EUGENE, OREGON
DUCKS 84 - MAVERICKS 61
After suffering back-to-back losses, Dana Altman decided to shake things up by giving Abu Kigab and Will Richardson their first career starts at Oregon. The decision paid off as the Ducks got off to a hot start, outscoring Omaha Nebraska 25 to 10 with 8:50 left in the first half. Neither new starter blew up the scoreboard, but the renewed energy was clear from the get-go.
Payton Pritchard once again had an off shooting night, scoring only 7 points and going 1-of-5 from three point land, but managed the game well with seven assists to zero turnovers.
The debut of five star freshman Louis King lived up to the hype, scoring 11 points in only 17 minutes. King hit three of his four three point attempts and made an immediate difference when he came off the bench, especially when both Bol Bol and him were on the floor.
Speaking of Bol, the center scored his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. At one point in the first half, he let his emotions get the best of him and kicked an opposing player, leading to a technical and a short stint on the bench.
Duck fans, it may be time to get excited about Oregon Men’s Basketball again, now that Altman will have both Bol Bol and Louis King on the court.
Four Ducks score in double figures as Oregon takes down Nebraska Omaha, 84-61! #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/ZrPIs7dI0h
— Oregon Men's Basketball (@OregonMBB) December 9, 2018
OREGON DUCKS
*Kenny Wooten (28 min) 20 pts - 5 reb - 1 blk - 9/12 FG - 2/2 FT
*Bol Bol (25 min) 18 pts - 10 reb - 1 ast - 8/14 FG - 2/4 3PT
*Payton Pritchard (33 min) 7 pts - 1 reb - 7 ast - 3/8 FG - 1/5 3 PT
*Will Richardson (23 min) 2 pts - 1 reb - 4 ast - 1 stl - 1/4 FG - 0/2 3PT
*Abu Kigab (16 min) 2 pts - 7 reb - 2 ast - 1/1 FG
Victor Bailey Jr. (20 min) 16 pts - 6 reb - 2 stl - 5/6 FG - 4/5 3PT - 2/2 FT
Louis King (17 min) 11 pts - 2 reb - 1 stl - 4/6 FG - 3/4 3PT
Paul White (14 min) 6 pts - 2 reb - 2 ast - 2/3 FG - 2/2 3PT
Ehab Amin (19 min) 2 pts - 1 reb - 2 ast - 1 stl - 0/2 FG - 0/1 3 PT - 2/4 FT
Francis Okoro (5 min) 1 reb
NEBRASKA OMAHA STARTERS
Zach Jackson (35 min) 21 pts - 3 reb - 2 ast - 6/12 FG - 3/6 3PT - 6/6 FT
JT Gibson (35 min) 18 pts - 3 reb - 2 ast - 3 stl - 6/9 FG - 5/8 3 PT - 1/2 FT
Mitch Hahn (27 min) 6 pts - 1 reb - 2 ast - 2/9 FG - 2/9 3 PT
KJ Robinson (31 min) 4 pts- 1 reb - 6 ast - 1 stl - 2/8 FG - 0/2 3PT
Matt Pile (19 min) 2 pts - 2 reb - 1 ast - 1/1 FG
Tonight's Player of the Game is @kennywootenjr.
— Oregon Men's Basketball (@OregonMBB) December 9, 2018
The sophomore earned a career-high 20 points and registered 5 rebounds and 1 block in the win over Nebraska-Omaha.#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/gwIbQu55VQ
The bench also had an especially productive night, scoring 35 points and outshooting the starters from three (Starters: 3-11, Bench: 9-12). King may have earned the most applause from the 8,000 in attendance, but Victor Bailey Jr. might have earned himself a starting spot, hitting 4 of his 5 three-point attempts, snatching six rebounds and two steals in only 20 minutes of play.
This being Oregon’s highest rated class ever, it goes without saying that Omaha Nebraska was at a talent disadvantage, but that shouldn’t take away from this 23-point victory, because Oregon has looked pedestrian against supposedly inferior competition at many points this season.
The inclusion of King could be just what this team needed, another tall scorer who can protect the rim and drain the three, and with PAC-12 play rapidly approaching (January 5th against the Beavers), perhaps Dana Altman’s team will once again get hot at the perfect time.
NEXT UP: SAN DIEGO
Wednesday, 12/12, 7 PM, PAC-12 NETWORK, Eugene