Forward Ian Crosswhite was Oregon’s third option in the final 33 seconds of Monday’s game at McArthur Court.
Guards Luke Jackson and James Davis were Oregon’s first and second options. As the defenders collapsed on Davis, Crosswhite was low in the post battling man-to-man.
With a quick turn to the basket, Crosswhite executed as if there weren’t seven seconds left on the clock and a 74-74 tie. But there was a tie, and the game was in its waning moments.
Crosswhite wasn’t even expecting the ball.
“No, I was screening for James,” Crosswhite said. “He threw an unbelievable pass. He got that pass through there.”
Crosswhite’s final score gave Oregon the 76-74 win in its second and final exhibition game against the EA Sports All-Stars.
It was the little things that didn’t go Oregon’s way that left it close. Early in the game, turnovers hurt Oregon as the Ducks played unselfishly. Second-chance attempts didn’t go in the basket early on. The Ducks shot 35.7 percent from the free-throw line.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well at times,” head coach Ernie Kent said. “We shot free throws poorly, which gives me some things we certainly need to work on.”
It was Oregon’s first true test. Oregon had no trouble defeating MBC Nikolaev in its first exhibition. But it was a wake-up call that Oregon needed.
“It was a game that was great for us to play at this time of year,” Kent said. “That’s a much better game for us than to beat someone by 30 or 40. That team was a team that made us think. They made us play some tough basketball at times.”
Oregon’s test came early on. EA Sports took a 12-10 lead six minutes in and held it for nearly all of the first half. Forward Ed O’Bannon had 11 of his 21 points in the first 20 minutes. He lead all scorers in the game.
When forward Maurice Spillars earned a technical foul with less than a minute to go in the half, Oregon went on a 5-point swing to lead, 46-40, at halftime. Spillars was caught having words with Jackson.
“He really wasn’t talking to me that much,” Jackson said. “But on the play before that, he was running down the floor, and he took a cheap shot at me and there were some words said.”
Oregon wasted no time to start the second half. After a Crosswhite layup and freshman Aaron Brooks’ break-away, the Ducks had the game’s biggest lead, 54-43, at 15:35.
But EA Sports made its free throws and converted on the fast break and with less than 10 minutes to go, pulling it to within six points. EA Sports was 93.3 percent from the free-throw line, bettering Oregon’s 5 for 14 performance.
“We led the league two years in free throw shooting,” Crosswhite said. “Guys and personally myself are going to have to get in there late at night and shoot up a 100 free throws.”
As EA Sports continued to chop away at Oregon’s lead, it was at the 1:47 mark when the teams met at a deadlock of 74. With the clock winding down, Davis found Crosswhite for the game-winner.
“Two guys came out on me, and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to shoot it, as terrible as I’m shooting,” Davis said.
Davis had plenty of looks, but they didn’t fall as he went 1 for 7 from the field. Jackson led Oregon with 17 points in his 34 minutes, but they all came in the first half. Brooks had 11 points.
Oregon shot 49.2 percent from the field. EA Sports was 54.9 percent on field goals and out-rebounded the Ducks 32 to 27. The Ducks shot twice as many three-pointers than their opponent, finishing 9 for 26. Jackson earned three of those three-pointers.
The Ducks know they have work to do before they face Fresno State on Friday night at McArthur Court. The little things, including free throw shooting and improved defense, top the list.
“Fresno State will be a very athletic basketball team,” Kent said.
“They play a lot of one-on-one basketball. They’ve got a pretty good system. They really pound the glass very similar to this team.”