Ducks Whip Wolf Pack 56-43 in Final Non-Conference Tilt
Oregon spent the final practices of 2012 working on limiting turnovers and
improving ball movement in its inconsistent offensive execution. The Ducks
also worked on defensive communication and improving defensive
rotations.
Credit the Ducks for a fine defensive effort in upending Nevada 56-43
Saturday at Matt Knight Arena. The offense? Not so much.
Holding the Wolf Pack to 19% shooting in the first half, the Ducks limited
Nevada to 14 points and were not seriously threatened the entire game,
despite never consistently clicking on the offensive end.
For the fifth time this season, the Ducks held an opponent under 50 points.
Coach Dana Altman was pleased with the defensive effort. He said,
“Defensively, we had some great possessions. Guys were talking. Our
adjustments were really good. Our rotations were really good. For a long
time, I thought we were pretty sharp defensively.
“Especially Tony (Woods), with some blocks, and the way he changed a lot
of shots inside.”
Altman added, “We got a little careless down the stretch when we gave up
some transition baskets. But for the most part, our defense was pretty
good.”
Turnovers and poor decision-making on offense once again plagued the
Ducks. Oregon had 12 turnovers by halftime and finished with 20 for the
game, nearly four over their Pac-12-leading average (16.1 pg).
Altman said, “Our turnovers are a real problem for us. The guys are not
making simple plays. They're trying to make way too difficult plays.
Guys decide what they're going to do and do it regardless of what the
defense dictates. We're making the game way too difficult on the offensive
end.”
Despite the spotty performance on offense, the Ducks improved their
record to 11-2 for the season and 10-0 at Matt Knight Arena. Oregon was
led by three players in double figures as Carlos Emory and Tony Woods
each scored 13 points and Dominic Artis added 10.
Emory, in his normal role coming off the bench, had a team-high seven
rebounds and played 34 minutes against the Wolf Pack. He started the
second half when Arsalan Kazemi didn't return from a head injury that
occurred with 2:01 left in the first period.
Altman had praise for Emory. “When he's really focused, he's really good.
He's had a good week of practice and that led to a good performance this
afternoon. He hit a big three when Nevada cut the lead down to six points
in the second half.”
Nevada had outscored the Ducks 8-0 and had drawn within 39-33 before
Emory drilled a three-pointer off an inbounds pass from Jonathan Lloyd.
The Ducks managed 14 assists on 17 made field goals for the game. The
ball movement improved in the second half and Oregon had some good
open looks against Nevada's zone defense.
But too often, turnovers led to easy Wolf Pack transition baskets.
Altman noted, “They scored 20 of their 43 points off turnovers. A lot of
them led to layups.”
Oregon's most experienced players committed the most turnovers. E.J.
Singler had seven and Kazemi four.
Singler said, “We had the mindset of trying to limit our turnovers. Most of
them were on me. I've got to be stronger with the ball. I'm a senior. I've
got to take a lot of the blame.”
Altman said, “E.J.'s trying to make plays, but he's just trying too hard.”
Oregon outrebounded the Wolf Pack 38-30, but were outscored in the paint
22-18. Nevada, 9-6, lost for the first time in their last six games and was
led by Deonte Burton, who scored 12 points, despite missing his first nine
attempts from the field.
Kazemi, who took an errant elbow under the Nevada basket near the end of
the first half, did not return to the Duck bench from the locker room.
Altman said, “I think he's okay. He caught an elbow. He looked okay.”
Now the Ducks turn their attention to the Pac-12 season, with a Civil War
opener Sunday at Oregon State.
Singler noted, “It will be my last Civil War up there and it will probably be a
little emotional.”
Altman said, “The atmosphere will be good. It always is. They're winning
ball games. It will be a tough game.”
“This is an important week for us. I thought we had gotten some things
worked out with our ball movement...with our turnovers. Obviously, we
didn't. We need to have a good week of practice.”
Number one on the Ducks' list of New Year's resolutions: quit giving the
ball away.
-Luke Roth