Benjamin Leads Oregon Ducks in Overtime Win vs UC Irvine

The Oregon Ducks took a few minutes to get started against the UC Irvine Anteaters on Monday night at Matthew Knight Arena. Oregon entered the game at 9-3 and was looking for their tenth win of the season before the start of Pac12 Conference play this weekend hosting Oregon State.

So far in 2014 Oregon has gotten the job done with Joseph Young leading the way on Offense, along with a stellar cast of Freshmen putting up points including Dwayne Benjamin and Dillon Brooks. Benjamin got the scoring started for Oregon against UC Irvine.

Dillon Brooks would get into early foul trouble with his second at the midway point through the first half with Oregon holding on to a 16-13 lead. Michael Chandler would enter the game and add some size. The second half of the fifteen minutes was a different story with multiple lead changes and the game tied at twenty-four with just under four minutes to go before the break.

It was an ugly first half for Oregon with eight fouls, one a Class A Technical on Elgin Cook. The Ducks shot thirty eight percent in the first half with Dwayne Benjamin leading the way with eight points. Joseph Young had five points in the first half and Oregon was down five points 33-26.

Benjamin pulled Oregon within three points with 14:29 remaining 41-38. At the midway point of the second half the Ducks were down just four points as Elgin Cook picked up his second foul of the game. Seven minutes later Cook would pickup his fourth foul with the Ducks down two points and four following UC Irvine foul shots.

The foul trouble would continue for Dana Altman’s team as the clock wound within six minutes down five points. Elgin Cook would return and with a quick bucket bring Oregon within one 49-48. He would give Oregon a one point lead on the next possession on a pass from Dillon Brooks with just under five minutes remaining.

Oregon would have a goaltending call against them on a blocked shot giving UC Irvine a 53-50 lead with 3:58 remaining. Oregon gave the ball up three times in the final minutes but Dwayne Benjamin game through with a three point shot to put the Ducks within two points of the lead with two and a half minutes left.

The Oregon Defense held and Elgin Cook would be fouled hard heading to the basket to shoot two. He would miss the first and make the second pulling the Ducks within one of the lead with a minute and a half to go in the game. The Defense would again hold and Oregon was within a shot of the lead with a 1:17 to go. Travis Souza would hit a jump shot with 26 second to go to give UC Irvine a 57-54 lead.

More from Autzen Zoo

Dwayne Benjamin would tie the game with 7.6 second to go at 57. Free basketball at Matthew Knight Arena would start with a two pointer from Benjamin giving the Ducks a 59-57 lead. Two possessions later Elgin Cook would extend Oregon’s lead by hitting two free throws to 64-59. Irvine would battle back again to tie the game at 64. It was again Cook at the line.

"“I didn’t know where we would be, I really didn’t. We have a lot of new faces. I thought our schedule was going to be really demanding. So I’m proud our guys found some ways to win some ball games, disappointed in our consistency.”Oregon Head Coach Dana Altman on starting the season 10-3"

He would miss the first and make the second giving Oregon a one point lead with 1:15 to play in the first overtime. Joseph Young would hit a three off a screen shot giving the Ducks a 68-64 lead with ten seconds to go.

The game was a fight from the beginning as Oregon picked up eight fouls in the first half and leading scorer Joseph Young was held in check with just five points in the first half. Dwayne Benjamin and Elgin Cook again stepped in to make a difference and to give Oregon their tenth win on the season. Benjamin had a career high eighteen points. Elgin Cook and Jordan Bell both had eight rebounds in the game.

The Oregon Ducks went 10-3 in non-conference and Conference play will begin this Saturday against Oregon State at home. (5pm Pacific Time, ESPNU)

Home/Oregon Ducks Basketball