The storyline remains the same for the Oregon men’s basketball team: close, but not close enough.
Oregon appeared in position to end a five-game losing streak and win its first game at the McKale Center since 2002 Thursday against Arizona.
Instead, the Wildcats (14-9 overall, 7-5 Pacific-10 Conference) ended a three-game losing streak by overcoming a five-point deficit with less than a minute to play, delivering the Ducks (10-14, 4-8) a sixth straight loss.
Arizona won 70-68.
“This team is battling like crazy. It’s unfortunate that closing out games is tough for them right now, and that has to do with just poise in these situations,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said in a broadcast interview.
The Ducks have lost their last five games by a combined 18 points.
Oregon took its first lead of the second half at 57-56 on a three-pointer by
Chamberlain Oguchi with 8:18 remaining in the game. After trading baskets, Oregon built the lead to 68-63 with two free throws from Malik Hairston with 1:55 to play.
The Ducks had a chance to build on the lead after a missed jumper by Arizona’s Hassan Adams.
Oregon passed up open shots and milked the clock before forcing up a desperation three-point attempt with the shot clock ticking down.
The Wildcats’ Mustafa Shakur made two free-throws on the other end with 55 seconds left to cut Arizona’s deficit to 68-65.
Arizona’s Daniel Dillon stole the ball on Oregon’s ensuing possession and Kirk Walters capitalized with a jumper to make the score 68-67 with 29 seconds left.
Oregon inbounded to Brandon Lincoln, who appeared to be fouled on the play. Instead of free throws, Lincoln had the ball knocked away, and he attempted to save it only to have it sail over the head of his intended target and out-of-bounds.
Shakur was then fouled by Jordan Kent on a drive to the hoop with 12 seconds left and made both free throws, giving Arizona a 69-68 lead.
Aaron Brooks attempted to regain the lead but was called for traveling after attempting a pass in mid-air underneath the hoop.
Lincoln then fouled Arizona’s Ivan Radenovic with five seconds remaining. Radenovic made the first of two free throws and Brooks’ half-court heave fell short at the buzzer as Arizona hung on for the win.
“We just choked. I hate to say it that way, but that’s the thing we’ve got to work through,” Kent said. “But they have tremendous courage to fight back when they got down in both halves.
“We did everything right except to close out the game.”
The loss overshadowed a brilliant effort by Oguchi. The sophomore sharpshooter, filling the void left by the injury to fellow sophomore guard Bryce Taylor, connected on a season-high-tying six three-pointers, and scored 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field.
Oguchi helped rescue the Ducks from a 16-3 early deficit by connecting on consecutive three-point shots. Oregon eventually cut the lead to four before Arizona closed the half on a 7-1 run to take a 37-27 lead.
After shooting 35.7 percent from the field in the first half, the Ducks shot 53.3 percent in the second, including 53.8 percent from three-point range.
Hairston joined Oguchi as the only other Duck in double figures. He scored 11 points. Oregon had no answer for Walters inside. The 6-foot-10 junior entered Thursday’s contest averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game.
He scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Radenovic scored 15 points, Adams had 14 and Shakur added 10 – seven coming from the free-throw line.
The Ducks have now lost four straight games at Arizona.
Ducks take on Sun Devils
Oregon travels to take on Arizona State Saturday in Tempe, Ariz. The Sun Devils recorded their third Pac-10 victory Thursday with a 76-59 win against Oregon State. Jeff Pendergraph paced the Arizona State attack with 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Beavers.
Oregon defeated Arizona State 67-53 on Jan. 12 in Eugene. Aaron Brooks scored 19 points and Malik Hairston scored all 16 of his points in the second half of the previous meeting.
Ducks drop sixth game in a row at Wildcats
Daily Emerald
February 9, 2006
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