The Ducks have won six games in a row and are playing some of their most comfortable and inspired basketball in recent years.

“Just one of those nights,” head coach Dana Altman said. “Things were really clicking for us, especially in that first half.”

The Ducks grabbed the lead early, playing physical defense and attacking the zone in transition. In the first half, Oregon forced 14 turnovers while not allowing a single assisted basket from the Huskies. The Oregon backcourt was diligent in holding Washington guard and Pac-12 leading scorer Terrell Brown Jr. to 14 points on 3-of-16 shooting. 

Oregon never let go of the lead, claiming the victory in front of its home crowd, 84-56.

“Coach put a lot of emphasis on defense,” junior forward Quincy Guerrier said. “We knew they won 4 of their last 5 games so we had a sense of urgency.”

Midway through the first half, in the midst of a 67 percent shooting barrage, a lob from Will Richardson to Franck Kepnang caused Washington to abandon its high 3-2 zone. Oregon responded to man coverage by working inside through N’Faly Dante, who scored back to back baskets in single coverage. 

The Ducks led 48-13 at the intermission. The Huskies searched for a defensive answer between man and zone looks all night to no avail. 

The guard trio of Richardson, De’Vion Harmon and Jacob Young continued to impress. 

Richardson tallied 13 first half points on 5-of-6 shooting. He finished the night with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, adding three rebounds and four assists as well. 

Harmon and Young made an impact too. Young brought the ball up the court against the Huskies’ zone, which freed up Richardson and Rivaldo Soares for open looks. Soares shot 2-of-2 from the arc for 3-point attempts. 
The lightning-fast Young came up with three steals and three assists to go along with 12 points on 50% shooting from the field. Harmon scored nine points on 3-of-6 shooting and a game-high five assists. 

“I thought our ball movement was good, I think we were looking to get shots for each other,” Altman said. “It’s going to be so important for us to play connected like that and make plays for each other.”

On a red-hot shooting night, Oregon centers Kepnang and Dante made the most of their touches, combining for 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Both limited turnovers and cashed in on easy looks created by the Ducks’ defense. 

“We were sharing the ball, I think that was a major key for us,” Guerrier said. “We were all ready to shoot it, I think that’s why we were successful tonight.
With its sixth win in a row, Oregon maintains its spot atop of the Pac-12 standings, along with USC and UCLA. The Ducks will have little time to rest and enjoy Sunday’s victory, as they host Colorado on Tuesday night at Matthew Knight Arena.