I decided that I needed to get off my lazy rear and do this basketball thing right, so here's what I was able to conjure up for tonight's game vs. Sacramento State. Its not on TV, but this will be useful for those of you going to the game or listening on the radio:
When the Ducks play host to the Hornets tonight, it looks like Malik and LeKendric Longmire won't play. Per Bob Clark:
Both Hairston and Longmire could be held out of Oregon's game Tuesday night against Sacramento State.
While Sacramento State sports a not-so-sterling 2-6 record, with their only wins over non-1A competition (and they lost to three Duck opponents, by 30 to K-State and USF, and by 15 to Pacific), you have to wonder how the minutes some players seem destined to play could affect the team on Saturday at Nebraska. That said, I wouldn't risk it with Hairston and Longmire. We want them to be healthy for the long haul. This is a lot like the Mercer game last year, where we held out Porter and Hairston. No need to rush them back for this opponent. Basically, the Ducks need to put this one away in the first half, and let guys like Platt, Odia, and Dorsainvil play most of the second half.
Of course, it wouldn't be nearly as big a deal if it weren't for some other injuries that the Ducks have suffered. Drew Viney (stress fracture) and Ray Schafer (broken fingers) are likely both out until the start of the conference season. What's frustrating about Viney is that, although he has played only seven minutes this season, he is ineligible for a redshirt unless it is medically determined that he can't play again:
That's unlikely, so Viney will be worked back into shape after he returns and maybe somewhere down the line, he can hit a three that's crucial or fill in when foul trouble hits.
Basically, it's a lost season for Drew either way.
So, with these injuries, Kamyron Brown will start, and the bench would consist of Platt, Odia, and Dorsainvil. Kent could also pull the redshirts from non-scholarship freshmen Nicholas Fearn and John Elorriaga in an emergency.
As for the Hornets, they are in a situation much like Portland State. Their home arena is a joke (a glorified high school gym), which means most of their home games are against non-D1 competition, like their wins against Simpson and William Jessup. If you've ever wondered why these teams play so many road games, its because Sac State will be getting a $65,000 check to play at the Pit.
Sac State is 1-27 all time against the Pac-10, and have an 11 game overall road losing streak. Basically, the Ducks better win. 6-2 Junior Loren Leath is the Hornets' main scoring threat, scoring 18.6 PPG from the field. However, he's a volume shooter, who shoots less than 40% from the field. They have ten players averaging more than two points a game, but the percentages are almost universally low, with five of those players below 40%, and only two above 50%. They shoot a paltry 41% as a team. And most of those are from inside. There are only three players that shoot from outside, and as a team, they shoot 37% from the arc. They're under 60% from the free throw line as well. Meanwhile, opponents are shooting almost 50% from the field against the Hornets, meaning that their defense is highly suspect.
Bottom line--run `em out of the building. It looks like they can neither stop us, nor keep with us.
GO DUCKS!!!
--Dave