Sandy Rocks

This team has been playing well all season so they are not going to show the improvement that other teams have shown. I see small pieces falling into place. They were slacking off in the first half of games but are starting to play better in the first half. The game against Wash. they had like seven turnovers in the first half and only one in the second. Neither Shelstad or Bittle had a great game yesterday but the rest of the team picked up the slack. Bamba ended up scoring 21 with three threes. Cook made about 12 points including 9/10 free throws. Angel also had a great game and Key and Tracy were their normal great selves. It does seem like once the game gets down to the five minute make that they just turn the switch on and crank down on the defense. They have all the hallmarks of a good tournament team. They won't have many games at home which is strange because it doesn't seem like they have played many conference games at home. Maybe they don't play as many conference games. With a team this deep, they can afford to have some inconsistency if the others take up the slack. They are back on the road now to Minnesota and UCLA. Hopefully they can beat both.

My thoughts on Angel is that he is a perfectionist and he doesn't want to shoot unless he can make it.

They finished strong at home by 10. I swear they are going to give me a heart attack. Great game by Bamba, Angel and Cook. Bamba had 21. Wow. Cook even made most of his free throws. Things are looking up. They need this kind of production from those three. The Refs threw off a lot of the rhythm of the game especially for Bittle. Very poor calls. They called a flagrant foul on Key which to me only looked like just a hard foul. Really good game. Wash. played hard, this is their fifth loss. This conference is brutal but if Oregon can continue to play like this they will do well. The announcers just said that the ducks only have five home games left, and it's still January.

Winners of each conference should get automatic bids but not automatic byes. One does not equal the other. Hopefully they will fix it and reduce the wail time before the games start so the bye doesn't have as much impact. The long wait made each bye team come out cold and by the time they could get going, it was too late especially for the ducks although there was more going on than that which I often don't understand since football is not my thing even though I enjoy it. I think placing Oregon third in the standings was appropriate since they only lost one game even though it was a stinker.

Great game so far. Both Bamba and Angel are playing hard. Bamba actually made a three. The refs were really slow to call fouls. Evans even drove to the basket two times expecting fouls but no luck. Wash. can't shoot threes, currently 1/12 and they don't seem to get offensive rebounds so they just need to defend the paint which they were doing better near the end of the half. They just need to keep it it. I love Luke Jackson's analysis, he is always right on.

They need to have Bamba and Angel start producing more. It's nothing that they haven't done before. If I were Altman I would start Key he is a great shooter and starting him would get him in rhythm faster rather than coming in cold from the bench. The first half of the game with Purdue was really intense, definitely the best defensive stance all season. They need to maintain that.

Bamba had a good game but he is really off on his shots. They did start Tracy today probably because of that. They were playing so well again until they weren't. The first half was like a playoff game. Shelshad didn't do as well, they need him to score and it changes everything for all the others. It just seems to raise their confidence level. Yes they lost because they weren't getting the offensive rebounds. The ducks are tall and physical, they should be getting those rebounds. They are vital to stopping an opponent. I couldn't fault them at all for the first half but the shooting in the second half just didn't cut it. Evans always seems to play well and has earned a starting position. I agree start Key and Evans. Angel is good but he hasn't been shooting very much. I feel he always wants to be perfect and when he can't, he doesn't want to try as much.

They may go up three because one basket by Bittle was waved away and Luke Jackson seem to think they will give it back. We'll see. I love this team they are so good, everyone is playing their top game. Bamba has had some great defensive plays. He still has difficulty finishing on his shots, he really needs to work on that. Watch for Shelstad in the second half, he's going to take over.

Oregonians are not really into elite things like luxury boxes. You miss a lot of the atmosphere.

What a phenomenal game, like a playoff game. The ducks are playing great defense and the turnovers need to be reduced and the offensive boards that Purdue has scored on and the ducks will prevail. The ducks have the depth, like Luke Jackson is saying, and it can be a real factor in the second half. Also Shelstad has only six points. He is a second half player.

I don't thing people should forget the Lukes. Luke Jackson and Luke Ridinour. Both phenomenal ducks who played for Ernie Kent prior to the ducks team. Luke is now the color commentator on the duck radio program. I enjoy his thoughts on things.

Bol has done well in the NBA but as a duck he hardly played. He was always hurt. As others have said you can't confuse NBA stars with how they played as ducks.

I am going to switch up the guards, so beware: Pritchard Shelstad (although this is a close one Young was phenomenal) Brooks Evans Dante

Coaching is like teaching which I know a lot about. You have to motivate your players with short and long term goals. Then give them regular feedback to keep them focused. These are young men who are learning about responsibility and motivation. It's particularly hard with the self oriented five star players. I remember when Altman had some of those players, it is difficult to get them to work hard but it is the coach and their staff's job to find a way. That's why I like this current duck team. They work hard and accept their role. They know what the goal is and even with that there is often some let down. It's a long season. I agree airing your dirty laundry in public is never a good thing.

I just remembered something about Dorsey that I had forgotten. He actually played a lot like Bamba during the regular season. Very inconsistent. When the team got to the PAC-12 tournament that year, he just took off and played well from that time on. Hopefully Bamba is similar, and will crank it up when the pressures on. Hopefully this game with Purdue will answer some questions.

This team is really good but I have to admit when you compare this team to the final four team, at this point in the schedule they would be lacking. That team as well the team with the two Lukes had three consistent shooters. This team is deep but they really need another scorer to emerge. It could be Batholemy if he played like he did last year before he got hurt. It could be Bamba if he played like he did in the Tournament in Las Vegas. Evans could emerge.or even Tracy. Jordon Bell was a force to behold and he could block like nobody's business but Bittle is really good. Bell was never the center though, Bouchet was the center. If I compared Bittle to Bouchet and Bittle wins hands down. We aren't even half way through this season, a lot can happen. The great thing about the final four team was that they had played together for two years, some for three. This team is still feeling it way. They play great defense which is keeping them in games. I am not sure how much better they can be. We will have to wait and see but I am sure enjoying watching them.

You don't get a double technical unless you are really ragging on the refs, following them around or getting on the court and disrupting the flow of the game. Its true coaches don't do that unless things have gotten out of control. I can count on one hand how many times Altman has gotten a technical. He rarely loses his composure.

Wow some interesting comments by the opposing coach. I can't believe he said that he told the refs that they were going to foul on the inbound play. Its that a threat? You need to make a call because I told you that? Then he was mad when the refs didn't call it. I thought it was a well called game, very fair. I also need to add that if he thinks that Biddle is going to miss the free throw, he needs to think again because he is a great free throw maker, especially at the end of the game. I also checked on the inbound play at the end of games. Teams are allowed to run the baseline after a score by the other team. You see it all the time but those announcers expected a call. It was funny when they said, "Well I guess they are not going to make a call and the games over. Shelstad made a great play. No one was going to get that ball away from him. I hope the ducks come to play at home, Purdue is a good team.

Shelstad is a beast. He reminds me so much of Pritchard. They both have ice in their veins, shoot lights out, and play excellent defense with a never say die attitude. Shelstad refuses to lose and he's got his entire team believing that. Mark my words, this team is going to go far in March. They are that good. They have all the signs of a good team - good defense, excellent free throw shooting, able to score in the key, good ball handling and lots of experience. Rebounding and three point shooting is getting better. They don't get rattled. I like how they bounced back from the bad loss they had. It's like it never happened.

I really don't think these refs are that bad. Today's game seemed very evenly called. In my opinion, they have a long way to go to be as bad as the PAC-12. With regard to the scheduling, I have to say that USC and UCLA are the ones that started this whole thing. Scheduling was alway going to be difficult when you need to fly across country, in three time zone. They play a lot of basketball games and some games are going to be difficult time wise. This is the first year, there are bound to be problems that will need to be addressed. Whining doesn't work, it only makes your team a target.

I always listen to the game on the radio but the announcers must have talked about the player who was hurt because they showed him like over ten times.

They owned the game until they didn't and let PSU back into the game but as they have done 7 out of 8 times now, they came back and won. Their ability to win at the end will pay dividends for them. It is so nice at the end of games when the opposing team has to foul that you know it's not going to be problem. The only player who is bad with free throws is Supreme Cook who doesn't seem to be able to hit the broadside of a barn Just a great team effort with very balance scoring. Tracy had a great game. I guess they made up for the two loses at home. Hopefully they can come home and do well. Playing on the road doesn't seem to bother this team at all.

Good start but a little sloppy right before the break. I think they got the message that they it's a lot less exhausting if you get ahead and stay ahead than if you have to make run after run to catch up. I guess they have a key player out, it's hard to lose your point guard. The ducks are playing really well, very balance scoring.

I remember watching the UCLA game on TV. It was so exciting. In those days USC dominated football and UCLA basketball but after that game things started to change. My parents were big duck fans. They even went once and took in the Far West Classic. I remember they raved about seeing Magic Johnson. That was a wonderful tournament and they got some great teams. I know all these teams now want to go to the exotic locations.

This team actually seems to be more focused on the road than at home which is amazing since playing back in the midwest, they hardly have any fans. Maybe they are more distracted by things at home.