■ Men's basketball
Oregon to play host to New
Mexico, its potent offense
The Lobos hit 20 three-pointers against Santa Clara
Nov. 13 and are averaging nearly 86 points per game
BY JON ROETMAN
SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
The Oregon men’s basketball
team will play its second regular
season game tonight against New
Mexico at McArthur Court at 7 p.m.
After a win Friday against Idaho
State, Oregon (1-0) will face its tough
est challenge of the young season. The
Lobos (4-0) are a potent offensive team
averaging nearly 86 points per game
and knocking down perimeter jump
shots with ease. New Mexico showed
off its outside shooting capabilities
against Santa Clara on Nov. 13, when
the Lobos connected on 20 three
pointers during a 93-59 victory.
“It’s going to be a great, great ball
game,” Oregon head coach Ernie
Kent said. “They shoot the lights out
with the basketball. Any time you hit
20 three-pointers in a game, that tells
you something right there. Our defen
sive effort will have to be up to par. ”
The Lobos’ head coach is Ritchie
McKay, who was the head man at
Oregon State from 2000-02. Their
leading scorer is forward Danny
Granger, who is averaging 14.8
points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
The 6-foot-8 senior transferred from
Bradley after his sophomore season
and immediately made an impact
for New Mexico last season, when
he received first team All-Mountain
West Conference honors.
The Lobos also feature three oth
er players averaging double figures
in scoring. Guard Mark Wahers is
averaging 12.5 points per game,
while shooting 71 percent from the
floor (20 of 28). Guard Kris Collins
is averaging 10.8 points per contest,
while forward David Chiotti con
tributes 10.5 per game.
While New Mexico poses a threat,
Oregon is confident that its defense
can get the job done. The Ducks are
quick and athletic and like to play a
pressure style of defense. If they hope
to slow down the Lobos, they will need
to contest every three-point attempt.
“We are tall and athletic and we are
going to be able to lock up some
teams,” sophomore point guard Aaron
Brooks said. “Even though we lost a
lot of scoring from last year, I think we
picked up more defensive players.”
After tonight, the Ducks take on
Marshall on Saturday in Charleston,
W. Va. The Ducks’ next home game
is Dec. 14 against Bethune-Cookman.
jonroetman@dailyemerald. com
Jones: Point finger at Oregon players, not Bellotti
Continued from page 7
second half.
But when you fall behind so much,
it is pretty much useless to keep
pounding the ball on the ground.
The most ridiculous thing I’ve heard
since the loss is that people actually
think Mike Bellotti should be fired.
It’s one season people. He has
brought this program to levels it has
never seen and if you want to point
fingers at anybody, point them at
the playerc
They didn’t make the crucial
catches (i.e. California).
They fell behind 23-0 to Indiana
to jump-start the Hoosiers to a great
3-8 season.
To put this Oregon squad’s season
in perspective, it beat the four worst
teams in the conference and Idaho.
Most of these players will be back,
but will they realize they have to make
plays? Players can’t rely on just show
ing up and beating teams because they
have the “O” on their helmets.
Talent gets a team nowhere with
out playmakers.
And you can’t lose to the Beavers.
At least they can’t sit me outside
during basketball games.
claytonjones@dailyemerald. com
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Men: Ducks hit 48.5 percent
from field in second half
Continued from page 7
“We wanted to get (the games)
started and basketball is basket
ball,” Hairston said. “I understand
it is a higher level, but we came to
play and that’s why we are here.”
The Ducks jumped out in the first
half and never relinquished the lead
the entire game.
They used a 10-0 run to close
out the first half, capped off
by sophomore Aaron Brooks’ as
sist to freshman Chamberlain
Oguchi for a lay in and a 34-15
lead at the break.
The run started when junior
Brandon Lincoln followed a
Hairston miss with a two-handed
slam dunk to give the Ducks a
10-point lead. Lincoln finished with
seven points.
While the second half wasn’t as
good defensively for the Ducks, of
fensively they played better and shot
48.5 percent from the field, compared
with 39.4 percent in the first half.
Brooks — who scored 13 points,
dished out a career-high eight
assists and didn’t commit a turnover
— said a lot of their first-half troubles
were attributed to first-game jitters.
“In the beginning of the game
everyone was so hyped to play and
making careless passes,” Brooks
said. “We settled down and got into
a rhythm and started to go. ”
claytonjones@dailyemerald. com
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