Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said James Davis is one of the best shooters he’s ever coached.
Forward Luke Jackson has shot a little less than 44 percent from beyond the three-point line in Pacific-10 Conference play and he’s still far behind Davis’ 65.6 percent clip.
Together, Jackson and Davis make up a deadly duo from beyond the three-point arc, leading Oregon to a national-best 43.7 shooting percentage from downtown.
And that’s just two Ducks. Factor in Andre Joseph, who is 20 of 43 overall this season, and Brandon Lincoln, who has made 34.5 percent of his three-point shots, and you’ve got a stone-cold three-point shooting team.
Oregon is a prime perimeter team that can decide games single-handedly from beyond the arc.
“This has always been an excellent three-point shooting basketball team,” Kent said. “The difference this year, particularly over the last couple of years, is we’re taking a lot more just better shots, as opposed to we took some bad shots, I felt, last year.”
Davis, in particular, has dominated Oregon’s outside game, especially in Pac-10 play. He has made 21 of 32 shots in the Ducks’ five games, leading to 15 points per contest.
He tied a career high with seven three-pointers against Southern California on Jan. 2.
How do you describe Davis in two words?
“Consistent and fluid,” Lincoln said. “His shot always looks the same no matter if he’s fading away or shooting straight on balance. He always keeps the same mechanics.”
Davis has also improved from last season. He hit some pockets — albeit small ones — of inconsistency last year, but still led the Ducks with a 43.1 percentage. This season, he is shooting 52 percent.
The same goes for Jackson. A year ago, he posted a 36.3 percent mark from the three-point line and has upped that to 45.7 overall.
“One of my goals was to improve my range,” Jackson said. “And my jumper and I feel good at where it’s at right now.”
The beneficiaries of the hot outside shooting include Oregon’s post men who have been given more room to work down low. Drawing out an opponent’s big men is key, especially come Thursday when Ike Diogu hosts the Ducks at Arizona State.
Ian Crosswhite has led the big mens’ resurgence at Oregon, averaging 13.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
As a team, the Ducks are averaging two less rebounds per game, 34, than last season, but have held opponents to a little more than 31 per game.
“This year, we have a little more of an inside presence so other teams are going to have to double team and stop the inside scoring,” Crosswhite said. “Then the outside guys will get open.”

Ranked and ready
Aside from being the best team nationally on three-point shooting, in terms of statistics the Ducks sit at 25th in the country with 79.9 points per game.
Had Oregon played two more games this season to this point, Jackson would be sitting pretty in the national rankings as well. The Creswell native is averaging 22.6 points per game, but to be eligible on the national lists, he needs to have played in at least 14 games or have scored at least 279 points.
Jackson has played in all 12 of Oregon’s games and has posted 271 points.
He does, however, sit 24th in the nation in free throw shooting at an 89 percent (65 of 73) clip.

Blast from the past
ESPN.com’s Bill Walton, in analyzing Indiana’s situation in the Eastern Conference this season, described former Oregon guard Fred Jones in different tones.
“Deep down the rotation is a couple of ever-ready guys who are salivating to establish themselves as real NBA players in Freddie Jones and Jamison Brewer,” Walton wrote. “Freddie — with all due respect to Steve Jones and Danny Ainge — is easily argued as the best player to ever come out of the state of Oregon.”
Later in his column, Walton isn’t so positive about Jones’ talents. According to the former Trail Blazer, this scenario could easily happen if the Pacers don’t pan out as they are supposed to.
“Freddie Jones and Jamison Brewer can’t shoot,” Walton wrote. “Who needs to guard them?”
Ouch.

If it happened today
Predicting the NBA Draft is an inexact science, but NBADraft.net gives its best attempt at doing so.
The site has Jackson going 23rd overall in the first round to New Orleans.
The Web Site lists the forward as the 13th-best senior in the nation.
No other Ducks made the draft list.