An Oregon Victory Could Spell Madness in March
On Sunday, February 22nd the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team will take on the No. 9 Utah Utes on senior day at Matthew Knight Arena. In Oregon’s last home game of the season the team will need to look for a win to stay in the conversation for March Madness.
The Oregon Ducks path to the tournament could be determined by the outcome of this Sunday’s match-up. The Ducks, who currently sit 3rd in Pac-12 standings, are without a win over a top-25 team this season. A victory against a hot Utah team will strengthen Oregon’s resume, which could be the final push for the team to make the tournament.
Although the Ducks do not have an outstanding record, the team is looking for its 5th consecutive season of 20 plus wins. This feat has not been accomplished in the program’s 109-year history.
The Ducks are averaging 76.7 points per game while shooting 46.3 percent from the field. Oregon is currently ranked 290th in scoring defense, allowing a high of 71.0 points per game. When the Oregon Ducks holds opponents below 70 points the team is 13-0.
Oregon’s defensive difficulties can be attributed to a struggling Jordan Bell. Bell, after a six game dry spell, shook it off against Colorado to post 3 blocks and 6 points for the night. When Bell has 3 or more blocks the Ducks are 12-3.
While the Ducks have been pushing through defensive woes, there have been some consistencies on the offensive side of the ball. These consistencies have, in large part, come from guard Joseph Young. Young currently leads the conference in scoring averaging with 20.0 points per game; he has also netted 130 points in the last five games. Young also leads the Pac-12 in free throw percentage and is ranked 3rd nationally (92.6 percent).
Utah is coming off its fifth straight win after a 47-37 victory at Oregon State. This win marks the first away team victory at Oregon State this season. The Utes (21-4, 11-2 Pac-12) are currently tied atop conference standings with the Arizona Wildcats. Utah leads the Pac-12 in scoring defense with 55.6 points, and field-goal shooting defense at 37.7 percent.
The Utes score 73.2 points per game and make 49.5 percent of their shots. Backed by the Pac-12’s most accurate three-point shooter, Brandon Taylor (46.7%), the Utes pose a serious threat from behind the arc shooting a league-best 40.6 percent from three-point range.
For an Oregon victory, the team will need another big performance from Joseph Young. In last season’s meeting, Young was held to only nine points while committing four turnovers. The Oregon Ducks must showcase consistency on both sides of the ball to overcome this tough Utah squad.
Statistics via ESPN
