G -- FREDERICK JONES (6-4, 18.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 31.5 minutes, .521 FG, .372 3PT, .871 FT) It would be difficult to find a more complete and exciting player in the Pac-10 last season than Jones. The athletic guard led the Ducks in scoring, tied for second in rebounding and tied a school record with 63 steals.

"He’s a great player, and he gave us an electricity when he played," Kent said. "He has a spectacular floor game."

Jones was Kent’s first star in-state recruit, and he turned out to be a terrific player. He finished his four years ranked in the school’s top 10 in eight different categories: points (5th/1,644), field goals (7th/554), 3-point field goals (5th/147), free throws (6th/389), free-throw percentage (6th/.805), assists (3rd/367), steals (2nd/148) and blocked shots (tie-4th/74).

No other Duck has accomplished that feat.

Last year, Jones was a third-team All-American by Basketball Times and a Wooden Award finalist. His 650 points were the second most by a Duck in one season, surpassed only by Terrell Brandon's 745 in 1990-91.

The All-Pac-10 first-teamer also set a school record with 169 free throws last season.

Even when opponents stopped Jones, he found a way to beat them. Last March, he was limited to two points by Texas until he made a layup with 2.8 seconds left, lifting Oregon to a 72-70 NCAA Tournament victory and a spot in the Midwest Regional Final.

Jones became the first Oregon player selected in the first round of the NBA draft since Brandon in 1991.

C -- CHRIS CHRISTOFFERSEN (7-2, 8.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 38 blocks, 21.4 minutes, .547 FG, .000 3PT, .550 FG) The Denmark native improved his game after attending the Pete Newell Big Man camp the summer before his senior year. His size altered many opponents’ game plans, and he went from a substitute who averaged 3.3 points and nine minutes as a junior to a starter in the paint as a senior.

"It always hurts to lose a player of his size," Kent said, "but we have a faster team now and a better one defensively."

Christofferson’s shot blocking will be missed -- his 38 rank 12th all-time at Oregon -- but the up-tempo Ducks will be a faster team without him.

G -- ANTHONY LEVER (6-3, 6.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 15.9 minutes, .441 FG, .500 3PT, .800 FT) Although he made no starts last season, the son of former NBA player "Fat" Lever made his presence known with 53 3-pointers, placing him among the top 10 all-time in that category at Oregon. His 50 percent success rate from long range was tops on the team.

A transfer from Collin County Community College in Texas, Lever was just the second Arizona native to ever play for the Ducks (and the first since John Cheatham in 1981).

G -- BEN LINDQUIST (6-4, 2.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 8.7 minutes, .294 FG, .313 3PT, .769 FT) A dependable player off the bench throughout his four years, Lindquist averaged less than one turnover per game for his career. His .294 shooting percentage was the worst among all Ducks with at least 20 shots (he was a disappointing 10-for-34), but he managed 27 assists in just 156 minutes playing time (the rough equivalent of four games). Lindquist won the Henry Ritchie Scholar-Athlete Award for the second straight year. He was a Pac-10 All-Academic first-team selection, with a 3.24 grade point average in Business Administration.

F -- MARK MICHAELIS (6-10, 2.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg) Michaels scored 14 points for Brigham Young in a game against Oregon four years ago, but he appeared in only 11 games for the Ducks last season, a victim of Oregon’s deep backcourt. He averaged 1.2 points and 4.2 minutes in 12 games as a junior but, despite two open spots at the forward position last year, the Utah native never cracked the starting lineup.

G -- KRISTIAN CHRISTENSEN (6-1, 0.5 ppg, 1.9 minutes, .286 FG, .500 3PT) The veteran walk-on from California was a fan favorite who played in 11 games after making appearances in only three games the previous two years.

PG -- LUKE RIDNOUR (6-2, 165 lbs., JR, #13, 15.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5 apg, 34.5 minutes, .468 FG, .441 3PT, .867 FT, Blaine HS/Blaine, Wash.). Ridnour is arguably the best point guard in the nation, and he certainly has a fan in his coach.

"Luke is the smartest point guard in the country in terms of understanding the game and understanding that position," Kent said. "He has tremendous leadership, awareness and ability -- and that’s a very dangerous combination coming out of the point guard."

Ridnour has the flair to back up his numbers and says his game is modeled after the late great "Pistol" Pete Maravich. He earned Associated Press and Basketball America All-America honorable mention status, as well as Pac-10 first-team honors last season, ranking 13th in the conference in scoring and third in assists.

He also just missed two school records, with 93 3-pointers (one behind Orlando Williams’ mark set in 1995) and 176 assists (eight behind Ron Lee’s 184 in 1976).

Ridnour has been a winner wherever he has played. He led Blaine High School to consecutive state AA titles -- he was coached by his father, Rob -- then became the first Oregon Duck to be Pac-10 Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.4 points.

Last spring, Ridnour won the Ducks’ John Warren Award as the team's most inspirational player.

"For Luke to become even better, he’ll need to spend time in the weight room strengthening his body," Kent said. "He already has the talent and the leadership ability to take this team even higher."

SG -- LUKE JACKSON (6-7, 210 lbs., JR, #33, 16.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.6 apg, 30.5 minutes, .458 FG, .400 3PT, .864 FT, Creswell HS/Creswell, Ore.) The other half of the talented Luke Show, Jackson enters this season needing just 199 points to become the 23rd 1,000-point scorer at Oregon. He showed unlimited potential last season, with a gritty, leave-it-all-out-on-the-floor attitude that made him one of the Pac-10’s top shooting guards.

Last Feb. 17, Jackson showed his all-around game with a triple-double (14 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) in a win at Washington State -- the first by a Duck since Ron Lee in 1972.

"His work ethic, size and skill give him the opportunity to be one of the best two-guards in the country," Kent said. "He also needs to step into the weight room to further improve his game. That will allow him to shoot the ball with more confidence all season."

Jackson was the Oregon AAA State Player of the Year in 1998 and 2000, averaging 24.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists and five steals to lead Creswell High to the 2000 Oregon State AAA title.

He followed that up by earning a spot on the Pac-10 All-Freshman team with the Ducks, ranking fourth in scoring (7.8), rebounds (4.1) and assists (2.0) per game.

Jackson was Oregon’s leading scorer during its run to the NCAA Elite Eight last March, with 18 against Montana in the opening round, a career-high 29 against Wake Forest in round two, 25 in a win over Texas and a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in a regional final loss to Kansas.

SG -- ANDRE JOSEPH (6-3, 195 lbs., JR, #35, 22.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, Lee JC/Baytown, Texas, Furr HS/Houston, Texas and Stephen F. Austin) Joseph was recruited by the Ducks as high school senior, but he chose to stay close to home and signed with Stephen F. Austin.

Joseph red-shirted his first year there, but left after a coaching change. He eventually transferred to Lee, where he averaged 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a freshman. Joseph helped Lee to an 18-13 record and a No. 10 final ranking in Texas. He was 14th in scoring in Region 14 and 10th in 3-point field goal percentage at .382.

Kent kept up with Joseph and signed him for one very important reason.

"When you recruit a JC player, you go after a specific need and Andre Joseph gives us instant scoring," Kent said. "He can really shoot the basketball."

PF -- ROBERT JOHNSON (6-8, 245 lbs., SR, #3, 7.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 27 blocks, 28.4 minutes, .539 FG, .564 FT, Analy HS/San Franciso and Santa Rosa JC/Santa Rosa, Calif.) The leading returning rebounder in the Pac-10 put together a strong first season with Oregon and was voted its defender of the year.

Johnson stepped in immediately from the junior college ranks, where he led Santa Rosa to a school-record 29 wins and averaged 12 points and 14 rebounds as a sophomore.

Johnson, called "a workhorse" by Kent, is Oregon’s first true power rebounder since center Jerry Adams played there from 1982-86. He ranked fifth in the Pac-10 in rebounding last year and recorded eight double-figure rebounding efforts, including a memorable Ducks debut in which he scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the season opener against Alabama State.

Kent’s goal for Johnson in the spring and summer months was to work on his offensive production.

"He has the capability of doing big things," Kent said. "If he can contribute offensively, his confidence will grow and so will his leadership abilities."

C -- BRIAN HELQUIST (6-9, 270 lbs., SR, #40, 3.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 27 blocks, 3.9 minutes, .537 FG, .640 FT, University Christian HS/Jacksonville, Fla., Florida CC/Jacksonville, Fla. and LSU) Helquist is the first in line to assume the center duties vacated by the graduated Chris Christofferson. Helquist is an "enforcer" with a nice touch around the basket. A right knee strain suffered Feb. 28 at USC kept him out of the Pac-10 Tournament, but he returned for Oregon’s first-round NCAA Tournament win over Montana.

"Brian needs to condition himself as an athlete," Kent said. "He’s already dropped 20 pounds since last season and improved his stamina and strength."

Helquist, who scored 10 points three times last season, started his college career at LSU. He red-shirted the 1998-99 season and then transferred to Florida Community College-Jacksonville, where he scored 816 points and grabbed 516 rebounds in two seasons.

As a sophomore, he was an All-Mid-Florida Conference second-team selection after averaging 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds.

Helquist is the first player from Florida to sign with the Ducks. He recorded a 3.41 grade-point average last year (undeclared major) and is expected to graduate early and begin work on his Master’s degree this season.

C -- JAY ANDERSON (6-9, 230 lbs., JR, #55, 1.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 7.5 minutes, 462 FG, .500 3PT, .625 FT, Faribault HS/Faribault, Minn.) The last member of Oregon’s outstanding junior class, Anderson has yet to settle into a role after two seasons.

Anderson has been hurt by a lack of confidence at times, and if he can assert himself more this year he could be an able backup at both center and power forward. He has excellent range for a big man, with a .467 career percentage from 3-point range.

G -- JAMES DAVIS (5-10, 175 lbs., JR, #1, 6.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 12.9 minutes, .460 FG, .404 3PT, .806 FT, Evergreen HS/Vancouver, Wash.) The Vancouver native was a spark off the bench last season, but he needs to be more consistent offensively and more improved defensively to gain more playing time. Although he never started last season, Davis saw action in all 35 games and recorded eight double-figure scoring games, with a career-high 21 points in a win over Washington State.

F -- IAN CROSSWHITE (6-11, 245 lbs, R-FR, #11, 15.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg in 2001, Lake Ginninderra HS/Castlecrag, Australia) Crosswhite will be only the second Australian to play for the Ducks, joining 1969-71 team member Rod Wulff. The left-handed Crosswhite has a smooth jumper and was voted the Junior (under 20) Player of the Year by Basketball Australia last July. Competing in the Australian Basketball Association, a league comprised of semi-professional teams and many older players, he averaged 15 points and eight rebounds. Crosswhite has unlimited potential. He handles the ball like a guard, can shoot from anywhere on the court and dominated practices at times last season as a member of the scout team.

In August 2000, Crosswhite led Lake Ginninderra to the Basketball Australia national schools championship, scoring 21 points in a 109-64 defeat of Paradise College in the title game. He scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in the semifinal round. Crosswhite was the top rebounder (16.0 rpg) and second-leading scorer (26.6 ppg) in that tournament. He also shot 54.4 percent from the field (56-of-103) and averaged 3.0 assists and 1.8 blocks.

Crosswhite was discovered by international scout Dale Mock at the 2000 Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Manheim, Germany. "The most versatile big man in the age group ...," Mock wrote. "Showed some surprising ball-handling skills and a deadly jumper from the elbow."

C -- MATT SHORT (7-0, 235 lbs., R-FR, #5, 16.0 ppg in 2000-01, Yreka HS/Yreka, Calif.) Short is still a work in progress and spent last season learning behind Christoffersen, Helquist and Anderson. Before coming to Oregon, he was one of only 14 high school players to make the roster for the 2001 Global Games in Dallas and helped Team USA/Texas win a bronze medal. He was a three-time MVP at Yreka High School.

Two years ago, Short was rated the fifth-best center on the West Coast by PacWest Hoops. During his career, his improvement was reflected in his team’s improvement.

Short averaged 13.3 points and 11.3 rebounds and blocked 59 shots as a junior. He helped Yreka to a nine-game improvement from his sophomore to junior seasons. Yreka went 11-13 in 1999-2000 after winning just two games the year before. In 1998-99, Short scored 10.1 points per game and set Yreka’s sophomore blocked shots record.

G -- JORDAN KENT (6-4, 200 lbs., FR, #2, 18.0 ppg, Churchill HS/Eugene, Ore.) Ernie Kent had great connections in recruiting Jordan Kent. A gifted athlete who was a state champion in both basketball and track at Churchill High, Jordan is Kent’s son. He averaged 18 points as a senior and was selected first-team all-state. He is the Oregon state record holder in the 200-meter dash and the long jump.

"Jordan's probably the most talented overall athlete on the Oregon state high school track and field level, so signing him is a feather in our cap," track coach Martin Smith said. "To have someone of that level join your program reinforces our commitment to attracting and developing the best in-state talent."

"Jordan is obviously a great all-around athlete," said Kent. "He is a bigger player who can play a couple different positions for us."

Jordan’s father isn’t the only Oregon coach who will use him in a multi-faceted capacity.

"Obviously, Jordan will be an excellent addition to the men's track team," continued Smith. "Similar to his situation in basketball, he's very young and still developing, but he shows unquestionable and exciting potential. On the track he would be an obvious candidate for us in the 200, 400, long jump and/or 4 x 400 relay. When you look at the marks he's already put up, they're illustrative of his potential at the Pac-10 and national level."

G -- BRANDON LINCOLN (6-4, 195 lbs, FR, #14, 15.4 ppg, Jefferson HS/Portland, Ore.) Lincoln is a versatile player who will be tried at all three guard spots this season. He has the potential to be the heir to Frederick Jones. Lincoln ranked 67th among the nation’s top 100 high school seniors by ESPN.com and was rated No. 2 in Oregon.

"Brandon Lincoln comes from a great program in Portland and is going to be a tremendous asset," Kent said. "For us, he's a player who could come in and play any one of three positions."

F -- ADAM ZAHN (6-8, 225 lbs., FR, #42, 14.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, Redondo Union HS/Redondo Beach, Calif.) A big man -- emphasis on the "big" -- who can move and has a soft touch around the net, Zahn is the four-man of the future for the Ducks. He will learn his trade this season behind Robert Johnson, Brian Helquist and Jay Anderson. "We are very excited to get Adam into our program," said Kent. "He brings a new dimension to our team that we don't have, in that he's an athletic big guy who can run the floor."

Zahn earned all-CIF Division 2A first-team honors at Redondo Union as he led his team to a 24-7 record and a trip to the Southern California regional semifinals. As a junior, Zahn averaged 17 points, nine rebounds and six blocks as Redondo went 28-1.

Zahn was a Top 100 player in the opinion of some recruiting analysts.

"[Zahn] has nice size and a good touch from the perimeter," wrote Bob Gibbons All-Star Report correspondent Rob Matera. "He's a hard worker and a solid weakside rebounder ... has some potential as a combo forward because of his ability to shoot the ball."

With a 42-year drought in NCAA Tournament play, Oregon was excited about playing in the 65-team field. In fact, the Ducks agreed to have their journey chronicled by ESPN, which closely monitored their preparations for the tournament and their first-round win over Montanta.

Kent eagerly accepted the opportunity to showcase his budding program to basketball fans and potential recruits across the nation.

"That type of visibility for a program -- there's no way we can pass that up," Kent said. "It's a huge plus for our program."

So is advancing to the Elite Eight. Oregon is now a big player on the national scene, and it will be up to the two Lukes -- and their supporting cast–to keep the program moving in the right direction.

Losing top assistant Greg Graham will hurt. Graham, the Ducks’ top recruiter, left to take the head coaching job at Boise State and was succeeded by John Cooper, who spent six years on Eddie Fogler’s staff at South Carolina.

Oregon gets an early litmus test when it plays Kansas on Dec. 7 at the Rose Garden, a rematch of last year’s Midwest Regional final.

"It says a lot about our program, playing a high-caliber team on national television," Kent said. "Because of our success, we have an opportunity to match up with some elite teams right now."

The Ducks have not lost their hunger, if their hard work this spring and summer can be a gauge.

"They’ve seen the blueprint," Kent said. "They know what they have to do."