The Ducks have had a few days to let the loss to Oregon State sink in, and although Oregon is not happy with the result, the team is confident heading into its game against Washington on Thursday.
James Davis had 17 points and Luke Jackson scored a career-high 39, but the Beavers dropped the Ducks to 1-2 in Pacific-10 Conference play. It’s the third time in four years that Oregon has started off its first three games with a losing record.
“I think there are people who are still pretty unhappy with themselves,” Oregon forward Ian Crosswhite said. “I know that we’re going to have two hard days of practice, get after each other and make each other improve.”
The games against Washington and Washington State this week could very well be the turning point in the season for the Ducks.
At 6-4 on the season, Oregon is searching for its first true winning streak. After starting out with consecutive wins over Fresno State, Portland State and Marshall, the Ducks have gone 3-4 in their last seven games.
Crunch time is near. It may not come this week, but wins over the Huskies and Cougars would be key.
“We definitely know what has cost us as far as going into Pac-10,” Jackson said. “We feel like there are some specific areas we need to clean up. Every game from here on out is important. Not just this week.”
After the two games this week at McArthur Court, Oregon travels to Tempe and Tucson to play Arizona State and Arizona, respectively. The Ducks have gone 10-11 against the Sun Devils and Wildcats the past five seasons.
“We know that we are capable of winning a lot of ballgames and we’re not going to get down because we’ve lost two here lately,” Jackson said. “I know this team is capable of doing good things. We’re not counting ourselves out
of anything.”

Taken out of the game
Andre Joseph scored a season-low three points against the Beavers.
The senior forward hadn’t been held to three or fewer points since the 2003 NCAA Tournament loss to Utah in March. He failed to put the ball through the basket
that night for the second time last season.
So far this year he is averaging 11.8 points per game, including 9.7 during Oregon’s three games in conference play.
“I think in Andre’s case, from a rhythm standpoint, he is a guy that needs to get his shots because he is a very good shooter,” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said.
Jackson took up the slack left by Joseph’s slow night offensively, but said that he felt his 39 points may have taken away from the team’s offensive rhythm because he took so many shots toward the end of the game.
“He doesn’t need to feel responsible because it’s not a blame thing as it is we all — coaches, players, Luke, too and even the fans; even Oregon State’s fans — we all got caught up in the moment of a great player in the midst of a great ballgame,” Kent said. “It was great to see and great to watch.”
“The reality of it is it did knock us out of rhythm a little bit. We were aware of that. At the same time, it was a spectacular basketball game on his part.”

Jackson revisited
Jackson’s night against the Beavers didn’t come close to setting a record in the Pac-10. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor and Arizona State’s Eddie House both hold the single-game points record with 61.
His 16 rebounds were no closer to setting a single-game record. Oregon State’s Swede Halbrook set that record in 1955 with 36 against Idaho.
What his career-best night did was move him up on Oregon’s all-time list within striking distance of top-five records.
He needs 12 points to tie Blair Rasmussen for seventh all-time on Oregon’s scoring list. Rasmussen, who scored 1,554 points from 1981-85, was drafted 15th overall in 1985 by Denver.
With 11 more steals, Jackson will move into a tie for fourth all-time with Anthony Taylor at 147.
Finally, he needs three three-pointers for 128 in his career, which would tie him for eighth with Kenya Wilkins.
Yet, that won’t mean anything to him unless he can get the Ducks the win.
That was the case Saturday against Oregon State.
“That game really hurt because there were just a few things that cost us the game,” he said. “It was just real disappointing. I hate losing.”