*Duc& g‘7%ac^ __ By Bob Robinson ^ Emarild Sporti Editor What has happened to the University of Oregon basketball team? 'I hat has been the question on the tongues of almost every 1 hick basketball fan for the past two weeks. After ripping through league opponents with relative ease for half of the sea son and compiling a seven won and two lost record for their fir. t nine games in Northern Division play the Webfoots suddenly fell apart at the scams and lost three straight encount ers. W adiington State, a team that the Ducks had beaten three straight times, was the first to knock Bill Borcher’s five off their perch with a 74-98 win at McArthur Court two weeks ago. rl hen, after a ten day rest, the Webfoots travelled to Moscow, Idaho and absorbed two consecutive shellackings from the \ andals, 68-5 1 and 79-65. '1 hcse losses cost the Oregon quintet dearly, because, before they took place the Ducks were firmly entrenched in first place. Now, with a seven and five won-loss mark, they are in second place, one full game behind the OSC Beavers. In order to win the Northern Division crown, the Ducks would probably have to win all four of their remaining games or at least three of them. Seattle Jinx 'I he possibility of Oregon winning all the rest of their tilts is i next to impossible. This weekend, when the Webfoots invade Seattle, they will be encountering a jinx that has plagued them f< mental club than this year’s Oregon team. It they want to play ball and win they can reach amazing heights of success. But, > on the other hand, if they aren’t feeling just right, they are the most pathetic team in the league, barring none. ► Ducks Inconsistent A good example of the Wcbfoot inconsistency occurred only a short time ago. The Ducks looked sharper than a tack in downing OSC 42-40 but only four nights later they looked lousy in absorbing their six point loss to last-place Washington State. Center Max Anderson is one of the most temperamental players on the team. Against the Beavers, Max was a tiger on the boards and terrific on defense, besides scoring a very neat 18 points. In the WSC series Anderson was a different player. He lacked scoring punch, hustle, and he rebounded far below his capabilities. An even better example is Duck Captain Kenny Wegner. Wegner, deemed as an All-American candidate before the season began, has looked good in some games but has been so poor in others that lie will be lucky to get an honorable mention rating on this season’s Northern Division all-star quintet. . Need "Will to Win" ► We could elaborate on many of the other Duck players in the »ame way but it would be somewhat pointless. The main point r that the Oregons can be great when they have the desire to f win but they don’t always have this desire. [ In their last three games the Ducks obviously have been lacking the old “will to win spirit.” Will they have it back with ^tliem against the Huskies this weekend? Nobody knows. If I they do they will be very tough to beat despite the “Seattle L jinx.” If they don’t have it, well, heaven only knows how bad F Washington will pour it on. Webfoots Face Washington' In Do-or-Die Cage Contests} With their last fading chances of a Northern Division championship hanging in the balance, the University of Ore gon basketball team takes on the fast-improving Washington Huskies in an important two game series at Seattle this weekend. The Ducks, who trail Oregon State by one full game, need to win both contests in order to stay in the running for the league championship. The Beavers are playing two tussles with Washing 1 ton State this weekend, but, the1 joillmen are expected to win both ! battles and, if they do, it will | make two Oregon wins necessary, ' also. Although the Webfoots of coach Bill Borcher currently hold a pair Duck Captain HEX WEGNER, Oregon guard and captain, will be In the line-up to night and Saturday evening as the Ducks play a very important ser ies with the Washington Huskies at Seattle. Wegner is a senior from Portland. 5f wins over the Washingtonians^ they will by no means go into the series as the favorite. The Huskies have improved constantly evert since they made their disastrous trek to Eugene one month ago and now are considered to be a much stronger team. Ducks Win First Series In their Eugene session the Ducks won both game.s, the first by a 77-76 score and the final by a 64-48 tally. Borcher has been shifting his line-up around all week long in art effort to find a combination that will be able to break the three game Duck losing streak". AD though he hasn't decided for sure it appears that the rangy Oregon mentor will start the fracas with Ed Halberg and Barney Holland, at the forward spots. Max Ander son at center, and Ken Wegner and Howard Page in the back court. Dye will try to match this team., with Karl Voegtlin and Jim Cos how at the forward posts, Dean Parsons at center, and Doyle Per kins and Jerry Johnson at guards. Perkins, who has been one of the Husky stars as of late, did not. play in the first Oregon-Washing ton series. Defense vs. Fast Break The key to the outcome of the, series will probably lie on just,, how well Washington’s "vastly im proved defense can slow down the. Ducks’ lightning fast break. 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