footsteps in another way: leading the Ducks to the NCAA Tournament as the team's senior point guard. Young put some of his positive attitude on display prior to practice Tuesday, when he told media, "We're going to the tournament — I just want to get that out right now. We're going to the tournament. We've just got to take one game at a time, and we will be at that tournament."
Young's demeanor when making that pronouncement was more resolute and determined than arrogant and grandiose. Still, he'll have to back up those words, beginning Wednesday night when the Ducks (18-8, 8-5 Pac-12) host Colorado (12-12, 5-7) in Matthew Knight Arena (8:05 p.m. PT, ESPNU).
"He should be worried about one thing, and that's Wednesday night," UO coach Dana Altman said. "But I like his enthusiasm. … We haven't accomplished anything yet. We've got a tough stretch that, if we prepare for and improve, then we'll have a shot. But that's our big challenge."
Oregon enters Wednesday having seen its four-game win streak end Saturday at UCLA. The Bruins shot an even 50 percent from the field and outrebounded the Ducks 38-24.
Altman knows those numbers won't cut it if the UO men do indeed intend to make the NCAA field. "We talk about getting better, and I think that's got to be our focus," Altman said. "If we have any chance, we have to get better. I'm just being realistic with the guys. … You can't do that and win consistently. And we've got to win consistently."
Young said he spoke with the team Tuesday morning on the subject of personal accountability. Altman can preach to them until he's blue in the face about going hard to the boards and playing solid team defense, but it's up to the players to execute.
Some of the Ducks' key freshmen seem to have hit a bit of a wall — Jordan Bell has just one blocked shot in the last four games; Casey Benson and Ahmaad Rorie have seen their minutes wane of late — but this is the time to push through.
"Anything's possible," Young said. "I feel like this team has a lot of potential. We score enough points; if we just become a good defensive team, we're unstoppable."
Oregon has shown flashes of progress on the defensive end, notably the last time the Ducks were at home and held WSU to .373 shooting. That was also the second of three straight games in which the UO men outrebounded their opponent.
But the Ducks took a step back in both areas at UCLA, something they can't allow to become a trend Wednesday against Colorado.
"Consistency is a frame of mind, it's a toughness that doesn't happen like turning on a light switch," Altman said. "It takes days and months of preparation and habit-forming, where you're in an athletic position all the time, you're used to being physical on the boards. A lot of guys have to learn that; it's not something they instinctively do. Our guys have gotten better at it (but) we're still not where we need to be."
The Ducks will face a Colorado team that won last week at Stanford following a lull at midseason, roughly while the Buffs were without post Josh Scott. He's since returned from injury and is averaging 13.4 points with 7.4 rebounds per game. Colorado's leading scorer is guard Askia Booker, who averages 17.4 points and 3.3 assists per game, and figures to be an entertaining matchup for Young.
More than winning his battle with Booker, though, Young is focused on leading his Ducks to the postseason promised land. "I told the guys they're not freshmen no more; (they're) sophomores now," Young said. "Everybody grew an age. I'm not even a senior no more, I'm done here not too long. But I'm going to continue to work hard and compete, and make sure my team gets to this tournament."
