In order to take down UCLA at home, Oregon (16-4, 5-2 Pac-12) head coach Dana Altman was focused on two aspects of Oregon’s game heading into Saturday afternoon.
Altman challenged his team to win the rebounding battle against UCLA’s big combination of Tony Parker and Thomas Welsh while also finding a way to shut down UCLA (12-8, 3-4 Pac-12) sharpshooter Bryce Alford.
Alford entered the game averaging 17.1 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the field. Likewise, Parker and Welsh combine to grab 19 rebounds, eight offensively, per game.
Oregon sophomore point guard Casey Benson pestered Alford all game while the Ducks out rebounded the Bruins, 42-32, to earn the 86-72 win on Saturday afternoon.
“We’ve got to guard and rebound — I’m most pleased that we outrebounded them by 10,” Altman said. “I think our team can get a lot better… I’d be really disappointed if we don’t continue to make progress.”
Benson was a menace while defending Alford, running through multiple hard screens and denying Alford of his pivotal quick first step repeatedly. For the game, Alford scored 10 points but was just 3-for-13 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range. More importantly, not one of his baskets ignited a big-UCLA run as they have done in the past.
“I thought Casey played really hard today,” Altman said. “I thought he got through screens, I thought he kept a hand on the ball — I just thought Casey did a wonderful job.”
Seven different Oregon players grabbed at least four rebounds while UCLA had three players above that threshold. In addition, Oregon rebounded half its misses in the game, providing the Ducks with an advantage in second chance points and the ability to prolong possessions.
Chris Boucher led Oregon with 10 rebounds while adding 18 points. He also added four blocks and limited Parker to 11 points and six rebounds, stats below his season average.
The Ducks got a scoring boost from from a healthy Dillon Brooks. Brooks, who was sick in Thursday’s game against USC and shot just 6-for-15, scored 25 points on 10-for-21 shooting. He also grabbed seven rebounds while dishing out three assists.
“I’m feeling a lot better, I had a little stomach virus but it’s just a mental thing to get through the game and win with my teammates,” Brooks said. “My teammates gave me the ball and by them scoring and them hitting shots, it opens up everything for me.”
Brooks and Boucher allowed Oregon to keep its lead late in the game. They combined to score 13 of Oregon’s final 19 points over the final six minutes.
“The guys from north of the border were pretty good today,” Altman said of Brooks and Boucher, who are both from Canada.
After being blitzed by the Bruins early, the Ducks regained composure and slowly chipped away at the deficit until a Brooks jumper gave Oregon a 10-9 lead it would never relinquish. Oregon slowly and methodically added to its lead throughout the first half, building the lead to as much as 12 on separate occasions, before going into he break up 41-31.
UCLA started the second half on a 10-4 run over the first four minutes. Brooks responded with an and-one to put the Ducks back up by seven. Oregon pushed the lead back to double digits before UCLA went on another run, this time pulling within five, 63-58, and prompting Altman to call a timeout.
Oregon responded with an 11-4 run over the next four minutes to give itself a 74-62 lead with 4:30 to play before Brooks and Boucher put the game away.
Elgin Cook added 17 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Ducks while Jordan Bell and Benson each chipped in eight points.
UCLA’s five starters all scored in double figures but its bench players, who combined for 44 minutes of playing time, added just six points.
Oregon returns to action on Thursday when it faces No. 12 Arizona at 6 p.m. on ESPN2 at the McKale Center in Tuscon, Arizona.
“Ever since we got beat here, there, in the Pac-12 tournament… I can’t wait,” Brooks said about facing Arizona.
Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka