Comeback Kids: Ducks Top Gauchos

Sunday, November 14

Eugene, Ore. - McArthur Court

6:00 PM

University of Oregon

UC Santa Barbara

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

11/15/10 | Men's Basketball

By: GoDucks.com

EUGENE – The Oregon men's basketball team overcame a halftime deficit for the third-consecutive night in a 72-70 win over UC Santa Barbara at McArthur Court in the BTI Invitational on Sunday night.

The win improves the Ducks to 3-0 while the Gauchos fall to 1-2 on the young season.

The Ducks and Gauchos played a tight first half. UCSB held the largest lead of either team at 21-14 halfway through the opening frame. UO countered with a 12-2 run to grab a brief, 26-23, lead over the next four minutes, but UCSB held a 37-33 advantage at the break on the strength of 5-for-9 shooting from three-point range.

For the third night in a row, the Ducks stormed out of the locker room by scoring the first two baskets of the second half to regain the lead. UO scored the first five points of the final period, with Teondre Williams' three-pointer putting Oregon back in front, 39-37. Williams had the hot hand from deep early in second half, making his first three attempts from beyond the arc.

The Gauchos weathered the early Ducks' onslaught and regained the lead at 56-54 of an Orlando Johnson three pointer with less than eight minutes remaining.

Undeterred, Oregon came right back to regain the lead, 57-56, on a Garrett Sim trey on the ensuing possession.

After a pair of UCSB free throws evened the score at 58, Malcolm Armstead drained his first three-pointer of the night to put Oregon ahead once more.

The Ducks stretched their lead to four points, but the Gauchos rallied once more to tie the game at 66-66 with 3:37 remaining.

UO regained the lead at 67-66 on a Tyrone Nared free throw, but the lead changed hands on pair of James Nunnally free throws with 3:09 to play.

The teams traded layups on the following possessions. With the Ducks trailing, 70-69, Joevan Catron muscled his way in traffic for a layup with 2:10 to go to put Oregon back on top 71-70.

UCSB inbounded the ball underneath the UO basket with 2.8 seconds remaining and the score still 71-70, but the Ducks' pressure forced a turnover to help them hold on for the victory.

Five Ducks scored in double figures, led by Catron's 15 points. Armstead finished with 12 points and dished out a game-high seven assists, E.J. Singler chipped in with 11 points, Williams tallied 10 and Tyrone Nared recorded his first Division I double-digit scoring effort with 10 off the bench. Catron also led UO with six rebounds.

James Nunnally and Orlando Johnson each cracked the 20-point barrier for UCSB with 28 and 24 points, respectively. Nunnally also pulled in a game-high seven rebounds.

UO finished the game shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from three-point range while UCSB shot 43.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from deep. The Ducks held a 32-30 advantage in rebounding and forced 13 Gaucho turnovers while coughing it up only 10 times.

The Ducks are back in action on Nov. 20 when they host San Jose State at Mac Court.

Postgame Notes

• Joevan Catron's 15 points marked his third-straight game in double figures (27 against North Dakota State and 20 against Denver). It is the first time the senior has accomplished the feat since the 2008-09 season when he scored 13 against Oakland, 12 against UC Irvine and 17 against Alabama Nov. 17-24, 2008.