The traveling show of athleticism that is the Oregon men’s basketball team is ready to take its act to a grander stage.
The Ducks (3-0 overall) take on Vanderbilt (4-2) during Saturday’s seventh annual Papé Jam at the Rose Garden in Portland. The men’s game tips off at 4 p.m. following the completion of the women’s game.
While McArthur Court provides Oregon with an electric playing atmosphere, there’s something about stepping onto the Rose Garden floor that brings out the best in the Ducks, who are undefeated in their previous six games at the Blazers’ home arena.
“I think the fact that it’s a pro arena (gets our players excited),” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said. “The fact that it’s the city up there and a bigger group of fans up there, it’s an element that allows us to play up.”
After winning their first three games of the season, the Ducks face a Commodore team that reached the Sweet 16 of last season’s NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Connecticut, 73-53. Junior guard Mario Moore is the team’s biggest scoring threat. A returning starter, Moore is averaging 16.2 points per game.
Vanderbilt also has 7-foot-2 center Dawid Przybyszewski, who spends a lot of time around the perimeter and is capable of knocking down the long-range shot. The senior is averaging 9.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
As a team, Kent said Vanderbilt’s offense is comparable to Princeton’s, as the Commodores spread the floor and rely on precise passing and backdoor cuts.
“They’re every bit as good as any team we’ve had up there,” Kent said. “They’re really going to have us on our toes.”
While the game is supposedly held on a neutral site, Kent said the Ducks will look to use thousands of screaming Oregon fans to their advantage.
“It’s a road game in terms of our preparation and approach,” Kent said. “I’ll remind (our players) before game time that it’s a road game, but by the way, we have 13,000 fans with us.”
Offensively, Oregon has been on fire from three-point range. Guards Aaron Brooks and Bryce Taylor have exposed defenses that leave the perimeter open as each is shooting better than 42 percent from behind the arc. While the Ducks have been hot as of late, it is important that they learn from past failures and do not become dependent on the long-range shot.
“We can’t live and die (with the three-point shot) because in the past, it’s hurt us,” forward Ian Crosswhite said. “We haven’t had any inside play. This year, we have big guys who can score.”
Crosswhite is one of four Ducks averaging more than 10 points per game. The 6-foot-11 junior is averaging 13.3 points per contest, while Brooks (17), Taylor (13.3) and guard Malik Hairston (13.7) are also averaging double figures.
Another big man who has stepped up for Oregon is redshirt freshman Ray Schafer. The 7-foot center acknowledged that the Ducks need to continue pounding the ball inside but will gladly take the three-point shot if it’s open.
“That’s what (Marshall) gave us, so we took what they gave us,” Schafer said of Oregon’s 13 threes against the Thundering Herd last Saturday. “We fed the post, but they took that away.”
Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt will be Oregon’s final tune-up before a showdown with No. 5 Illinois on Dec. 11 in Chicago. Illinois defeated No. 1 Wake Forest 91-73 on Wednesday. Illinois is considered one of the favorites to compete for a national championship.

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