Ducks Pay Back Utah and Gain Another Chance to Claim a Pac-12 Title

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Utah ended Oregon’s goal of winning the regular season conference championship a week ago in the final Pac-12 game in Salt Lake City with a stifling performance against a flat and uninspired Duck effort. Last night in semifinal action from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in No. 10-seed Utah’s third game in three nights, Oregon got …

Loyd’s FT’s Force OT and Kazemi Wakes Up to Help Ducks Advance to Pac-12 Semifinals

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – First, Johnny Loyd made two critical free throws to tie the score and send the game into overtime. Then, Arsalan Kazemi awakened from a two-and a-half-game funk in time to score 11 points and grab three rebounds in the extra period to lead the Ducks into the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament Wednesday night with a …

Oregon Basketball Analysis: What a Difference One Rocky Road Trip Makes

Luke Roth Coach's Opinion

LAS VEGAS–  Who was that team disguised in Oregon basketball uniforms playing at Colorado and Utah in the last round of Pac-12 regular season games? Certainly not the team Duck fans have learned to know this season and definitely not the same team that piled up 23 wins. Most assuredly, it wasn’t the same one that led the conference for …

Ice-Cold Ducks Buried in the Rockies

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

BOULDER, Colo. – It’s not the time of year to lay an egg, but that’s just what the No. 19 Oregon Ducks did at Coors Events Center in Boulder on Thursday night.  In a game that would have given Oregon a share of the Pac-12 title and the number-one-seed in the upcoming conference tournament, Colorado crushed the Ducks, 76-53. In …

Mental lift from Artis return is the key

Joel Gunderson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The stats were not overwhelming, and they may not be for the rest of the year.  Six points in 12 minutes won’t blow your hair back . However, the return of freshman point guard Dominic Artis did do one thing for the Oregon Duck basketball team Thursday night, and that one thing may be the key to post-season success: He …

Ducks MVP? A matter of numbers

Sam Arney FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

I was thinking this week that I would come up with my own player efficiency rating for our basketball team.  I have not done any research in regards to anyone else’s equations, so if mine is similar to something you have seen before, know that I have not copied anyone.  This is the equation I have decided on that best …

Seniors Rally Ducks Past Beavers, Reclaim Pac-12 Lead

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

After freshman Dominic Artis bounced in a three-pointer to break a 52-52 tie with 11:31 left in Thursday’s Civil War at Matthew Knight Arena, Oregon’s four seniors scored 29 of the final 30 points of the game as the Ducks roared past Oregon State, 85-75, and reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 race with two games remaining. …

Oregon Basketball Analysis: Down-and-Dirty Defense Allows Ducks to Run Free

Luke Roth Coach's Opinion

Until Oregon’s recent payback win over Stanford, when the Ducks shot 48% from the field, its outside shooting woes and stagnant offensive production have been well-chronicled, especially in the nine-game absence of point guard Dominic Artis. The offensive scouting report on Oregon?  “Pay close attention to Singler, Dotson, and Emory on the perimeter, but dare Loyd and everybody else to …

Last-Second California Dagger Stuns Ducks

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

After 10 consecutive losses to the Bears stretching back to 2008, it looked like No. 23 Oregon had found a way to end the streak. Despite struggling to score for nearly all 40 minutes of Thursday’s Pac-12 game at Matthew Knight Arena, the Ducks controlled the game defensively and led for nearly the entire contest. Oregon defended and rebounded with …

Cougars Give Singler Big Gift and the Ducks Escape Palouse with 79-77 OT Win

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Behind by three points and the clock winding down in overtime, WSU’s Royce Woolridge wanted the ball. As he dribbled toward the 3-point line from half court, the sophomore guard fired up his 36th point of the night on a long three with under 10 seconds remaining that tied No. 23 Oregon, 77-77. The Ducks didn’t hesitate and moved quickly …

Alone in First After Sweeping UW: Sweetness in Seattle

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

SEATTLE – When Oregon’s E.J. Singler hit a fade-away, falling out of bounds three-pointer to complete a quick 7-0 run to open the game Wednesday night at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, the Ducks sent a strong message to the Washington players and the Seattle crowd. Oregon was back — back to playing the kind of basketball that has pretty much been …

Turnover Epidemic Spreads in the Bay Area; Cal Upsets No. 10 Ducks

Luke Roth FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

BERKELEY, Calif. — When Tony Woods made a tough bucket inside to put No. 10 Oregon up 54-48 over California with 4:20 remaining Saturday, it looked like the Ducks were going to do just enough to gain a split in their series in the Bay Area and hold off the Bears. But Oregon didn’t score again, as Cal jacked up …