Photo by: Eric Evans Photography/ University of Oregon
Ducks Looking to Pass ASU Test
01/10/18 | Men's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Ball movement has been a point of emphasis in practice as the UO men look to get on track when they return to action at Arizona State on Thursday (7:15 p.m. PT, FS1).
Defense and rebounding, defense and rebounding, defense and rebounding — the refrain is as familiar from Dana Altman as a sideline foot-stomp or first-half shedding of his sports jacket.
All players like to score, Altman believes. It's the dirty work, crashing the boards and playing hard on defense, that separate the good teams. So as Altman has coached Oregon to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, those elements have been his emphasis.
For the 2017-18 version of the UO men's basketball team, though, a different message has been required. As the Ducks have stumbled to a 1-2 start to Pac-12 play, entering Thursday's game at No. 11 Arizona State (7:15 p.m. PT, FS1), Oregon has averaged just 60 points in its two losses.
The Ducks have relied too often on the three-point shot — and typically, a quick three-point shot rather than one that comes in the flow of the offense.
"There's just certain things we've got to do that we haven't been doing," Altman said this week. "And ball movement's a big part of it."
The most recent example came last Friday, in a 76-64 loss at Oregon State. The Ducks shot .362 as a team, including 8-of-29 from three-point range. Of their 25 field goals, only 11 were assisted upon.
Thus, practice Monday had an emphasis on making the extra pass — often extra passes, plural.
"We were passing up open shots, literally to the point guys were like, 'Why didn't you shoot the ball?'" sophomore Keith Smith said. "But like coach said, we've tried the other way — of not passing — and we've gotten bad results. So let's try overpassing and see it if it balances out."
On Monday, at least, it seemed to do so.
"We made that a very critical part of practice," junior Paul White said. "We were able to capitalize and get good shots out of it."
White and fellow big man MiKyle McIntosh generally have been taking pretty smart shots, Altman said. Of bigger importance is getting better decisions from Oregon's guards; thus far in Pac-12 play, as the starting backcourt goes, so goes the Ducks.
In Oregon's opening weekend victory over Colorado, sophomore point guard Payton Pritchard and graduate transfer Elijah Brown combined to go 10-of-19 from the floor. Those 10 made field goals nearly match their combined total of 11 from the losses to Utah and OSU — on 40 shots.
"Every time we think we need a bucket, everybody takes it on their own shoulders to go try and make a play," Altman said. "We're just not that kind of team; we've got to share the ball and make plays for each other."
Altman isn't trying to hog-tie the Ducks. He just wants to see them play within their system.
"He tells us to be aggressive with our threes, be aggressive taking the ball to the basket," Smith said. "He just wants us to take the shots we practice."
That's the goal this weekend, as the Ducks enter a daunting trip to the desert. Arizona State was the sensation of the Pac-12 in nonconference play, and Arizona is the perennial conference powerhouse. With a homestand against the Los Angeles schools next week, Oregon is facing a formidable January slate.
"With the road trip we've got coming up, if we don't compete at a very high level, we won't even have a chance in those ballgames," Altman said. "And I told them that."
The good news is, the Ducks so far are proving to be a resilient bunch. Their effort in practice Monday illustrated as much, as did the attitude expressed in interviews with media Tuesday.
And the Pac-12 already is demonstrating its usual parity: After losing at Oregon and Oregon State to open conference play, Colorado bounced back by beating ASU and Arizona at home last week.
"I've mentioned it to (the Ducks)," Altman said, "how quickly things can turn — if everybody gets on the same page."
All players like to score, Altman believes. It's the dirty work, crashing the boards and playing hard on defense, that separate the good teams. So as Altman has coached Oregon to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, those elements have been his emphasis.
For the 2017-18 version of the UO men's basketball team, though, a different message has been required. As the Ducks have stumbled to a 1-2 start to Pac-12 play, entering Thursday's game at No. 11 Arizona State (7:15 p.m. PT, FS1), Oregon has averaged just 60 points in its two losses.
The Ducks have relied too often on the three-point shot — and typically, a quick three-point shot rather than one that comes in the flow of the offense.
"There's just certain things we've got to do that we haven't been doing," Altman said this week. "And ball movement's a big part of it."
The most recent example came last Friday, in a 76-64 loss at Oregon State. The Ducks shot .362 as a team, including 8-of-29 from three-point range. Of their 25 field goals, only 11 were assisted upon.
Thus, practice Monday had an emphasis on making the extra pass — often extra passes, plural.
"We were passing up open shots, literally to the point guys were like, 'Why didn't you shoot the ball?'" sophomore Keith Smith said. "But like coach said, we've tried the other way — of not passing — and we've gotten bad results. So let's try overpassing and see it if it balances out."
On Monday, at least, it seemed to do so.
"We made that a very critical part of practice," junior Paul White said. "We were able to capitalize and get good shots out of it."
White and fellow big man MiKyle McIntosh generally have been taking pretty smart shots, Altman said. Of bigger importance is getting better decisions from Oregon's guards; thus far in Pac-12 play, as the starting backcourt goes, so goes the Ducks.
In Oregon's opening weekend victory over Colorado, sophomore point guard Payton Pritchard and graduate transfer Elijah Brown combined to go 10-of-19 from the floor. Those 10 made field goals nearly match their combined total of 11 from the losses to Utah and OSU — on 40 shots.
"Every time we think we need a bucket, everybody takes it on their own shoulders to go try and make a play," Altman said. "We're just not that kind of team; we've got to share the ball and make plays for each other."
Altman isn't trying to hog-tie the Ducks. He just wants to see them play within their system.
"He tells us to be aggressive with our threes, be aggressive taking the ball to the basket," Smith said. "He just wants us to take the shots we practice."
That's the goal this weekend, as the Ducks enter a daunting trip to the desert. Arizona State was the sensation of the Pac-12 in nonconference play, and Arizona is the perennial conference powerhouse. With a homestand against the Los Angeles schools next week, Oregon is facing a formidable January slate.
"With the road trip we've got coming up, if we don't compete at a very high level, we won't even have a chance in those ballgames," Altman said. "And I told them that."
The good news is, the Ducks so far are proving to be a resilient bunch. Their effort in practice Monday illustrated as much, as did the attitude expressed in interviews with media Tuesday.
And the Pac-12 already is demonstrating its usual parity: After losing at Oregon and Oregon State to open conference play, Colorado bounced back by beating ASU and Arizona at home last week.
"I've mentioned it to (the Ducks)," Altman said, "how quickly things can turn — if everybody gets on the same page."
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