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SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- Oregon won a run-and-gun game with a surprising weapon -- defense. Luke Jackson scored seven of his 29 points in the final 3:32 and the second-seeded Ducks stifled No. 7 Wake Forest down the stretch for a 92-87 victory in a fast-paced second-round game in the Midwest Region. Oregon (25-8) is in the regional semifinals for the first time since 1960. It will face Texas or Mississippi State on Friday in Madison, Wisconsin. Wake Forest (21-13) was in front for most of the second half and took an 83-82 lead on freshman Jamaal Levy's basket with 3:48 left. Jackson responded with a long 3-pointer that put the Ducks ahead for good. The Demon Deacons were unable to muster any offense and were held without a basket until the final seconds. Darius Songaila missed a short bank shot with 37 seconds left that would have tied it. Jackson added four free throws as Oregon went 7-of-8 from the line to seal the victory. Wake Forest shot 56 percent (19-of-34) in the first half for a slim 48-46 edge. It went on an 8-2 spurt early in the second half for a 56-48 advantage on two free throws by Songaila with 13:31 remaining. The Demon Deacons were still ahead 78-73 when Jackson lined up a 3-pointer and nailed it. On the play, Wake Forest guard Craig Dawson was hit in the face and walked off the court. Dawson suffered a separated shoulder and the senior guard did not return. He led Wake Forest with 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Jackson's 3-pointer started a run of nine straight points for Oregon. Frederick Jones had a huge follow slam and capped the spurt with a basket for an 82-78 lead with 5:13 to go. Ridnour scored 28 points, drilling seven 3-pointers in the process. Jones finished with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists for Oregon, the second-highest scoring team in the country behind Kansas. The Ducks were tentative in their first-round game with Montana on Thursday but came out with a vengeance against Wake Forest. They topped the 90-point mark for the 16th time this season. Without Dawson, Wake Forest had trouble keeping up with Oregon's offense. Josh Howard, the team's second leading scorer, was hampered by a left ankle sprain and scored only three points in six minutes. The Demon Deacons used their strong 3-point shooting, making 11-of-19, to stay ahead for most of the way. But Dawson had five of those and was not available in the end. Songaila scored 19 points and 13 rebounds in his final game while fellow senior Antwan Scott added 13 points. The Demon Deacons will graduate five seniors who are part of their nine-man rotation. |
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