For the second game in a row the Ducks seemed to have a top-10 team on the ropes, only to let the game slip away down the stretch.
“This team is kind of in a wilderness stage. They need to figure out how to close and do some things themselves,” coach Ernie Kent said. “It’s unfortunate because it’s a tough lesson to learn. It makes it tough because you play so well for a long period of time in the game.”
Oregon (12-7, 3-4 Pacific-10 Conference) led early and often Thursday night against UCLA, but went through an untimely dry spell over the final few minutes to fall to the Bruins 80-75 in front of 9,087 at McArthur Court. It was the Ducks’ third-straight Pac-10 defeat.
“We were just a couple plays away from holding on to the lead and winning the game and we just didn’t make them,” senior forward Maarty Leunen said.
The Ducks held a four-point advantage, 71-67, on two Leunen free throws with 3:33 remaining, but UCLA (16-2, 5-1 Pac-10) would score the next 11 points, and 13 of the game’s last 17, to pull away for the win.
“It’s nothing new. It’s the same story. You’ve got to wonder when we’re going to stop being a couple plays away,” senior forward Malik Hairston said.
Hairston, the Ducks’ leading scorer in the game with 18 points, left the game with cramping in both legs midway through the second half. He would return with 1:04 left and the Ducks down by three, 74-71, but couldn’t get the Ducks back on top as he missed his only shot attempt of the final minute.
“Malik was having an unbelievable game. They had a hard time guarding him,” Kent said. “It’s unfortunate that he had to go sit down.”
Lake Oswego native Kevin Love led all scorers and rebounders in the game, with 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 18 rebounds for the Bruins.
“He (Love) is just tough overall. He’s very skilled and understands the game very well,” Leunen said. “They run a lot of the offense through him and he’s just a good player.”
Leunen and senior guard Bryce Taylor both finished with 16 points, and Leunen added 10 rebounds.
Sophomore forward Joevan Catron saw his first Pac-10 action after missing the last six games with a foot injury. Catron scored 10 points in 18 minutes off the bench, and added two assists and a rebound.
“For a guy who’s been out for a month, with two days of practice, he (Catron) played well in the game,” Kent said. “It was nice to have him back.”
Tajuan Porter had another tough shooting night, shooting 4-of-11 from the field (3-of-8 from three point range) for 13 points and six assists.
Bruin guard Darren Collison was second to Love in scoring, with 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting while adding six assists and three rebounds.
Next, the Ducks host the USC Trojans, Saturday, 6 p.m., at McArthur Court. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net.
“Saturday, for us, now becomes a must win,” Kent said.
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