MBB Recap: Oregon blows by Arizona State to snap losing streak
The Oregon Ducks needed this win.
After picking up their first two losses of the Pac-12 season in just four days last week, the Ducks needed to bounce back and defend their home court, which is exactly what they did against Arizona State.
At first, it looked like the Ducks might lose their third straight. The Sun Devils led by 10 points at one point in the first half, but that lead was cut to 5 after the first 20 minutes.
In the second half, the Ducks were a different team. Oregon couldn’t miss a shot from the floor, and they tightened up their defense, leading them to a 19-point win. Here’s a look at how everything went down on Thursday night.
Final Score - Oregon Ducks 80 - Arizona State Sun Devils 61
Oregon came back strong from their two-loss road trip with a definitive win over Arizona State.
Keys to the Game
Oregon had a rocky start on both ends. At one point, the Ducks were 5/20 from the field in the first half. In the final five minutes of the half, Oregon picked things up, finishing the half making 5 of their last 9 FGs and with Arizona State’s lead cut to five.
Oregon’s offense was a force in the second half. After shooting 34% from the field in the first half, the Ducks shot 69% in the second, scoring 52 points. From 15:57 to 3:20 in the second half, the Ducks didn’t miss a shot.
Unlike on their road trip, the Ducks’ defense improved throughout Thursday’s game. They held Arizona State to 11/26 from the field in the second half.
Keeshawn Barthelemy led the Ducks offense well in the second half. He finished the game 5/6 from the field with 12 points.
Top Performers
Keeshawn Barthelemy: 12 points, 5/6 FGs, 3 assists, 1 rebound
N’Faly Dante: 16 points, 6/8 FGs, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Jermaine Couisnard: 19 points, 6/13 FGs, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Kwame Evans: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Key Stats
In the second half, the Ducks went on a 13/13 stretch from the field, which more than 12 minutes of game time.
In the first half, the Ducks shot an inefficient 31% from the field, but in the second half, they improved to 69%.
The Ducks got to the foul line well in this game, and they made their free throws as well. Oregon shot 16 free throws and made 15.
After the first 20 minutes, the rebound battle was even, 18-18, but in the second half, the Ducks outrebounded the Sun Devils 17-9.
Oregon tightened up their defense in the second half, holding Arizona State to 42% from the floor and 28 points.
What's Next?
On Saturday at 2:30, the Ducks will host the Sun Devils’ in-state rival, the Arizona Wildcats. Arizona is ranked No. 9 in this week’s AP Poll, and they’ll give the Ducks their toughest test so far this season.
