by DSH contributing writer Eric Sloat
Okay, make that 3 conference losses by 2 points, Arizona 67, Oregon 65.
I said that the UCLA loss hurt, this one just left me numb. Oregon outplayed Arizona; they looked like the dominant team. The Wildcats had the lead early in the first half, but at the 16:39 mark, Dotson hit a 3 to give the Ducks a 9-6 lead. Arizona would not take the lead again until Arizona point guard;,TJ McConnell connected on a 3 with 1:34 left in the game to make it, 62-60, Wildcats. Oregon started the game shooting very poorly, but would gradually pick it up and eventually outshoot the Wildcats, 23-54, 42.6% to Arizona, 22-55, 40.0.
Oregon also out rebounded the much bigger Wildcats,37- 34. But, early on especially, the Wildcats got 2nd chance points off of offensive rebounds and those points would be deadly later on.
Nick of time: leading late but succumbing to poor decisions and a lack of fundamental soundness, Oregon fell to 15-7 after a loss to Arizona (Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports images).
Arizona struggled as much as any team Oregon had played this season to get a good shot, the Ducks were communicating and making the right decisions play after play. Arizona survived by getting offensive rebounds and yes, having the ball bounce just the right way. A perfect example was a 3 point try by Nick Johnson that was so short, the Ducks, all packed in at the basket couldn’t get to it.. Rondae Holliss-Jefferson got the offensive rebound and scored on a lay-up. It would be like that all game long.
At the 12:17 mark in the 2nd half, Oregon led 50-43, Arizona then went on a 7-0 run tying it up, 50-50, but Oregon responded with a 6-0 run of their own, and again had control of the game. But it just wasn’t to be. All throughout the game, Arizona had survived on 2nd chance points. At the end of the game, the things that Oregon had been doing well went poorly. With 6 minutes to go, Oregon up, 56-52, Mike Moser lost control of the ball and it went out of bounds. Two minutes later, John Loyd trips himself up and is called for traveling. Two empty possessions by Oregon caused by unforced errors. With 2:43 left, Ducks up 60-57, Joe Young shoots a deep 3 with 30 seconds left on the shot clock. If it goes in, great! But the Ducks had been doing so well, playing under control, that it was a very bad shot to take. Though it wouldn’t be only poor decisions that doomed the Ducks.
All game the Wildcats were awful at shooting free throws, 19-35, but at the end of the game, Johnson made 5 of 6. For the Ducks? Inside of 23 seconds, Artis misses two straight, and Caliste misses the first of a one and one. Basketball is a cruel game, Arizona had been horrible from the free throw line all night, but it turns out to be where they get the win. When the Ducks are in a rut they find themselves in there is no margin for error. Now they have to somehow let this one go and get ready for Arizona State, victorious over Oregon State, 86-82 in overtime.
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