2011 Oregon Basketball Preview

Written by Jack Jones - Google +

2010-11 Results

Overall: 21-18
Conference: 7-11 (t-7th)

Roster

Seniors

Garrett Sim
Olu Ashaolu
Jeremy Jacob
Tyrone Nared
Devoe Joseph

Juniors

E.J. Singler
Carlos Emory
Chris Larson
Tony Woods

Sophomores

Nicholas Lucenti
Johnathan Lloyd

Freshmen

Bruce Barron
Brett Kingma
Jabari Brown
Austin Kuemper

Head Coach

Dana Altman

Schedule

Date	Opponent
Wed, Nov 02	Grand Canyon (EXHIBITION)
Sun, Nov 06	Lewis and Clark (EXHIBITION)
Fri, Nov 11	@Vanderbilt
Thu, Nov 17	Eastern Washington
Sun, Nov 20	SE Missouri State
Wed, Nov 23	@Nebraska
Tue, Nov 29	UTEP
Sat, Dec 03	@BYU
Sat, Dec 10	Fresno State
Mon, Dec 12	Portland State
Sun, Dec 18	Virginia
Global Sports Hoops Showcase
Tue, Dec 20	Prairie View A&M vs. Stephen F. Austin
Tue, Dec 20	North Carolina Central
Wed, Dec 21	Stephen F. Austin vs. North Carolina Central
Wed, Dec 21	Prairie View A&M
Thu, Dec 22	North Carolina Central vs. Prairie View A&M
Thu, Dec 22	Stephen F. Austin
Pac-12 Conference
Thu, Dec 29	@Washington State *
Sat, Dec 31	@Washington *
Thu, Jan 05	Stanford *
Sun, Jan 08	California *
Thu, Jan 12	@Arizona State *
Sat, Jan 14	@Arizona *
Thu, Jan 19	USC *
Sat, Jan 21	UCLA *
Sun, Jan 29	Oregon State *
Thu, Feb 02	@Utah *
Sat, Feb 04	@Colorado *
Thu, Feb 09	Washington *
Sat, Feb 11	Washington State *
Thu, Feb 16	@California *
Sun, Feb 19	@Stanford *
Sun, Feb 26	@Oregon State *
Thu, Mar 01	Colorado *
Sat, Mar 03	Utah *
Pac-12 Conference Tournament
Wed, Mar 07 – Sat, Mar 10	Pac-12 Conference Tournament
*Conference Game

2011-12 Preview

The Ducks moved into their new $227 million Matthew Knight Arena in midseason and drew media attention, not just for the impressive new stadium, but for a floor decorated with paintings of trees and a barely visible midcourt line. The trees were supposed to honor both the Pacific Northwest and the 1939 Oregon national championship team known as the “tall firs.” They were soon receiving coaches’ complaints that the midcourt line was difficult to see and the controversy escalated when the Ducks hosted Creighton in the final game of the CBI. The Ducks won the CBI title by making a game-winning shot that came off a Creighton turnover created by an over-and-back call that might not have been committed had the line been more visible. The Ducks finally bowed to pressure over the summer, and painted the line in two shades of brown, matching the color of the trees around it but interrupted by a big “O” at center court.

But beyond all the hype over the new arena, Altman was proving to be an instant hit in the Pac-10, turning a mediocre bunch of players picked last in the Pac-10 into a team that improved steadily as the season progressed. Oregon coasted right into the CBI and a final series with Altman’s old school. Altman was also recruiting shrewdly.

The Ducks now have a greater depth, more experience and more talent than a year ago. It is still an odd mix, with four freshmen, a junior college transfer and three four-year transfers, two of whom who left their previous schools in controversial circumstances. There are also six returnees. But, if the Ducks continue their progression from last season, when they won about twice as many games as anyone predicted, they could be a factor in the Pac-12 race.

Oakland standout guard Jabari Brown (23.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg.) led the Ducks in scoring during their summer tour in Italy, averaging a team-high 15.4 points, though he had only four assists to 14 turnovers. Brown will probably be the starting off guard for the new season.

Guard Devoe Joseph (11.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg) won’t be eligible until December after transferring from Minnesota in the middle of last season following two suspensions.

Center Tony Woods (4.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg), a 6-11, 250-pound junior, had a particularly tough journey to Oregon, being dismissed at Wake Forest last fall after an assault charge. As part of a plea agreement, Woods was ordered to attend anger management classes plus community service.

The Ducks also have some experience and potential leadership in the backcourt with 6-1 senior Garrett Sim (8.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 apg), though he’ll have to fight with Brown for minutes off the ball. Altman began playing Sim at the point in Italy and he will probably find more game time in that position.

Sim and the Ducks’ other returning point guard, 5-8 sophomore Johnathan Loyd (4.7 ppg, 2.3 apg), were actually the only players on the team who compiled positive assist-to-turnover ratios in Italy. As a team the Ducks had a poor return with 97 turnovers to 45 assists, with junior college transfer Carlos Emory (16.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg) committing 13 turnovers to his two assists. Ashaolu had five assists with 16 turnovers.

The Ducks also bring in 6-3 freshman Bruce Barron. An attacking, athletic guard, Barron didn’t make the Ducks’ trip to Italy after he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus, but he was expected to be back for the start of full practices. Joseph can also play shooting guard, so he may see some time alongside Loyd, whose size and speed makes him difficult to stop. Last season, Loyd started 16 games, collecting 10 points and five assists in the first CBI game against Creighton.

The Ducks have scoring help at shooting guard with 6-1 freshman Brett Kingma (25.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg), a strong spot-up shooter who hit 11-of-24 three-pointers on the Italy trip.

The 6-7, 220-pound forward Olu Ashaolu (14.2, 9.4) was an honorable mention All-Western Athletic Conference pick last season, shooting 52.8 percent from the field and getting himself to the free-throw line an average of 6.1 times a game (117-of-194, .603).

Ashaolu will help at power forward, which could allow versatile 6-6 junior E.J. Singler (11.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg) to spend more time at small forward.

Altman will also have trouble keeping Emory, a junior college all-American, and 6-8 senior forward Tyrone Nared (5.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg) off the floor. Nared started the final 21 games last season, scoring a career-high 16 points against California. Emory has a good all-around game, with three-point shooting, rebounding and defense.

Austin Kuemper (16.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg), a 6-9, 240-pound freshman, is another option inside, while 6-8 senior Jeremy Jacob (6.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg) could surprise after coming off two knee surgeries.

More Pac 12 Basketball Predictions

Washington Huskies	Oregon Ducks	California Golden Bears
Arizona Wildcats	Colorado Buffaloes	UCLA Bruins
Stanford Cardinal	Oregon State Beavers	Washington State Cougars
Arizona State Sun Devils	Utah Utes	USC Trojans

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