Don Olson
Now, nearly one third of the way into the Ducks’ 2013 basketball season, there have been many unexpected turns. The suspension of two key players, the addition of so many transfers and how all these changes would play out on the court. As of now, these developments have only made the Ducks surprisingly stronger, as demonstrated in their 10-0 record. To further highlight what they have accomplished, here are my top 5 stats of the season so far, in no particular order.
Altman has the Ducks flying high
6.9 — That is the number of assists that Johnathan Loyd is averaging per game, good enough to rank him 7th in the nation in assists per game. He dropped from being ranked 4th after losing some game time with Artis and Carter back. I have watched Oregon basketball for many years now, and I can’t think of another player that has visibly improved as much as Loyd has in his years at Oregon. I feel bad saying it, but I used to get nervous when the ball was in Loyd’s hands. That feeling is a distant memory with his stellar play over the last half of 2012 to now.
52.6% — Only three teams in the nation are shooting better than Oregon. The Ducks rank 4th in the nation in field goal percentage. When you consider how fast Oregon plays and how many shots they take a game, this is pretty astounding. With the improved play of Loyd and the new transfers, Oregon has once again become an elite shooting team.
Young is a great addition
19.3 — One of, if not the best player to ever transfer to Oregon is Joseph Young. He is currently averaging 19.3 points per game. One of the best things about Young is that he is only a Junior. Oregon will potentially have him for another year. The transfer from Houston just keeps getting better and better. With the addition of him and UNLV transfer Mike Moser, the Ducks have a great chance to make it deep into the tournament.
You don’t need boards when you make shots
178 — This is definitely a surprising statistic (and not in a good way) that Oregon ranks 178th out of 351 teams in rebounding. Last year, thanks in large part to graduated Arsalan Kazemi, the Ducks were one of the top rebounding teams in the nation. This year, Oregon is not dominating the boards and the a primary reason could be the 52.6% field goal percentage stat. Oregon is making more baskets, therefore there are less opportunities to get a rebound. Or, it could just be that Kazemi is a beast! I think it is a little of both.
Carter adds much needed depth
89.3 — This is the most surprising stat for me. Oregon ranks second in the nation in points per game, averaging 89.3. The only way to achieve this level of scoring is having a team that shoots as accurately as Oregon while playing at an extremely fast pace. The Ducks have not been known for breaking the scoreboard, but the right combination of players can be a beautiful thing. The basketball team is starting to resemble the football team. The opposing team may be good, and may be able to score, but eventually the Ducks are going to break away.
Those are a few of the many surprising stats so far this season. I am very excited about this season and the potential our team shows. The only thing the Ducks have against them is size, but that is a shortcoming that hasn’t held them back thus far.
Well my feathered friends, I must bid you adieu. My time with Fishduck.com has been great, but life happens and I must focus my attentions elsewhere, at least for now. I would like to personally thank Charles Fischer and the Fishduck staff for giving me a voice and letting me be a part of a great website and a great adventure!
Go Ducks!
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Sam was born and raised in Cottage Grove, Oregon and he has been a die hard Duck fan his entire life. Sam studied at the University of Oregon before moving to San Diego for 5 years. After moving back to Oregon, Sam decided to follow his passion for writing and started writing for various sports sites. To him, nothing is better than being in Autzen Stadium with 59,000 fans screaming their heads off!