On a night that centered around Oregon’s first-ever Heisman trophy winner, their men’s basketball team also had something to be happy about.
Defeating Illinois on the road 77-70, the Ducks improved to 6-3 on the season.
In a game that remained close until the final few minutes, there were two names that stood out: Dillon Brooks (24) and Rayvonte Rice (29). Both were the leading scorers in tonight’s contest for their respective teams.
With under four minutes to play in the game, the score was tied at 64 a piece. But with solid free-throw shooting from Ahmad Rorie and a couple key baskets by Elgin Cook and Brooks, the Ducks took a seven point lead, eventually sealing their first road victory of the season.
With all of their losses coming with a margin less than 10, the Ducks managed to close it out tonight.
Also making contributions were Dwayne Benjamin and Cook. Benjamin finished with 13 points and four rebounds, while Cook added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Joseph Young continued his struggles from the field. Young, who finished with 13 points, went 5-for-14 from the field. He did add five rebounds and four assists.
For the Fighting Illini, it was all Rice. Rice finished with a game-high 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting. His team shot just 37 percent from the field.
Oregon’s next game will be against Cal State Northridge this Wednesday at home. Tipoff is set for an 8 p.m. start.
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim