For 37 minutes, the Oregon mens basketball was hanging tough with the No. 14 team in the country.
Trailing 67-61 and on a fast break, freshman Jordan Bell took a pass from Joseph Young and dribbled down the left side of the court towards the hoop, presenting a two-on-one in Oregon’s favor. Bell, instead of making the pass early to a wide open Dillon Brooks, held on to the ball and passed it at the last second. Because he took so long though, he ran right into a VCU player and was charged for an offensive foul.
That fouled ignited a 10-2 run by the Rams over the final three minutes as Oregon fell to VCU 77-63 in the third place game of the Legends Progressive Classic in Brooklyn, New York.
The Ducks (3-2), already short-handed with injured 6-foot-10 center Michael Chandler out, were dealt another blow when starting 6-foot-7 forward Dwayne Benjamin hurt an ankle in last night’s game against Michigan and didn’t dress for the game.
With the injury, Oregon only played seven players, a huge disadvantage against VCU (4-1) and it’s “havoc” game plan.
It was another off night for Oregon’s star guard Young.
Young came into the game averaging 24.5 points but was held to nine points by shooting 2-for-13 from the field (1-for-9 from three-point territory). He added five rebounds and five assists but committed a game-high seven turnovers.
Four Ducks posted double figures in scoring as Brooks led the team with 15 points, while Casey Benson and Elgin Cook each added 11. Ahmaad Rorie also had 10. Benson and Brooks each knocked down three three-pointers in the game while Cook added a game-high nine rebounds before fouling out with four minutes left in the game.
Oregon showed great resilience by battling back in the first half as VCU started the game on a 12-0 run before a Young jumper four and a half minutes into the game put the Ducks on the scoreboard. With five minutes left in the half, Brooks went on his own 5-0 run to cut the deficit to two, 27-25, but the Rams, using their game plan and substitutions, finished the half on an 8-2 run.
The Ducks started the second half with promise as Benson knocked down a three-pointer on the first possession and after an Abdul-Bassit three-pointer and two Cook free throws, the Ducks pulled within one, 39-38, with 14 minutes left in the game.
VCU’s lead reached 11 with seven minutes before the Ducks staged a mini-comeback, pulling within five after two Rorie free throws and a Benson jumper before Bell’s turnover.
Oregon returns to action back at home on the west coast with a Sunday evening game against Portland State at 5 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka