Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
Ducks Play Bully Ball in 78-60 Blowout Victory Over USC
An aggressive game plan yielded a 20-8 advantage in first half points in the paint as the Ducks built a 15-point lead at the intermission and never looked back.
Center N’Faly Dante scored layups out of the post on his first two touches of the game. On four-of-seven first-half shooting Dante scored nine points in the half.
With 12:50 to play Dante was subbed out in favor of freshman Kel’el Ware. On his second trip to the offensive end Ware rolled off of a back pick, rose up for an alley-oop, and flushed on two USC defenders for an and-one Jam, prompting the Oregon band to play the ESPN theme song.
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On the Ducks’ next offensive possession Dana Altman dialed up a similar action for Ware resulting in another alley-oop slam, this time with no defenders to evade.
The two jams produced all of Ware’s five points in the first half and sparked a 13-0 Oregon run.
Will Richardson had seven first-half points, four rebounds, and seven assists, including the latter to Ware.
Jermaine Couisnard led all scorers at the break with 11 points, shooting two-of-four from range.
With Quincy Gurrier knocking down a three and a Keeshawn Barthelemy floater to go along with Ware’s five, Oregon also held a 10-2 advantage in bench points in the first half.
To start the second half the Ducks went right back to work inside.
On their first possession Dante sealed Vincent Iwuchukwu, got a pass from Cousinard, and jammed.
From there play turned sloppy as neither team took care of the ball. Throughout the game the Oregon defense was exceptional, pestering Boogie Ellis and holding Drew Peterson, who hit a game winner in Eugene a year ago, to 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Fans didn't forget Peterson as the Oregon Pit Crew booed him every time he got the ball and coordinated personal chants throughout against the 6-foot-9 senior forward.
After swatting a floater, one of the Ducks’ four blocks in the half, Dante attempted to go coast-to-coast, but lost the ball trying to split a double team 20 feet from the basket. The turnover came during a stretch in which Oregon committed four turnovers in four minutes.
Dante’s turnover sent coach Altman into a fit in which he struck the scorers table before subbing Dante for Ware. Dante later returned to the game and had a chase down block on a Iaroslav Niagu fastbreak layup before dunking off of a Will Richardson assist.
Dante finished a monster night with 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting, five rebounds, three blocks, and three steals before taking a seat with under three minutes to play.
Richardson also had a productive night as he finished with 16 points, six rebounds, and nine assists for the Ducks, who defended home court in blowout fashion, winning 78 to 60.
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