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Everything we know following Oregon Ducks’ 86-63 beatdown over SMU Mustangs

Zachary Neel
·2 min read

The Oregon Ducks got a commanding victory over the SMU Mustangs on Friday night, which gives them a nice boost of momentum going into next week when they get set to travel to Portland and take on the BYU Cougars in the PK85.

Oregon’s 86-63 win will look solid on the schedule this early on, especially considering that SMU was an NIT team last season and returned much of their core from that run.

The Ducks got off to an incredibly hot start in this game, making their first 7 shots and building an early lead over SMU. Their first missed basket didn’t come until the 14:33 minute mark, with Jacob Young and Quincy Guerrier doing the heavy lifting early on.

Once they cooled off on offense, it was the Oregon defense that stepped up in the first half, holding the Mustangs to under 30% shooting beyond the arc.

The second half was much of the same, with the Ducks building up a 24-point lead and using the final 12-15 minutes of the game to go through offensive sets and get some developmental work in the game. Overall, it was an impressive victory for the Ducks, and their season is off to a great start.

Here are some instant notes from the game:

Final Score: Oregon Ducks TK, SMU Mustangs TK

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Keys to the game

(AP Photo/Andy Nelson)

  • The Ducks built an early lead in this game and got off to an incredibly hot start, making their first 7 shot attempts and going until the 14-minute mark without missing an attempt.

  • Oregon struggled at the charity stripe during the game, going 5-for-11 in the first half and finished with just 11-of-21, good for 52 percent.

  • A total of 4 Ducks finished in double-figures for the game.

  • Oregon’s defense was great in the first half. They held the Mustangs to just 29% from beyond the arc, and barely over 40% from the field.

  • The Ducks got in foul trouble early on in the second half, with SMU entering the bonus with over 12 minutes remaining in the game.

Players of the game

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  • Will Richardson: 18 points (7-for-12), 4 REB

  • Eric Williams Jr.: 19 points (5-for-13), 5 REB, 3 AST

  • Jacob Young: 18 points (6-for-13), 3 REB, 2 AST

  • Rivaldo Soares: 10 points (3-for-8), 7 REB, 1 AST

Up Next:

Jenna Watson/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports

The Ducks have their first big test of the season next Tuesday at the PK85, where they will travel to the Moda Center in Portland and take on the BYU Cougars.

BYU returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 for the first time since 2015, but they were bounced in the first round by the UCLA Bruins at the start of their magical tournament run.

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