Mens Basketball: Oregon Beats UCLA 64-59!

[Charles Fischer]

EUGENE, Ore. — A second-straight 20-point performance from Oregon freshman Jackson Shelstad helped the Ducks hold off numerous comeback attempts by UCLA, beating the Bruins 64-59 on Saturday afternoon.

 

Shelstad became the first UO freshman with consecutive 20-point games since Bol Bol in 2018-19. With the team struggling to find a rhythm on offense, success on the defensive end proved to be vital. The Oregon perimeter defense put on an impressive display, holding UCLA to just 15.8 (3-for-19) shooting from behind the arc and racking up 12 steals on the night. 

 

How It Happened: After Kwame Evans Jr. scored the first bucket of the afternoon thanks to a slick assist from Jermaine Couisnard, UCLA gained control of the game and built an 11-7 lead as the game approached the second media timeout. Oregon fought back to regain the lead with a 9-2 scoring run across the next two minutes thanks to balanced scoring and good efforts on the defensive glass.  

 

The Bruins used their presence inside to prevent the lead from growing, keeping the Ducks within four in a tightly-contested half. A pull-up jumper from UCLA's Sebastian Mack as the clock expired cut the Oregon lead down to 33-31 as the teams broke for halftime. 

The Bruins came out of the gates hot in the second half, scoring 11 of the first 15 points of the period to reclaim the lead and go in front by five. It was then that Oregon caught fire from behind the arc as the Ducks used the deep ball to score their next 12 points, including three-straight triples from Shelstad, generating a 14-2 run to take back the lead bring Matthew Knight Arena alive. Jadrian Tracey capped the run with a tough layup at the rim as the Ducks jumped out to a 51-44 with just over nine minutes to play. 

 

 

UCLA refused to go away once again, scoring the next two buckets out of a timeout that brought it back to a one-possession affair as the under-eight media timeout approached. The teams traded baskets before Oregon took another swing as Shelstad drilled his fourth triple of the night followed immediately by a steal-and-score from Couisnard that pushed the lead to seven in a matter of 15 seconds.

 

With 3:30 remaining, UCLA attempted to control the tempo by stringing together a few stops while feeding the ball inside for tough buckets in the paint, cutting the lead down to one with 32 seconds remaining.

 

Facing a full court press, the Ducks got the ball to Shelstad in open space who connected with fellow freshman Evans Jr. to hammer the nail in the coffin with a posterizing dunk, energizing MKA once again. A stop and a rebound led to two free throws for Shelstad, who sank them both to secure the 64-59 victory for Oregon.

 

Up Next: Oregon kicks off the new year in Seattle as the Ducks travel to play Washington on Thursday, Jan. 4. The game tips off at 6 p.m. PT with broadcast coverage provided by Pac-12 Networks.

[Charles Fischer]

 

[Dave23]

The ducks are looking good so far. Can't believe they're holding down the middle with Evans at 6'9" 220bl and Diawara at 6'10" 265bl. To be honest Diawara is only averaging 16 minutes a game, most the time a 6'4" guard is in the 4 spot.

 

Dana is coaching some great small ball with lots of ball movement and tenacious defence. Can't wait to have Cook and Dante back. 

 

 

[spartan2785]

It's incredibly early to say this, but I've seen enough to say that I think if Shelsted stay for 3 years he'll become the best point guard in our history, that includes some really good ones in Brandon, Brooks, and Pritchard.  He is everything I hoped for and more, just an incredible talent that I hope will stick around for two more years simply because he isn't as big as you typically see leave early for the NBA, he's actually smaller than Peyton so I'm hoping that means he won't hear the draft projections that make him want to go. 

[Dave23]

On 12/30/2023 at 7:15 PM, spartan2785 said:

It's incredibly early to say this, but I've seen enough to say that I think if Shelsted stay for 3 years he'll become the best point guard in our history, that includes some really good ones in Brandon, Brooks, and Pritchard.  He is everything I hoped for and more, just an incredible talent that I hope will stick around for two more years simply because he isn't as big as you typically see leave early for the NBA, he's actually smaller than Peyton so I'm hoping that means he won't hear the draft projections that make him want to go. 

He could be a 4 year player for that very reason, not many 6' PG getting drafted very high nowadays. 

[Grandpa Duck]

Shelstad is one of those rare players who plays taller than he measures.  Great hops and timing.  Very difficult to block his shot because his release is quick and high.

[Sandy Rocks]

It's a fun team to watch. They play so much harder than last year and yet are impacted as much if not more from injuries, I have to believe that Shelstad has an impact on that. He plays as well as Pritchard in his freshman year, maybe better since Pritchard had so many talented and experienced players around him. I am excited to see Cook and Dante come back. They could be quite the team.

[EastBayDuckDad]

A couple of observations after watching the Ducks take care of business at home against the LA schools. 

 

Defense is back. So is moving the ball and playing DA's offense that makes the extra pass to get an open look. Thus 3pt shooting is better and it compensates in part for the lack of post presence while Dante and Bittle are out.

 

In both games the Ducks built a lead then came out flat in the 2nd half. In previous years they would fold and lose close games. Now led by Shelstad, they stiffen up on defense, get a couple of clutch points and play well enough down the stretch to win. 

 

JS is not only playing good fundamentally (crisp passing, ball movement, lack of TOs and aggressive defense) but making clutch shots. When he brings the ball up on point he is always glancing at DA to get the right call. He is showing rapid progression and a level of maturity that is rare in a freshman.

 

As far as comparing JS to PP at this stage, perhaps it's better to recognize the connection and line of succession from one to the next, with the pupil following in the footsteps of the master.

 

 

 

[Sandy Rocks]

That's a really great comment about how Shelstad is looking to his coach for the play. So unusual for a freshman to be so mature and unselfish. I hope that Altman can keep the three freshman together. There is already good chemistry between Evans and Shelstad, hopefully that will also be true with Cook. I am excited to see how Cook plays, he definitely is supposed to be very talented.

[GangGreen2]

On 12/31/2023 at 9:37 AM, EastBayDuckDad said:

A couple of observations after watching the Ducks take care of business at home against the LA schools. 

 

Defense is back. So is moving the ball and playing DA's offense that makes the extra pass to get an open look. Thus 3pt shooting is better and it compensates in part for the lack of post presence while Dante and Bittle are out.

 

In both games the Ducks built a lead then came out flat in the 2nd half. In previous years they would fold and lose close games. Now led by Shelstad, they stiffen up on defense, get a couple of clutch points and play well enough down the stretch to win. 

 

JS is not only playing good fundamentally (crisp passing, ball movement, lack of TOs and aggressive defense) but making clutch shots. When he brings the ball up on point he is always glancing at DA to get the right call. He is showing rapid progression and a level of maturity that is rare in a freshman.

 

As far as comparing JS to PP at this stage, perhaps it's better to recognize the connection and line of succession from one to the next, with the pupil following in the footsteps of the master.

 

 

 

Shelstad certainly reminds me of Pritchard . . . he seems even more fundamentally sound at this point than Pritchard was.  He is like a more slender, but quicker and a bit more athletic version of PP.  I hope he sticks around, because he is the real deal.   

Right now he is a "shoot first" PG  (he is already an excellent shooter, and knows how to create space to get his shot off against bigger players) . . . his progression will be to make everyone else around him better, and add more assists to his stat line.

[DuckGee]

Very excited about the team's progress!  It will be interesting to see how the team responds to the re-introduction of the bigs to the team, I think emphasizing maintaining their fast pace will be a key challenge with a bigger lineup, but having more of an inside-out game will enhance their current capabilities.