| 26 February 2011
Update: The second half against California was one to forget for the Oregon Ducks. So was their game against Stanford. Nothing went right for Oregon, outplayed in every category to fall by a demoralizing 18 points on Senior Day.
Their defense was lacking, as Stanford shot 59 percent from the field and scored 88 points, the highest total allowed since the first game of the season. Jeremy Green, who entered in a groove for the Cardinal, wasn't their biggest threat, as forward Josh Owens dominated the Ducks undersized frontline to score 31 points on an incredibly efficient 12-15 shooting. He grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots, affecting the game in many aspects to overwhelm Oregon.
The Cardinal played up to their potential against the Ducks, their inside-outside game working like clockwork. What they did wrong during their four-game losing streak they did right in defeating Oregon, shooting three-pointers efficiently while also capitalizing off seemingly every inside look. Owens particularly flourished in the paint, throwing down dunks and scoring easy layups either off isolation situations or the passing of guards Jarrett Mann and Aaron Bright. This duo had 13 assists, and repeatedly put Owens in high-percentage situations.
Ducks head coach Dana Altman, who has seen his team play stifling defense at times this season, witnessed a defensive performance that left Matthew Knight Arena relatively silent and Oregon searching for answers. They didn't have any answer for the Cardinal's balance, as Stanford had five players score in double-figures. It didn't help that the Ducks struggled mightily offensively, shooting 36 percent, unable to cut into the fortunate nine-point halftime deficit.
Oregon's defense picked up where it left off against California, unable to adequately close out on shooters while also struggling to keep lanes to the rim closed. Their offense only fueled the disappointment. The Ducks guards made a significant impact offensively, as Johnathan Loyd, Jay-R Strowbridge, and Malcolm Armstead combined to score 49 points on 15-32 shooting, but their forwards--on top of struggling against Owens--couldn't follow suit. The trio of Tyrone Nared, E.J. Singler, and Joevan Catron made just six of 23 field goal attempts.
In loss, Oregon drops to seventh in the Pac-10 conference, falling to 14-14 overall. Stanford was clearly angered by their recent slide, taking out such frustration on the Ducks to play nearly flawless basketball and improve their record to 14-14. Two teams with the same record, two different feelings attached.
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The Oregon Ducks hopes of earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament took a hit against California, but they will need to have a short memory as the Stanford Cardinal come to town.
"We're going to have to have a big bounce-back here,'' head coach Dana Altman said, as reported by The Oregonian. "We've got a lot of work to do.''
It will be senior night for forward Joevan Catron and guard Jay-R Strowbridge, two of the Ducks most important players. They would love nothing more than to go out with a win, but as Altman says, a win won’t be easy, even though the Cardinal have lost four straight games.
Junior guard Jeremy Green is Stanford’s main threat. He comes in averaging 16 points per game, and has been in a groove lately, scoring 21 points or more in seven of his past eight games. He hasn’t been afraid to let it fly, but he’s such a skilled shooter that he’s been consistently efficient from the field. He is particularly a threat from three-point range, as he has made five three pointers three times during his recent hot-streak.
The Ducks allowed the Golden Bears to shoot 10-20 from three-point range, and if they fail to close out on shooters again they will suffer defeat once more. But, as was the case against California, a similarly poor opposing defense kept Oregon within striking distance. The Cardinal have also struggled to stop opponents, including the Oregon State Beavers, allowing 78 points per game over their last four games.
Oregon has the speed and talent to increase this average and the Cardinal’s losing streak. Their guards have continuously provided sparks, especially the trio of Strowbridge, Malcolm Armstead, and Garrett Sim. Catron has been their most consistent force, scoring 16 points per game. He has a well-rounded offensive game, with an assortment of moves as well as an ability to get to the free-throw line.
Defensively, the Ducks need him to make a similar impact, since Josh Owens, the Cardinal’s 6’8” forward, has the potential to put up big numbers. Owens, like Green, is an efficient player, with a solid post-game and a nack for creating contact. He is coming off a 3-11 performance, so Stanford should give him touches early and often to try to put that outing behind him.
Stanford’s bench was excellent in loss to the Beavers, as the trio of Aaron Bright, John Huestis, and John Cage combined to score 30 points on 11-13 shooting. The unit had seven of Stanford’s 13 three-pointers.
As a team the Cardinal don’t get to the line often, but they certainly have the weapons offensively to defeat Oregon. And they are also an unselfish team, as their 20 assists against Oregon State indicate. Junior guard Jarrett Mann is their main distributor, as he had 10 of those 20.
Inside and out both teams will have a challenge on their hands. Coming off losses they will both be extremely motivated to get back on track.
photo: daylife
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