The Oregon men’s basketball team was pegged.
Run and gun, they thought. Let the talented freshmen and a little dose of team chemistry guide the team to wins.
But heading into tonight’s season opener against Mississippi Valley State at 7 p.m. on McArthur Court, Oregon has become unpegged.
The Ducks’ defensive problems overwhelmed them Tuesday in their final exhibition game against Athletes in Action. Freshman Luke Ridnour carried Oregon on his back in the second half, but the Ducks still couldn’t overcome the older, wiser traveling team.
“Mentally, we didn’t get it done,” Ridnour said.
Tonight, Oregon will face a team that could actually be softer than the Ducks’ final exhibition opponent. Mississippi Valley State will certainly not provide the mental challenge that the veteran Athletes in Action team did. The Delta Devils play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, along with perennial underdogs Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern and Jackson State, among others.
Oregon head coach Ernie Kent believes his team will work out its kinks against Mississippi Valley State tonight and against other pre-Pacific-10 Conference foes.
“Going into [Tuesday’s game] I was concerned about our on-ball defense. I’m still concerned about that,” Kent said. “But those are negative things. It’s early in the year, and some of those things are going to be there, but it gives us something to work on.”
Kent also took some positives from Tuesday’s game.
“I was pleased with the group of guys on the floor that gave themselves a chance to win the game,” Kent said of Ridnour, guard Freddie Jones and others, who almost clawed their way from behind to victory Tuesday.
Ridnour and Jones provided the emotion for the Ducks Tuesday night. Ridnour made three-pointer after three-pointer, and he tried to pump up his teammates after each one, yelling “Let’s go!” and “C’mon!”
Kent summed up his view on the end of the exhibition schedule perfectly.
“It was a good game for us to play,” Kent said. “So we can go back to the drawing board and work on some things.”
Oregon will tip off its regular season tonight, and the game against the Delta Devils will be the first to count towards the Ducks’ overall record.