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| #21 Oregon Ducks visits #24 UCLA Bruins. |
First look: Oregon at UCLA
By Peter Yoon
ESPNLosAngeles.com
January, 18, 2013 4:41 PM PT
What: No. 21 Oregon Ducks (15-2, 4-0) at No. 24 UCLA Bruins (15-3, 5-0)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m. PT
Where: Pauley Pavilion
TV: CBS
Radio: AM 570
Scouting the Bruins: UCLA is riding its first 10-game win streak since 2008-09 and is 5-0 in conference play for the first time since 2003-04. The Bruins are coming off a 74-64 victory over Oregon State that wasn't as close as the final score and improved to 11-1 at Pauley Pavilion this season. They lead all Pac-12 teams in scoring (78.2 points per game) and shooting (47.7 percent on field goals), but those numbers have been falling since Pac-12 play opened. In conference games, the Bruins are averaging 71.2 points and shooting 45.1 percent. UCLA's biggest weakness is rebounding. The Bruins have been outrebounded in four of their five Pac-12 games and are No. 9 in the conference in rebounding margin. The good news is that UCLA is 7-0 when getting outrebounded. Forward Travis Wear has had the hot hand of late and is averaging 16.6 points over the past six games, including a career-best 23 Saturday at Colorado. Leading scorer Shabazz Muhammad notched his seventh game of 20 points or more on Thursday against Oregon State and is averaging 18.4 points. He's also shooting a conference-leading 46.6 percent (21-for-45) on 3-point attempts. Guard/forward Kyle Anderson is averaging a double-double in conference play (12.8 points, 10.2 rebounds) and is shooting 58.3 percent from the field over the past five games.
Scouting the Ducks: Oregon comes in on a six-game win streak -- the second longest in the conference, behind UCLA’s -- and is nationally ranked for the first time since 2007. The win streak includes an impressive 70-66 victory over No. 7 Arizona last week. The Ducks also boast a victory over UNLV in a tournament game on the Rebels’ home floor. The Ducks squeaked past USC 76-74 on Thursday night, and that victory probably served as a wake-up call for Saturday’s showdown at Pauley. Oregon is seeking its first 5-0 start in conference play since 1973-74. That streak, coincidentally, was broken by UCLA in Los Angeles. Rebounding is a key strength for the Ducks, who lead the Pac-12 and are No. 7 in the nation with a plus-9.2 rebounding margin this season. Arsalan Kazemi, a 6-foot-7 forward, is averaging 9.4 rebounds per game, and E.J. Singler is averaging 5.2. Oregon is also a strong scoring team, ranking second in the conference at 76.4 points per game, and has outscored opponents by a conference-leading 14.3 points per tilt. Oregon is hot from behind the arc in recent games, shooting 40.4 percent on 3-pointers over their past four contests. The team is difficult to defend because five players are averaging in double-figure scoring, including leading scorer Damyean Dotson, a 6-foot-5 freshman who is averaging 11.8 points.
The series: UCLA leads the all-time series 83-29, though Oregon has won four of the past six meetings, including a 75-68 victory in Eugene the last time these teams met.
Fast fact: This will be the first time since March 13, 2009, that two conference teams will meet when ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. (No. 23 Arizona State defeated No. 13 Washington, 75-65, in the Pac-10 tournament in that 2009 game.)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m. PT
Where: Pauley Pavilion
TV: CBS
Radio: AM 570
Scouting the Bruins: UCLA is riding its first 10-game win streak since 2008-09 and is 5-0 in conference play for the first time since 2003-04. The Bruins are coming off a 74-64 victory over Oregon State that wasn't as close as the final score and improved to 11-1 at Pauley Pavilion this season. They lead all Pac-12 teams in scoring (78.2 points per game) and shooting (47.7 percent on field goals), but those numbers have been falling since Pac-12 play opened. In conference games, the Bruins are averaging 71.2 points and shooting 45.1 percent. UCLA's biggest weakness is rebounding. The Bruins have been outrebounded in four of their five Pac-12 games and are No. 9 in the conference in rebounding margin. The good news is that UCLA is 7-0 when getting outrebounded. Forward Travis Wear has had the hot hand of late and is averaging 16.6 points over the past six games, including a career-best 23 Saturday at Colorado. Leading scorer Shabazz Muhammad notched his seventh game of 20 points or more on Thursday against Oregon State and is averaging 18.4 points. He's also shooting a conference-leading 46.6 percent (21-for-45) on 3-point attempts. Guard/forward Kyle Anderson is averaging a double-double in conference play (12.8 points, 10.2 rebounds) and is shooting 58.3 percent from the field over the past five games.
Scouting the Ducks: Oregon comes in on a six-game win streak -- the second longest in the conference, behind UCLA’s -- and is nationally ranked for the first time since 2007. The win streak includes an impressive 70-66 victory over No. 7 Arizona last week. The Ducks also boast a victory over UNLV in a tournament game on the Rebels’ home floor. The Ducks squeaked past USC 76-74 on Thursday night, and that victory probably served as a wake-up call for Saturday’s showdown at Pauley. Oregon is seeking its first 5-0 start in conference play since 1973-74. That streak, coincidentally, was broken by UCLA in Los Angeles. Rebounding is a key strength for the Ducks, who lead the Pac-12 and are No. 7 in the nation with a plus-9.2 rebounding margin this season. Arsalan Kazemi, a 6-foot-7 forward, is averaging 9.4 rebounds per game, and E.J. Singler is averaging 5.2. Oregon is also a strong scoring team, ranking second in the conference at 76.4 points per game, and has outscored opponents by a conference-leading 14.3 points per tilt. Oregon is hot from behind the arc in recent games, shooting 40.4 percent on 3-pointers over their past four contests. The team is difficult to defend because five players are averaging in double-figure scoring, including leading scorer Damyean Dotson, a 6-foot-5 freshman who is averaging 11.8 points.
The series: UCLA leads the all-time series 83-29, though Oregon has won four of the past six meetings, including a 75-68 victory in Eugene the last time these teams met.
Fast fact: This will be the first time since March 13, 2009, that two conference teams will meet when ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. (No. 23 Arizona State defeated No. 13 Washington, 75-65, in the Pac-10 tournament in that 2009 game.)
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