Oregon Weekly MBB Release - Week 15 - University of Oregon Athletics

For the complete release with full notes, statistics, etc., view the PDF version

EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon men's basketball team (13-12, 6-7), currently tied for fifth in the Pac-10 Conference standings, will host rival Oregon State (9-15, 4-9) on Saturday at 1 p.m. (PT). It is the first Civil War men's basketball contest to be played at Matthew Knight Arena.

The Ducks defeated Oregon State in Corvallis back on Jan. 22, a 63-59 victory which snapped a two-game losing streak to OSU (box score on page 7). Oregon State leads the all-time series over UO, 183-151. However, the Ducks are 85-70 all-time against the Beavers in games played in Eugene.

Saturday's Civil War game presented by PacificSource Health Plans is sold out. Tickets still remain for UO's final two regular season home games against California (Feb. 24) and Stanford (Feb. 26). Tickets are available for purchase at the Casanova Center ticket office, the Matthew Knight Arena box office, by phone at 1-800-WEBFOOT and online at goducks.com.

Fans can get a photo and an autograph from world record-holder Ashton Eaton prior to Saturday's UO-OSU game at Matthew Knight Arena. Click this link to find out more information on the Eaton appearance.

OREGON STATE LIVE COVERAGE
• TV: Fox Sports Net; Kevin Calabro, play-by-play; Don Maclean, analyst
• Radio: Oregon Sports Network affiliates; Brian Prawitz, play-by-play; KUGN 590-AM in Eugene/Springfield
• Satellite radio: Sirius 214, XM 193
• GoDucks.com: Live audio, stats

Follow Oregon men's basketball on twitter @OregonMBB for in-game updates.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE
After the Ducks host Cal and Stanford next week, they will be back on the road to close the regular season with games at Arizona State and Arizona (March 3-5). The Pacific Life Pac-10 Conference Tournament is slated for March 9-12 in Los Angeles.

DUCKS IMPROVE AFTER MATT ARENA MOVE
When the Ducks moved from McArthur Court to Matthew Knight Arena in the second week of January, they were riding a six-game losing streak and had opened Pac-10 play with a 0-4 record. Oregon went 7-9 overall (.438 winning percentage) in games at Mac Court this season.

But that all changed on Jan. 13 when Oregon debuted the new building. Since the move, the Ducks are 6-3 (.667) and find themselves moving up the league standings. Below are some notable comparisons for the move.

Category … Mac (Matt)
Overall winning percentage… .438 (.667)
Home record… 7-5 (3-1)
Scoring margin… +0.3 (+3.7)
Field Goal percentage… .407 (.430)
3-Point percentage… .302 (.363)
Free Throw percentage… .728 (.742)
3-Pointers made per game… 5.8 (7.7)
Double-figure scorers… 2 (3)
Attendance average… 6,559 (11,349)

CATRON AVERAGING CAREER BESTS
Senior forward Joevan Catron has now played in 119 career games averaging career-bests for points (15.7 ppg) and field goal shooting percentage (.515, 122-of-237). He leads the team in scoring, rebounding average (6.6 rpg), shooting percentage, field goals attempted and field goals made, while ranking second in minutes played (27.3 mpg).

Catron has scored in double figures in 18 of 23 games. Of his eight career 20-point games, seven have come this season (Catron is the only Duck to have tallied 20 or more points in a game in 2010-11). On the career, he has led UO in scoring 18 times (15 coming during his senior campaign).

The 6-6 senior from Phoenix, Ill., has made 106 free throws this season (106-of-148), shooting 71.6 percent from the charity stripe. He's been clutch late in games, upping his average to 78.3 percent in the last five minutes (18-of-23). Just under 30 percent of Catron's points this season (106 of the 360) have come from the line. He has averaged 4.7 made free throws per game, nearly two times more than the next best UO player (Singler, 2.6).

Catron has scored 59.4 percent of his points after halftime, with 214 of his 360 total points coming during the final 20 minutes (and OT). He had a 20-point performance in the home win over No. 20 Washington, tallying 16 second-half points to secure the upset. In the game at UW, Catron scored 17 of his team-high 20 points in the second half (including 11 straight points to open the stanza). In an overtime win over North Dakota State, he tallied 16 of his career-best 27 points in the second half.

He was recently recognized as Pac-10 Conference Player of the Week (Jan. 31-Feb. 6), averaging 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game in leading UO to a home sweep of the Washington schools.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE BEAVERS
Sophomore forward E.J. Singler had 16 points and senior guard Jay-R Strowbridge scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half as Oregon defeated Oregon State 63-59 on Jan. 22 in Corvallis, Ore.

Strowbridge made two free throws with 8 seconds remaining to seal the win for Oregon, which out-scored Oregon State 11-4 during a four-minute stretch late in the game.

Oregon shot 24-of-48 from the floor, including 9-of-23 from 3-point range. Oregon State was 20-of-52 overall. Junior guard Garrett Sim had 15 points, hitting 3-of-7 from behind the 3-point arc.

The Ducks posted a 25-5 run in the first half to take a commanding 33-16 advantage with 3:34 on the clock. OSU went scoreless (stuck on 16 points) for just under four minutes during that stretch.

OREGON BENCH COMING UP BIG IN RECENT WINNING WAYS
The reserves have been vital in UO's last nine games, out-scoring the opposition's bench seven times during that stretch (the Ducks are 5-2 in those contests). The Ducks had lopsided bench point differentials in games with USC (road: 24-13; home: 31-16), UCLA (road: 27-15), Washington State (home: 23-10), Cal (31-13) and Stanford (28-16). UO also managed a 22-18 edge in bench points in the recent upset of No. 20 Washington.

Senior guard Jay-R Strowbridge (10.8 ppg, 47.3 percent on field goals, 41.0 percent on 3-pointers) and junior guard Malcolm Armstead (9.6 ppg, 46.9 percent on field goals) have shouldered most of the load.

Strowbridge scored in double figures in five of the nine, tallying 15 points in both the Oregon State road win and the recent home win over WSU. He scored 14 points in a recent road loss to UCLA. He ranks second on the team in scoring dating back to the Jan. 13 win over USC.

Armstead scored a team-high 14 points (first time leading the team in scoring all season) to go with five assists in UO's win at USC last week, securing a season-sweep of the Trojans for the second consecutive season. His best offensive outing during the last nine games was a 16-point performance at California, where he went 7-of-9 on field goals (2-of-3 on 3-pointers), adding a team-high six assists in 27 minutes of action off the bench. During the last nine games, Armstead has also averaged a team-best 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game, while maintaining a 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio.

OFFSEASON ADDITIONS PROVIDING A SPARK FOR UO
Senior guard Jay-R Strowbridge, junior forward Tyrone Nared and freshman guard Johnathan Loyd have made an impact in the lineup.

Strowbridge has played in all 25 games, a starter in seven contests. He is UO's third leading scorer (9.0 ppg), having scored in double figures in five of the last seven games: 14 at UCLA, 12 vs. Washington, 15 vs. Washington State, 13 at Stanford and 15 at Oregon State.

Nared has also played in all 25 contests, including starts in the last seven games. The high-flying forward from Woonsocket, R.I., matched a career-high with 14 points to go with six boards in a home win over UW. In the game at Cal, Nared had a double-double effort with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in that road defeat.

Loyd has played in all 25 games, starting the last 13 contests. He has 55 assists (to just 29 turnovers), ranking second on the team in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9). Loyd's 25 steals (1.0 spg) ranks third on the team. He's also shooting 76.5 percent on free throws (26-of-34). Loyd grabbed a career-high six rebounds in UO's 26-point home win over Washington State.

SINGLER STEPS INTO KEY ROLE
Sophomore forward E.J. Singler leads the team blocks (0.8 bpg, 19), ranks second on the team in scoring (11.1 ppg, 278), rebounding average (5.6 rpg, 139) and 3-point field goal percentage (.372, 32-of-86), while ranking third in field goal percentage (.450, 90-of-200).

Singler has reached double figures in scoring 17 times in 25 games (including three of the last four games). In the near upset of No. 9 Missouri, Singler tallied a career-best 19 points to go with nine rebounds. On Dec. 11, Singler posted an 18-point, 17-rebound (career high) effort in the win over Willamette.

SIM FINDING 3-POINT TOUCH IN PAC-10 PLAY
Junior guard Garrett Sim has found his shooting touch from behind the 3-point arc during Pac-10 Conference play. Sim's 21 made 3-pointers in league play is a team best, while shooting a team-high 40.4 percent on 3-pointers (21-of-52). He ranks fourth on the team in scoring average in those games (8.2 ppg).

Three games standout for Sim, road wins over Oregon State and Stanford and a home win over Washington State. In the victory over OSU, Sim hit 3-of-7 from behind the arc (6-of-10 on field goals) en route to a 15-point effort.

In the historic win over the Cardinal (snapping a 24-game road losing streak at Stanford), Sim hit a pair of timely 3-pointers and finished with 10 points, one of four UO players to score in double figures. Sim added 13 points, going 3-of-5 on 3-pointers, in the blowout home victory over the Cougars.

In non-conference games only, Sim shot just 26.8 percent on 3-pointers (11-of-41). He was tied for sixth on the team in scoring during those 12 games.

ARMSTEAD NO. 8 ON LIST FOR CAREER STEALS
Junior guard Malcolm Armstead has 116 steals in 56 games which ranks him No. 8 all-time in career steals at UO. Armstead tallied three steals at UCLA last Thursday, and posted back-to-back five-steal games in recent home wins over Washington State and Washington.

Armstead, who has 51 steals this season, could potentially break his own single-season record. With a season-average of 2.1 steals per game (and a minimum of six games remaining), he is projected to finish with 64 steals. Last season, Armstead set a new school record recording 65 steals in 32 games. He broke UO's record previously held by Terrell Brandon (63 in 28 games, 1990-91), Fred Jones (63 in 35 games, 2001-02) and Luke Ridnour (63 in 33 games, 2002-03).

UO'S WIN/LOSS RECORD BASED ON STATISTICS
A better field goal percentage than the opponent, grabbing more rebounds and holding a first-half lead have been essential for the Ducks in their 13 wins in 2010-11.

The Ducks have a 11-1 record when they have a better field goal percentage (just 2-11 on the year with a worse field goal percentage). UO is 4-0 when they shoot 50 percent or better (just 9-12 when under 50 percent).

Oregon is 9-3 overall when they grab more rebounds (3-9 when out-rebounded). In four of the six league wins, UO has led in rebounds: 34-32 at USC, 39-30 vs. Washington State, 33-29 at Stanford, 34-31 at Oregon State.

UO is 9-3 when they hold a first-half lead (3-9 when behind at halftime, 1-0 when tied). The only three occasions when UO lost despite leading at halftime was in the Nov. 20 home game with San Jose State and in both contests with UCLA. The Ducks were tied at the half in the win at Stanford.

OREGON ADDS FOUR PLAYERS IN EARLY SIGNING PERIOD
Dana Altman announced the signing of four players to National Letters of Intent. Joining the Ducks' 2011-12 squad are guards Bruce Barron (Carbondale, Ill./Brehm Preparatory School), Jabari Brown (Oakland, Calif./Oakland HS) and Brett Kingma (Mill Creek, Wash./Jackson HS) along with center Austin Kuemper (Portland, Ore./Westview HS).

Bruce Barron: Plays prep basketball at Brehm Preparatory School in Carbondale, Ill. … led AAU basketball team (Illinois Titans) to a national title in 2009, averaging 18 points per game in the senior national tournament … chose Oregon over Oklahoma State, Marquette and Indiana … also played AAU basketball for Mac Irvin Fire.

Jabari Brown: Started junior season at Findlay Prep (Nev.) where he averaged 16 points per game before transferring mid-year to Oakland High School … averaged 23.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game at Oakland High the rest of his junior campaign ... led Oakland High to second round of the state playoffs … chose Oregon over Arizona State, Connecticut, Georgia Tech and Washington … played AAU ball for Drew Gooden Soldiers.

Brett Kingma: Averaged 25 points, four steals and four assists per game as a junior … Led Jackson High School to the 2010 Washington Class 4A title game … chose Oregon over Arizona State, Brigham Young and Washington … played AAU ball for Friends of Hoop.

Austin Kuemper: Averaged 12.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a junior for Westview High School … Lead WHS to the 2010 OSAA 6A Boys state title game … also led WHS to a second-round appearance at the 2009 OSAA 6A Boys State Tournament … chose Oregon over Iowa State, San Diego State, USC and Washington State … played AAU ball for ICP.

University of Oregon Athletics

Oregon Weekly MBB Release - Week 15

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Players Mentioned

Malcolm Armstead

Joevan Catron

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Garrett Sim

E.J. Singler

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