Improving Ducks look to break .500 in Pac-10
By Dave Charbonneau
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The Oregon men's basketball
loam will trv to bring its record
above rii)() in the Pacific-10 (jon
ference for the first time since |er
ry Green took over when the
Ducks lace Washington State
tonight and Washington Satur
.i«v 'it Mr Arthur Court
Oregon (12 in the Par It). 5-7
overall) is Miming off one its most
lopsided and important Pm 10
wins in the past two years when
it defeated Oregon State 74 04
Saturday The Dm ks were
blessed in scheduling with a rare
three-game home stand and they
fare two of the three Par -10 teams
they defeated last season.
For Green, the most important
aspect of the Oregon State was
not the fact it will Ihi follower) by
two more homo games, but by the
fact his team finally may realize
they have the ability to win.
"I've seen us getting bolter, but
I'm not sure the kids wen; gam
ing any confidence," he said.
"After Saturday, I think the team
now realizes it's improving. You
r an toll them they're getting bet
ter. but players need to have
proof they're improving The Ore
gon State game proved that "
The Ducks held a 20-point lead
for much of the game, and not
until the final five minutes did
Oregon let the Beavers get back
in the game.
Perhaps the biggest boost the
Ducks got Saturday was the play
of junior transfer forward Darryl
Parker. Parker scored 15 points
and pulled down 10 boards and
drove Beaver point guard
Stephana Brown crazy with
tough, in-his-face defense which
forced Brown into committing six
turnovers in the first half alone.
"I've been waiting for someone
to step up at the 2-3 spot and Dar
ryl did that," Green said. "Darryl
definitely came to play Satur
day."
Parker is averaging nearly 10
points and seven rebounds in
Pac-10 play. He was averaging
less than two points and two
rebounds in non-conference
games
The Ducks have also got some
much-needed help inside front
thii emergence of forward Jeff Pot
tor. Potter was Oregon's loading
scorer Saturday with 21 points
and night rebounds Potter, who
misaeo the fXn.ks’ first two games
with an injury, has averaged 11
points and five retiounds a game,
and 14 points and seven
rebounds in Pat.-10 play
"Jeff has unproved a great deal
from where he was las! year."
Green said "He’s a lot more sol
id than he was last season He’s
played well inside, but more
importantly, he’s developing a
shot front 15 feet or so out, which
makes him a lot more diffii ult to
guard "
Opposing i.oat,lies are starting
to take notion of the performances
Potter and Oregon's other inside
players.
"Jeff Potter has made himself
a good Pac-10 player." Washing
ton State head coach Kelvin
Sampson said "IJp front they
have a lot of kids that can bang."
Washington head coach Hob
Bender said he was impressed
with what he saw of Oregon’s
low-post players during the first
half of the Oregon State win.
"Oregon is getting better," Ben
der said “Their inside players
seem to be playing with more
confidence."
The Ducks will need to con
tinue their solid play if they are
to have a shot against the (-ougnrs
tonight.
The Cougars (1-3. 11-5) are
coming off a split at home with
USC and UCLA Against the fifth
ranked Bruins. Washington State
led for 38 minutes, hut eventual
ly lost by two after a questionable
no-call on what looked like a
obvious UCLA goal tend in the
closing seconds.
Sampson said the last week
end’s games have left him
pleased overall, even if it did
leave a bad taste in his mouth.
"We played as well as we
lould against USC,” he said. "But
we also played well against
UCLA. Sometimes things out of
control happen. But I was pleased
with our mental toughness com
ing back the a day later to beat
USC."
The Cougars have lieen picked
by many to finish in the top five
U— ...— -- - ~~ ~ ~ ~ . . MARK Me T YRE/tor this Emerald
Oregon forward Jeff Potior has boon receiving pratsa tor hts Improved play this season.
in tho conference after going 9
2 in non-conference games, with
one of the losses coming at Indi
ana by only five points
Sampson said he'd be a lot
happier if Thursday's game won?
in Pullman rather than at
McArthur Court.
"Oregon hus continually
improved,” he said. “At home
especially, they have confidence
they can beat teams and they ten
It's a game for us to start play
in# bolter on the road."
Saturday, the Ducks will face
a team that looked a lot like Ore
gon did a year ago. The Huskies
(0-4. 2-11) ant in a transition year
with Bender, a first-year head
coach, trying to cope with a
Washington team predicted by
everybody to finish in the cellar
of the Pac-10.
The Huskies are coining off
losses to USC and UCLA, and
Bonder is viewing this weekend
as a chance lo get rid of the goose
egg in the win column.
"This weekend we face two
teams as hungry as we are to get
out of the Pac-10 cellar as we
are," he said. "I saw Oregon
against Idaho and their first half
against Oregon State. They are
getting hotter and their inside
players are playing with confi
dence."
Both games start at 7:05 p.m.
GO DUCKS!
I'ii
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