Saturday, January 14
Eugene, Ore.
7:30 PM
University of Oregon
vs
Oregon State
Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Balanced Ducks Take On OSU Saturday
01/13/17 | Men's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Three different players have scored 28 or more points to lead the Oregon men each of the last three games.
It was only a couple years ago that, heading into any given Oregon men's basketball game, you could probably guess which Duck would lead the team in scoring, because it probably was going to be Joseph Young.
The 2016-17 Ducks haven't been nearly as predictable, particularly in the three-game stretch leading up to Saturday's Civil War in Matthew Knight Arena (7:30 p.m., Pac-12). The UO men have had a different player score at least 28 points in each of the last three games — Dillon Brooks against USC, Tyler Dorsey at Washington and Chris Boucher at WSU.
The Ducks aren't at the point where they think they can draw a name from a hat to determine who will lead them in scoring any given night. But it sure seems like they could have that luxury based on the last couple weeks.
"Everybody's making plays, and it's awesome to see," UO guard Casey Benson said. "… When a guy gets on a roll or hits a shot, you look for him the next time down, or look to see if he has an open look. If guys get it going, it's big for us."
Brooks went for 28 against the Trojans two days after scoring 23 and hitting the game-winning three-pointer against UCLA. He combined for 15 points at UW and WSU — due in part to an early ejection in Pullman — but Dorsey hit a career-high eight three-pointers on his way to 28 points against the Huskies, and Boucher filled the void against the Cougars by scoring 29.
Boucher's 29 points were two more than he'd scored in the previous three Pac-12 games combined. He's been coming off the bench since a December ankle injury, and Benson has also been playing in reserve after the early emergence of freshman guard Payton Pritchard.
"It's difficult, because we have 10 guys who are good basketball players and want to play," UO coach Dana Altman said. "It's been tough for those guys. They've just got to always make the decision: What's more important, the team and winning, or individual things? Fortunately we've had good guys who have been about the team."
Saturday's Civil War will match teams on different trajectories.
The 13th-ranked Ducks (15-2, 4-0 Pac-12) are on a 13-game win streak that's their longest in three years, and two shy of the school record. Oregon State (4-13, 0-4) has struggled in the absence of guard Tres Tinkle due to a wrist injury. Tinkle isn't expected to play Saturday.
"I know how injuries affect every team, and with Tinkle out it's been tough for them," Altman said. "I like their young talent. Wayne (Tinkle) has done a great job of keeping them together and keeping them playing hard."
Oregon State last beat a ranked team on the road at Washington on Jan. 5, 1985.
The rivalry week has given Oregon a week between games, an unusually long break in the conference schedule.
Though the Ducks are heavily favored against OSU, they believe the anticipation of ending the long layoff should have them focused, on a night fears of a letdown might be in play.
"We haven't played for a week, so we should be ready to go," Altman said. "Our guys have been pretty good. I don't think they'd overlook anybody."
Altman has been encouraged by Oregon's practices since the Ducks returned from winter break, and that's continued this week. He said they had good workouts Monday and Tuesday, and then "got after each other a little bit" in a competitive practice Thursday that followed a day off Wednesday.
"We can't have any slip-ups," Benson said. "We know how important every game is, and that every game matters the exact same."
The 2016-17 Ducks haven't been nearly as predictable, particularly in the three-game stretch leading up to Saturday's Civil War in Matthew Knight Arena (7:30 p.m., Pac-12). The UO men have had a different player score at least 28 points in each of the last three games — Dillon Brooks against USC, Tyler Dorsey at Washington and Chris Boucher at WSU.
The Ducks aren't at the point where they think they can draw a name from a hat to determine who will lead them in scoring any given night. But it sure seems like they could have that luxury based on the last couple weeks.
"Everybody's making plays, and it's awesome to see," UO guard Casey Benson said. "… When a guy gets on a roll or hits a shot, you look for him the next time down, or look to see if he has an open look. If guys get it going, it's big for us."
Brooks went for 28 against the Trojans two days after scoring 23 and hitting the game-winning three-pointer against UCLA. He combined for 15 points at UW and WSU — due in part to an early ejection in Pullman — but Dorsey hit a career-high eight three-pointers on his way to 28 points against the Huskies, and Boucher filled the void against the Cougars by scoring 29.
Boucher's 29 points were two more than he'd scored in the previous three Pac-12 games combined. He's been coming off the bench since a December ankle injury, and Benson has also been playing in reserve after the early emergence of freshman guard Payton Pritchard.
"It's difficult, because we have 10 guys who are good basketball players and want to play," UO coach Dana Altman said. "It's been tough for those guys. They've just got to always make the decision: What's more important, the team and winning, or individual things? Fortunately we've had good guys who have been about the team."
Saturday's Civil War will match teams on different trajectories.
The 13th-ranked Ducks (15-2, 4-0 Pac-12) are on a 13-game win streak that's their longest in three years, and two shy of the school record. Oregon State (4-13, 0-4) has struggled in the absence of guard Tres Tinkle due to a wrist injury. Tinkle isn't expected to play Saturday.
"I know how injuries affect every team, and with Tinkle out it's been tough for them," Altman said. "I like their young talent. Wayne (Tinkle) has done a great job of keeping them together and keeping them playing hard."
Oregon State last beat a ranked team on the road at Washington on Jan. 5, 1985.
The rivalry week has given Oregon a week between games, an unusually long break in the conference schedule.
Though the Ducks are heavily favored against OSU, they believe the anticipation of ending the long layoff should have them focused, on a night fears of a letdown might be in play.
"We haven't played for a week, so we should be ready to go," Altman said. "Our guys have been pretty good. I don't think they'd overlook anybody."
Altman has been encouraged by Oregon's practices since the Ducks returned from winter break, and that's continued this week. He said they had good workouts Monday and Tuesday, and then "got after each other a little bit" in a competitive practice Thursday that followed a day off Wednesday.
"We can't have any slip-ups," Benson said. "We know how important every game is, and that every game matters the exact same."
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