MBB: Ducks find some rhythm, drop Utes yet again

Whatever is in the water in Salt lake City for Oregon Men’s Basketball, can we please bottle it and distribute it throughout the season?

Playing efficiently as they always seem to do against the Utes, the Ducks took care of business 70-60 while staying above .500 in conference play and handing Utah its first Pac-12 loss this season.

The Utes were plagued by the shooting woes that have so often infected Oregon this season, as they shot 27% from the field and 9% from 3-point range in the first half as the Ducks stretched their lead to as many as 14 points.

Utah cut the lead in half going into the break, and narrowed it down to four in the second half. But a Quincy Guerrier 3 stemmed the tide and Oregon maintained control for the rest of the game.

It was a solid team effort with four Ducks in double figures, led once again by big man N’Faly Dante, who had 17. Will Richardson notched 11 and Jermaine Couisnard and Kel’el Ware each added 10.

It was a much needed pick-me-up for the Ducks after they suffered one of the worst losses of the Altman era in Boulder only two days prior. And with Arizona coming to town next Saturday Oregon had to find some fire to stay competitive.

The Ducks welcome Arizona State to Eugene next on Thursday evening.