Coming into Sunday’s contest with California, Oregon head coach Dana Altman anticipated a big defensive challenge for his backcourt. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPID=235&SPSID=4293@@
The Golden Bears’ starting trio of Justin Cobbs, Jorge Gutierrez and Allen Crabbe proved to be just that, as they gave the Ducks more than they could handle at both ends of the floor en route to Cal’s third conference victory of the season. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=235&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205357943@@
Cobbs (15 points, six assists), Gutierrez (18 points, six rebounds) and Crabbe (26 points, 12 rebounds) combined to score 59 points in the 77-60 win over Oregon, who dropped to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in Pac-12 play.
“It was not a good performance,” Altman said. “Cal had a lot to do with that. Their three perimeter players are as good as any in the conference. If you can’t slow those guys down you’re going to be in trouble, and we knew that going in.”
Three days after one of their best shooting performances of the season in a 78-67 victory over Stanford, the Ducks struggled to find their rhythm offensively from the opening tip on Sunday. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=235&SPSID=4294@@
Oregon connected on just 31.3 percent (10 of 32) of its first-half field goals, including five misses on six attempts from behind the three-point line. Aside from E.J. Singler sinking all three of his shots, the rest of the Oregon starters went 5 of 18 from the field in the opening 20 minutes of play. @@https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/813312.pdf?ATCLID=205357943&SPSID=4297&SPID=235&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@
The Golden Bears shared similar struggles offensively to start the game before Gutierrez settled in. The 6-foot-3 senior accounted for 10 of Cal’s first 13 points to start the game, helping the visitors to a three-point lead at halftime, 30-27.
“They really clogged the middle,” senior Olu Ashaolu said. “It was really hard to get anything easy inside.”
Despite being somewhat undersized around the basket, the Golden Bears kept Ashaolu, Tony Woods and Jeremy Jacob in check throughout the contest. That defensive pressure forced Oregon into quick shots time and again, giving Cal the rebounding edge over Oregon, 40-33, for the first time in league play.
Cal remained in control after the break and continued to build on its lead without much trouble. Oregon saw its quick offensive possessions turn into easy transition buckets as Cal’s lead grew to double digits midway through the second half.
Crabbe, a 6-foot-6 sophomore shooting guard, was the beneficiary on much of the transition attack in the second half. After a cold 1-of-5 showing in the opening half, Crabbe caught fire after intermission to the tune of 23 points on 5-of-6 shooting from behind the three-point line.
“For a shooter, once you get that first open look that rim kind of opens up,” said Ashaolu, who finished with 10 points and five rebounds. “Unfortunately we let him get that in the second half and he just couldn’t miss.”
As Cal continued to knock down open shots in the second half, Oregon’s offensive woes refused to go away. Altman was particularly displeased with the Ducks’ eight assists on 23 made field goals, as well as the 9-of-15 showing from the free-throw line, two of those misses coming on the front end of one-and-one opportunities.
“A lot of our turnovers are guys trying to get their own shots, and we’ve talked about that,” Altman said. “We only had eight assists tonight, which is as low as we’ve had this year. We’ve got to do a better job making plays.”
Loyd leaves game early with leg injury
Late in the second half, sophomore point guard Johnathan Loyd was forced out of the game with an apparent leg injury. Altman said after the game he had yet to check on Loyd or the extent of the injury. @@http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2012/01/cal_77_oregon_60_allen_crabbes.html@@
“I didn’t get a chance to check with (athletic trainer) Clay (Jamieson) to see,” Altman said. “I know he banged knees, but I don’t know how serious it is. I’ll have to check with Clay tonight.”
Loyd, who leads the Ducks in assists and steals this season, scored one point and had two assists in 19 minutes of action. @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205335431@@