LOS ANGELES — In the postgame press conference, a reporter asked Oregon senior Freddie Jones why he “wasn’t into the game” during the first half.
Before Jones could answer, Oregon head coach Ernie Kent, seated next to Jones at the podium, spoke up.
“He had a 102 temperature before tip-off that finally got down to about 99 before he came back out of that locker room,” Kent said. “Our doctors were real concerned about putting him out there.”
Jones finished with 15 points in Oregon’s 86-64 victory Thursday over Washington at the Pacific-10 Conference Tournament.
He said he began feeling sick Wednesday and felt worse Thursday morning. He had cold sweats. He felt weak. But in no way was he going to miss the game.
“I was always going to play,” Jones said. “I was just concerned that I wouldn’t be much of a factor for our team and that it would force me to sit out.”
The senior guard was visibly struggling with his stamina in the first half, scoring just two points. But in the second half, he was back to being his usual self and wowing the Staples Center with one-handed block shots and a thundering breakaway dunk.
“Freddie’s a catalyst of this team and even though he is sick, he came out and played hard, still making unbelievable plays,” point guard Luke Ridnour said.

‘Quotable’
Luke Jackson on his dunk in the second half that ended with him falling hard on his back: “I think my pride is hurting a little bit more than my back.”
Mark Michaelis on his long-range three-pointer that banked in from the top of the key, prompting Michaelis to run down the floor in laughter: “I’d rather be lucky than good.”
Jones on his reaction to not being named Pac-10 Player of the Year:
“My reaction is I got a Pac-10 championship. I’m happy.”
Washington sophomore Doug Wrenn on whether or not he’ll be returning to the Huskies or leaving early for the NBA: “A lot of people say I could come out early and be a solid pick. But I could probably come out early next year and be a lottery pick.”
USC’s Brandon Granville, after his Trojans crushed Stanford, on the conference tourney: “It’s one game elimination. We’re trying to win the Pac-10 Tournament since we didn’t win the regular season championship.”
USC plays regular season champ Oregon at 6 p.m. today.