Free throws could perhaps the lesson best passed along with the torch that will change hands at a some future date. With the Arizona Sun Devils scorching the Duck's feathers for 11 straight points to close within three with 0:44 in the ball game. Maarty Leunen and Bryce Taylor combined to go 8-8 from the stripe from there and Oregon headed to the basement of McArthur Court with a 67-61 victory.
Which only sets the table for Saturday's regular season finale with Arizona. Tied for fifth in the Pac-10, the Ducks are currently 8-9 in conference and 17-12 for the year. Take down Arizona on your own floor Saturday it would be awfully hard for the NCAA to not extend an invitation. As strong showing in the conference tournament next weekend and maybe the Ducks get ratcheted up a seed.
But that's for Saturday. Friday was a thick as molasses zone defense that Oregon figured out most of the time - they shot nearly 50% from the floor for the night - but then didn't for the last six minutes of the game - mostly because they were on their heels on defense.
"They play zone every day, all the time, and they're pretty good at it," said Kent. "I thought we did a good job of attacking it inside a little bit and outside a little bit . we got our scoring a lot of different ways against a defense that puts a lot of pressure on your shots. It was just a big win for us . I was happy with our poise and ability to close out the game."
Malik Hairston led the team with 19 points; Tajuan Porter added a dozen and Leunen pitched in ten. The Sun Devils' James Hardin led all scorers with 22 points, ten of them in the last three and a half minutes of the game.
Oregon Coach Ernie Kent tossed the Sun Devils a bit of an early curve, employing Franz Dorsainvil and Ray Schafer along with Mitch Platt in the first half, to deny ASU an over the top entry pass into ASU center Jeff Pendergraph. Then the Ducks were able to keep the ball out of Pendergraph's hands with defense on the passer and weak side help. It worked, Pendergraph was held to 10 points.
It was the free throws that worked in the game's last minute, they are what expanded Oregon's lead from four to seven despite James Hardin's two three point baskets before the clock struck 0:30.
Adding to the tension of Saturday's Arizona game will be the emotion of senior day. Kent hopes that Malik Hairston, Bryce Taylor Maarty Leunen, Mitch Platt and Ray Schafer use the added leverage of that emotion to get to a quick start against the Wildcats. "It's going to be tough seeing those guys out there," he said. "But we need to remind ourselves that there's more basketball to play . We need to set the pace."
