STANFORD, Calif. — Moments after the final buzzer sounded, despite coming to grips with a heartbreaking defeat, the Oregon men’s basketball players could realize what a spectacular game they had just been a part of.
Maybe if this were a different Oregon team, such as last season’s version, a 90-87 emotionally and physically draining overtime loss at Stanford would be a back-breaker.
Especially so when considering that Oregon had the three-point lead in the end of regulation before Stanford’s Tony Giovacchini knocked home a clutch, long-range three-pointer to force the extra session.
But after battling, battling and battling some more for 45 minutes of NCAA Tournament-style play in front of 7,391 at hostile Maples Pavilion, the Ducks showed the maturity of a first-place team — which they still are.
Oregon (17-6, 9-3) now shares first place with 9-3 Arizona and can do no worse than remain on top of the standings with a split on this Bay Area road trip.
“We’re fine,” point guard Luke Ridnour said. “Saturday’s for the league title.”
Still, the sting of this loss, in a game that featured 29 lead changes, will be tough to forget about.
“It hurts, but we just have to put this behind us,” forward Luke Jackson said.
It probably won’t ever go away for players such as senior Freddie Jones, who played the last game of his career at Stanford and tied his career-high with 36 points. Jones led an offensive output that also included 18 points from Ridnour, 17 from Jackson and 10 from Robert Johnson.
Jones wanted to experience his first victory in Stanford and help deliver his program its first win at Maples Pavilion since Jan. 13, 1986. But the winless streak rolls into next season.
“We felt like we brought a team down here that was capable of winning, but we still came up short,” said Jones, whose 10 rebounds gave him his fourth career double-double.
Jones seemed to make big play after big play, but he wasn’t around for the game’s conclusion as he fouled out with 24 seconds left in overtime with the Ducks trailing, 87-85. He committed his fifth foul when he got caught up with Stanford’s Casey Jacobsen in mid-air with the shot clock winding down.
“I’m upset with myself that I’m in that situation (of having fouled out),” Jones said of his reaction to walking off the court amid the taunts of the Cardinal student section. “I wanted to be out there fighting with my teammates.”
Jacobsen, who had missed four previous free throws, proceeded to calmly connect on the last two of his game-high 41 points, but this game was far from over.
Ridnour was fouled on the other end of the court and made both of his free throws to cut the lead to two. Giovacchini then was fouled and made his two free throws.
Instead of attempting a three with 17 seconds left, Ridnour dashed coast-to-coast for a layin to bring the deficit back to two. And again, Giovacchini was fouled.
This time, though, the Stanford senior missed one of two, setting up the game’s final play with Oregon trailing by three and 12 seconds showing on the clock.
Ridnour drove, lost control of the ball at the top of key around a wall of defenders, dove to the floor and scooted the ball behind him. Oregon’s Johnson scooped it up and heaved a desperation three that clanged off the rim to end the intense affair.
“It was a tough shot, but hey, it was a great game,” Johnson said. “We played Stanford tough. We just can’t even begin to describe how heartbreaking this is.”
The feeling was more of elation on the Ducks’ bench in the closing minute of regulation after they forced Jacobsen to miss a tough jumper with 15 seconds left and Jones skied for the rebound.
Jones was fouled, connected on both free throws to give the Ducks a three-point lead, and Oregon’s first win at Maples in 16 tries appeared to be a reality with 14 seconds left to defend the Cardinal (14-6, 7-4).
Oregon did what it wanted as it forced Jacobsen to give the ball up, but that’s when Giovacchini threw up his NBA-range three-pointer that accounted for his only field goal on the night.
“I don’t think I’ve ever taken a shot like that,” he said.
Oregon head coach Ernie Kent isn’t sure his team has ever played a game quite like that. Kent stressed afterwards how proud he was of his team.
And he expressed the utmost confidence in his team and doesn’t believe there will be a lack of energy on Saturday in Berkeley when they play the Golden Bears at 5 p.m. on ABC.
“These are young guys and if you put a rap concert on Saturday at 5 o’clock, they’d have a lot of energy so they’ll be ready,” Kent said. “We’re playing for the Pac-10 championship. You can rest in April.
“This team will bounce back.”
That the Ducks could have the perspective of the big picture just moments after such a devastating defeat is as big a sign as any that they will do just that.