Oregon nearly pulled off another miracle comeback at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, but lost 81-74 for a 1-1 Pacific-10 Conference start.
It was reminiscent of last year’s Pac-10 Tournament when Oregon (6-3 overall) pulled out the 75-74 comeback victory over UCLA in the semifinal game. On Sunday, the Ducks succumbed, but only after suffering through a 22-2 UCLA run.
It would have been a sixth-straight victory against UCLA (6-3 overall, 2-0 Pac-10) and Oregon’s first 2-0 start on the road since the 1976-77 season, when Oregon defeated UCLA and USC.
At the 3:57 mark in the first half, UCLA opened it up. Oregon led 31-30 and proceeded to score just one field goal in the next 10 minutes, continuing into the second half.
The Bruins beat Oregon at its own game by scoring in transition offense. UCLA went on a 16-2 run to end the first half and scored the first nine points of the second half.
“Once they got their energy going they kept coming to the glass every single time,” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent told KUGN (590 AM) Radio. “We did not execute our game plan in the first half of keeping this team off the boards.”
After beginning the game shooting 4 of 6 from the three-point line, Oregon was looking to keep pace with the 14-of-23 showing in the 92-74 victory over USC on Friday night.
Oregon missed its next 10 attempts.
The Bruins did all the little things to hold off Oregon. UCLA’s 17 second-chance points helped lead it to victory.
The Ducks shot 40 percent for the night and 81 percent on free throws. Oregon’s 28 percent from the three-point line was sub-par of its 45 percent average, which led the nation entering the game.
Oregon did a lot of things right, except allowing the Bruins to get ahead by 22 points.
The Ducks began to execute their game plan in the second half and brought the pressure defense.
It worked.
“This is a team (UCLA) that isn’t a very skilled team at breaking you down,” Kent said. “We definitely can do some things there, it looked good with Jordan (Kent) at the point. We did not do a good job in the first half and they made us pay.”
Oregon would have its run.
At one point, senior Luke Jackson scored six of his 28 points and then caused turnovers on the next two Bruin possessions, allowing senior Andre Joseph to get a quick five points.
Jackson’s 28 points in his 37 minutes pushed him over the 1,500 career point mark at Oregon. Joseph was Oregon’s second-leading scorer with 16.
Oregon trailed 63-54 at the 8:41 mark. Redshirt freshman Jordan Kent then reached for a steal and dunked the ball in the backcourt to bring Oregon within seven.
With the chance to cut the deficit to three points, Oregon missed out. Jackson missed a reverse layup. Kent made only one of his two free throws off an intentional foul and Oregon couldn’t convert on the ensuing possession.
Oregon managed to get within six points before having to repeatedly foul the Bruins, who made nearly every shot.
UCLA shot 25-for-32 from the free throw line for 78 percent. The Bruins were 58 percent entering the game — the worst in the Pac-10.
The Ducks forced UCLA into 17 turnovers compared to Oregon’s eight. Oregon was outrebounded 38-27 in the game.
Oregon fought the entire comeback without their rookie point guard Aaron Brooks. Brooks only played the first six minutes before he got knocked out of bounds on a rebounding play, injuring his right hand.
The extent of the injury is still unknown. Brooks had his hand wrapped around a pop can for the remainder of the game and X-rays will be conducted when Oregon returns to Eugene.
Sophomore Brandon Lincoln played the extra minutes. Lincoln only had three points but did not turn the ball over. Freshman Mitch Platt played 15 minutes in the game and earned six points before fouling out in the second half.