They rebounded. They defended. They dunked. They even had a potential SportsCenter Top 10 play via Elgin Cook’s rim rattling throw down midway through the second half.
“That was nasty,” Joseph Young said about Cook’s dunk. “That’s all I can say about that one.
Through the first three games, the Oregon men’s basketball team (3-0) has been clicking on all cylinders even with a plethora of new and inexperienced players. They’re nowhere near where they need to be for the approaching Pac-12 season, but for now, they’re doing just fine.
“You got freshmen leading, everybody leading,” Young said. “Everybody is just one whole and it’s like we’re a family: we’re just getting better and I just can’t wait to get to practice.”
Overcoming a big hurdle
Dana Altman was worried about playing Toledo (1-2) as soon as he saw them marked on their schedule for the yearly Progressive Legends Classic. Projected to finish atop of the Mid-American Conference, the Rockets were the Ducks’ best competition for what it’s worth.
And while the game remained close until the final few minutes, the Ducks looked confident, eventually picking up a 78-68 win.
“They’re all confident,” Altman said.
Even with seven underclassmen, the Ducks aren’t doubting themselves early in the season. Instead, they’re playing hard as a team and maintaining excitement/intensity throughout the entirety of the game, something that will, for now, be their basis for future success.
“Not surprised,” Young said about the new players coming along quickly. “I knew they were going to be aggressive, even though they’re freshmen.”
Another complete performance
There was a lot to like about Oregon’s outing tonight. In addition to outrebounding the Rockets 46-36, the Ducks also distributed the rock well, with four of their players finishing in double-figures: Dwayne Benjamin (11), Cook (13), Dillon Brooks (10), Joseph Young (24).
For a team that is learning as they go, the Ducks looked like a team that has been playing together for years.
Said Young: “I told them (underclassmen) when they first came in they need to have that mindset like they’re a senior and they’re coming along with it.”
Young also had another good showing, leading the team with a game-high 24 points. Young entered the season wanting to improve his efficiency on the court and tonight he did just that: going 7-for-13 from the field and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Playing big
The brightest area for the Ducks tonight was their presence in the paint. Heading into the game, Toledo’s Nathan Boothe was averaging a team-high 18.5 points through their first two games.
Tonight, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound center was held to just two points, fouling out in the second half.
With Michael Chandler (6-foot-10) out – the Ducks’ biggest player – Brooks, Jordan Bell and Benjamin have picked up the scraps. Bell finished with a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Ducks will more often than not, be undersized, but so far, they’ve shown they can make up for what they lack in size with athleticism and hustle.
“We played really hard,” Altman said. “I cannot fault our effort. A big, big win for us.”
Can they sustain it?
There is no doubt that the Ducks have a tough and long road ahead of them as they travel to Brooklyn, New York to face off against No. 24 Michigan at the Barclays Center next week, a game that will truly reveal where the Ducks currently stand.
“Really excited about going to Brooklyn and playing a very talented team in Michigan, so that’s the next step,” Altman said.
Despite their good start to the season, the Ducks are fully aware that there will be a question mark looming over their heads until they perform under the bright lights.
Playing in the Pac-12 is never easy and soon enough, the Ducks will show whether or not they can hold their own in the thick of the season.
It hasn’t been flawless for Altman’s new crew, but they’ll take it.
“Today was a big test,” Altman said. “That was a big hurdle for us.”
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim