Update: The Oregon Ducks have been dealt tough losses this season, but nothing like this. Arizona State torched them from deep, moving the ball with ease to bury their opponent by twenty and win the season-series. In capturing just their third conference win, the Sun Devils made 16 three-pointers, shot 47 percent from the field, and assisted on 22 of their 25 field goals. They were able to do whatever they wanted against the Ducks, an opponent that once again put up little resistance defensively.
“We didn’t compete like we had been, back when we got a few wins,’’ Oregon guard Garrett Sim said, as reported by The Oregonian. “I think we’re all kind of disappointed in how we played.’’
They should be. Arizona State came out with a tremendous amount of confidence, hitting from everywhere, but their ability to score relentlessly from the outside was in part Oregon's doing. The Ducks went on an impressive win-streak earlier this season, as Sim alluded to, but they have since hit a wall both offensively and defensively. Oregon made 10 three-pointers, yet converted on only six two-pointers in shooting 29 percent overall.
Sun Devils' guards Ty Abbott and Rihards Kuksiks particularly took advantage of Oregon's lacking defense, hitting 13 three-pointers in 27 attempts, letting it fly whenever they pleased. On the other side, the Ducks stars had a difficult time, as the trio of Joevan Catron, Tyrone Nared, and Malcolm Armstead combined to make five field goals. Jay-R Strowbridge was their lone bright spot as the most aggressive Duck, scoring 17 points, but even he missed seven three-pointers and eleven shots overall. It was a game to forget for the now sub .500 Ducks, while the Sun Devils will take great pleasure watching the game-tape.
In winning, Arizona State has something to build upon, having played their best basketball of the season. In losing their third-straight, Oregon continues their search for answers as they try to move on and end their tumultuous season on a high note against Arizona.
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The Oregon Ducks are one of three teams in the Pac-10 conference with two-game losing streaks. Their next foe, the Arizona State Sun Devils, is a member of this unfortunate group. Can Oregon right the ship and continue the Sun Devils woes?
Losing hasn’t been foreign to either team, but particularly for Arizona State. In falling by 16 points on senior day against USC, the Sun Devils are now 10-18 overall and 2-14 in conference. That loss was their 11th in 12 games, but they did manage to defeat Oregon the first time around, 60-55, in the Ducks final game at Mac Court.
The Portland Trail Blazers let the Sacramento Kings back in by shooting poorly throughout the second half, but they stepped up late to get a much-needed victory on the road.
LaMarcus Aldridge aggressive early as Blazers offense flourishes
Following two disappointing losses, Portland played with a sense of urgency against the Kings in the first half, scoring 61 points on 49 percent shooting. For perspective, they had 49 points entering the fourth quarter against Atlanta and just 55 with over four and a half minutes left in the third against Houston.
Aldridge, after taking just 11 shots against the Rockets, had 18 field goal attempts by halftime en route to 16 points.
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The end of this season has been rough for the Portland State Vikings men's basketball squad. The numbers tell the story, and it's not a pretty one.
In the past eight games, the Vikings have gone 2-6 including tonight’s blow out loss at Northern Arizona, 79-52.
The Northern Arizona Lumber Jacks held the Vikings to one of the Vikings’ worst shooting games of the season as Portland State managed to shoot just 38.0% from the field and a dismal 30.8% from behind the arc.
First it was Kyle Wiltjer, Austin Kuemper and David Carr.
Now three more high school recruits out Oregon prepare to make a splash in college and have signed letters of intent with schools around the nation. Among those top recruits are Kidus Ephrem, a power forward/center of Central Catholic High School, Andrew Andrews a point guard out of Benson, and Tre Hale-Edmerson from Sheriden.
Beyond the Beat takes a closer look at Ephrem, Andrews and Hale-Edmerson's overall game and where they plan to play college ball next season:
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The Portland Timbers announced yesterday that the club has traded for midfielder Jack Jewsbury from Sporting Kansas City. In return, Kansas City will receive allocation money. It’s an outstanding signing for Portland, as bringing in Jewsbury rounds out the roster even more and brings additional experience to a team that is still very young.
