If the Ducks had been any faster Wednesday, they would’ve been given a speeding ticket. Or at least been called for a false start.
But there was nothing false about Oregon’s Tasmanian Devil-style season-opening win in front of 8,206 fans at McArthur Court. The No. 9 Ducks, ranked in the preseason for the first time in school history, ran wild in a 135-86 route of the Australian Institute of Sport in their first exhibition game of the season.
“We didn’t anticipate a really big blowout, but we played good defense and that opened up our transition game,” said junior forward Luke Jackson, who paced the Ducks with 32 points and nine rebounds.
Even without guard Freddie Jones, the human highlight-reel drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA draft, the Ducks blazed out to a torrid pace early on, led by junior point guard Luke Ridnour’s 11 first-half assists.
“We are quicker team now than we were last year,” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said.
The Ducks led by 10 with 12 minutes to play in the opening period, but went on a huge run — which included a 17-2 streak — to take a 79-37 lead into the locker room.
“It seemed really unfamiliar to look up and see 70 points in the first half. That’s unheard-of,” Jackson said.
The Aussies committed 21 turnovers in the first half, including 11 Oregon steals.
It doesn’t hurt that the Ducks rarely missed. Junior guard James Davis, junior transfer Andre Joseph, and redshirt freshman center Ian Crosswhite, playing against his former mates from Australia, combined to hit 10-of-11 three-pointers in the first half. Overall, the Ducks connected on 15-of-24 (.625) shots from beyond the arc.
“It has not been a surprise to me for us to shoot that well,” Kent said.
Celebrating his 21st birthday Wednesday, Jackson said the win was especially pleasing. But he said that he didn’t have any wild plans for a birthday celebration.
“I’m just going to go the family’s house (in Creswell), eat a little cake and call it a night,” Jackson said.
Indeed, a slow start for a 21er — about the only slow aspect of Oregon’s start to the 2002-03 season.