 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Oregon celebrated its outright Pac-10 Conference regular-season title in style. Frederick Jones scored 22 points as the 13th-ranked Ducks ended a 17-game losing streak at Pauley Pavilion with a 65-62 victory over UCLA. Oregon (22-7, 14-4 Pac-10) earned the outright conference title when California lost at Arizona earlier in the day. The Ducks played as if they still had something to prove, however, and won at the famed facility for the first time since an 87-83 overtime victory on February 9, 1984. "A couple of us have only been here four times so we really weren't part of the streak," Jones said. "We were just trying to keep our play up and we just wanted to win." Matt Barnes drained a 3-pointer to pull UCLA (19-10, 11-7) into a 61-61 tie with 1:28 left but the Ducks took the lead for good on Luke Jackson's basket 25 seconds later. Dan Gadzuric split a pair of free throws to pull the Bruins within one point but Jones restored a three-point cushion with a pair from the line with 13 seconds left. UCLA coach Steve Lavin decided against calling a timeout as the Bruins went for the tie. The ball ended up in freshman walk-on Ryan Walcott's hands, who came up short on a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Luke Ridnour added 14 points and handed out five assists for Oregon, which last won a conference title when it claimed the Pacific Coast Conference Northern division title. "This is huge for this team and this program," Ridnour said. "To come in here on Senior Day and win the title outright. It's been since '84 and we wanted to win down here and we just came in here and got it done." Senior Day was indeed spoiled for Gadzuric, Matt Barnes, Rico Hines and Billy Knight. It was the second straight time the Bruin seniors failed to win as they lost to Stanford last year. "It's disappointing because last year's seniors couldn't get the win on their last day, either," Gadzuric said. "So we just have to concentrate on winning the tournament." The loss meant that UCLA finished in sole possession of sixth place, the worst conference finish in the history of the storied program. Oregon survived despite managing just 10 baskets in the second half. The Ducks already had learned that they had won the crown when an announcement was made during the game. Jones made four 3-pointers as Oregon drilled 10-of-31 attempts from beyond the arc. The Ducks' propensity to launch 3-pointers resulted in only nine free throws. Gadzuric turned in a terrific effort with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Barnes, however, struggled to make 3-of-11 shots for 10 points and was the only other Bruin in double figures. "I didn't have my legs, maybe," said Barnes, searching for an explanation. "It was the last game but I didn't feel good inside." The Bruins also got a sub-par outing from leading scorer Jason Kapono, who managed only seven points on eight shots. Hines and Knight combined for six points as UCLA shot 40 percent (22-of-55) and registered just nine assists. Oregon matched a school record with its 14 conference wins. The last time the Ducks won 14 was in the 1938-39 season. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
