Oregon Plays Host to UCLA to Begin Final Home Stand of Regular Season

The most important stretch of the season begins for the Ducks as the Pac-12 standings begin to solidify.

Author:
Billy Spotz
Publish date:
Feb 24, 2022 1:40 PM EST

With two weeks left in the regular season, Oregon's roller coaster of a year is approaching another escalation as it welcomes UCLA and USC to Matthew Knight Arena. First on the docket is the UCLA Bruins on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

The earlier meeting between both teams had Oregon winning an overtime barn burner, as the then third-ranked UCLA would suffer just its second loss of the season. Since then, UCLA has gone 10-3, dropping games to Arizona, Arizona State, and USC, and falling to 12th in the AP Poll.

Meanwhile, the Ducks have struggled the last few weeks, losing to Colorado at home, dropping a bewildering home game to Cal, as well as also losing both games out in the desert to the Arizona schools. It’s been a frustrating stretch for the Ducks, as they’ve seen their tournament hopes gradually crumble over the course of February.

N'Faly Dante vs. Arizona

N'Faly Dante Freethrow — © Chris Coduto-USA TODAY Sports

The prospect of downing two top-15 teams could reignite those hopes though, and it starts with beating the Bruins again.

The last time these teams met, Jacob Young scored a season high of 23 points, and sparked his best string of performances for the year where he would average 14.4 points per game over an eight-game stretch up until the Cal loss on Feb. 12. Since that game, Young has been in a definitive valley in regards to scoring, as he’s been averaging 6.3 points per game on 30% shooting.

For the Ducks, Young’s return to form is almost a necessity, but it doesn’t fall just on him. The team’s three-point shooting has plummeted over the last two weeks. A team that once led the Pac-12 in three-point percentage now sits at 34% on the season, and had two abysmal outings from beyond the arc against Cal and ASU, shooting below 20% in both matchups.

Not all hope is lost for the Ducks. A thrilling game against No. 3 Arizona shows that the Ducks are capable of matching whoever they play, but that quality can be a double-edged sword, and has been a frustration for the team and Head Coach Dana Altman.

"It's been a frustrating year for the players," Altman said on Wednesday. "They want to compete at a higher level, and for whatever reason, we just haven't been able to get that done."

For UCLA, the names that need to be known have remained mostly the same. Johnny Juzang, Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Jules Bernard make up a versatile group that combines for 53.2 points a game on a combined 43.2% shooting. However, they could find themselves short-handed as they make the trip up to Eugene.

Campbell and rotation player Peyton Watson could both potentially miss Thursday's showdown, as UCLA Coach Mick Cronin has designated both as day-to-day since their injuries earlier in the month. UCLA has been facing a brutal season injury wise, as only two rotation players have been able to play all 25 games up to this point.

Bruins sophomore Jaylen Clark has stepped up immensely in his time filling in for his injured teammates. In the three games he’s started of late, he’s put up 18, 25, and 16-point performances in an increased role on more than respectable shooting.

It’ll all come down to how the Ducks' trio of Young, Will Richardson, and De’Vion Harmon can match the offensive output that UCLA has proven capable of replicating night in and night out. Another rough night from beyond the arc could put the Ducks in a tenuous position as the Pac-12 tournament bracket begins to settle into place.