Ghost of Seasons Past: Texas Southern Comes Calling on Saturday

Texas Southern visits Eugene for the third straight season when the Tigers face No. 8 Oregon Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks). Last season, TSU became just the fourth non-conference team to defeat Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena.

THE STARTING FIVE
• 1 – Oregon is the only school in the country with its men's basketball, women's basketball and football teams all currently ranked in the Associated Press top 10. Women's basketball is No. 3, football is No. 7 and men's basketball is No. 8.
• 2 – N'Faly Dante made his Oregon debut Wednesday against Montana, scoring 11 points in 14 minutes, but it was Francis Okoro who had the monster game -12 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, the most by a Duck in three years.
• 3 – Payton Pritchard is one of just three players nationally averaging 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.
• 4 – The Ducks' 71-70 win over No. 5 Michigan on Dec. 14 was the program's first road win over a top 5 team since Oregon defeated No. 5 UCLA 65-45 on Feb. 21, 1976, in Pauley Pavilion. That win by the Ducks snapped UCLA's 98-game home winning streak, the third-longest home winning streak in NCAA history.
• 5 – Named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Monday, Payton Pritchard is one of just two players in program history with 1,500 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds, joining UO Hall of Famer Ron Lee. He reached 1,500 career points against Montana.
• BENCH – Now the winningest coach in Oregon history, Dana Altman is one of six active head coaches in NCAA Division I who have posted a winning record for the last 22 consecutive seasons. The other five - Mike Krzyzewski, Tom Izzo, Roy Williams, Bill Self and Jim Boeheim - are all in the Hall of Fame.
• BENCH – Oregon's No. 8 ranking is the Ducks' highest since being No. 5 in the March 6, 2017, poll.

DANTE DEBUTS, OKORO SOARS
N'Faly Dante made his much anticipated Oregon debut Wednesday against Montana. The freshman from Bamako, Mali, scored 11 points in 14 minutes. Not to be outdone, Francis Okoro scored 12 points with a career-high 17 rebounds. It was the most rebounds by a Duck since Chris Boucher hauled in 19 boards against Montana on Dec. 13, 2016. It was Okoro's second double-double of the season and his career.

PRITCHARD REACHES 1,500 POINTS
Payton Pritchard became the 14th 1,500-point scorer in program history Wednesday night against Montana. Dec. 14 at Michigan, he passed Kenya Wilkins (1,488/1993-97) for 14th in UO history and now shows 1,509 career points. Aaron Brooks (1,511/2003-07) is 13th.

PRITCHARD AND RON LEE IN CLUB OF TWO
Payton Pritchard is now one of just two players in program history with 1,500 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds, joining UO Hall of Famer Ron Lee.

HISTORIC WIN AGAINST MICHIGAN
The Ducks' 71-70 win over No. 5 Michigan on Dec. 14 was the program's first regular season non-conference win over a top-five opponent in school history. The Ducks' previous best was an 86-73 win against No. 10 Providence on Jan. 4, 1975, in Eugene. It was also the program's first road win over a top 5 team since Oregon defeated No. 5 UCLA 65-45 on Feb. 21, 1976, in Pauley Pavilion. That win by the Ducks snapped UCLA's 98-game home winning streak, the third-longest home winning streak in NCAA history.

DUCKS NOTCH THREE TOP-13 WINS
The Ducks have wins over three top-13 teams so far in 2019-20. Oregon topped No. 13 Memphis, 82-74, on Nov. 12. Oregon then repeated that feat with a 71-69 win against No. 13 Seton Hall at the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Ducks capped that stretch with a 71-70 overtime win at No. 5 Michigan on Dec. 14.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Oregon has arguably played the most difficult schedule in the nation so far this season. The Ducks' five games against top-15 teams leads the nation.
Teams that have played four or more top-15 teams this season (as of Dec. 18)
5- Oregon
4- Michigan
4- North Carolina

PRITCHARD NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Oregon guard Payton Pritchard was named Pac-12 Player of the Week and Oscar Robertson Trophy National Player of the Week after leading Oregon to an historic win Dec. 14 at No. 5 Michigan. The senior from West Linn, Ore., scored 15 of the Ducks' final 17 points to lead Oregon to a 71-70 win in overtime. Pritchard led all players with 23 points, including 19 in the second half and overtime in Ann Arbor. The Wooden Award, Naismith and Robertson Trophies and Cousy Award nominee went 6-of-8 from floor for 13 points in the second half and 3-of-4 for six points in overtime to will the Ducks to victory. This is Pritchard's first career Pac-12 Player of the Week honor. The upset was Oregon's third top-15 victory this season - all of which have come away from home, the only school in the country with such a résumé.

THAT 70's SHOW
Under Dana Altman, Oregon is 169-20 when holding opponents under 70 points, including a 134-12 mark the last six seasons. Hello, Wisconsin!

PRITCHARD SECOND IN THE PAC-12 IN ASSISTS
Payton Pritchard ranks second in the Pac-12 in assists at 6.0 per game. He is the only player ranked in the Pac-12's top five in scoring and assists, averaging 18.7 points per game (fourth). By scoring 20 points with 11 assists Dec. 7 against Hawaii, Pritchard became the first Duck with a 20-point, 10-assist game since Johnathan Loyd in 2013-14.