Former Coach Kent Returns to Take on Altman and Oregon Ducks

Whenever the Oregon Ducks play there is always emotion left on the floor regardless of the outcome. On Sunday you can take it up a notch as the winningest coach in Oregon History will return when Ernie Kent brings his new team to Matthew Knight Arena. Kent spent from 1997-2010 coaching the Oregon Ducks and now is in his first year with Pac-12 foe, Washington State.

Last time out the Cougars shot the light out at home winning on overtime 108-99 in a game where Defense did not show up for either team. Oregon can right the second wrong of sorts with a win over Washington State from their two road losses to the Washington schools. The Ducks beat Washington on Wednesday night. Altman can also set some new marks with a win on Sunday.

More from Autzen Zoo

• Oregon football: Ducks and Coach Prime playing it cordial leading up to Saturday
• Oregon Basketball: Non-conference slate features Michigan coming to Eugene
• Oregon football: Ducks find complete game effort in win vs Hawaii
• Oregon Ducks must get run game going against Hawaii
• 8 Pac-12 teams represented in Associated Press Top 25 after Week 2

A win vs the Cougars will give Altman his eighteenth consecutive winning season, the Oregon program their fifth consecutive winning season and also set a new best five-year history record breaking the ones set in 1930-1935 and 2009-2014.

The Oregon Ducks enter the game at 16-7(6-4 Pac-12) and can make up some ground in the Conference race with a win. Arizona lost to Arizona State on Saturday and Oregon is currently in third place and can maintain their spot with a win, which would also put them one game out of first. Not a bad place to be considering the losses from earlier this month could have ended Oregon’s NCAA Chances. Recent wins along with other Conference losses may have the team back in the discussion.

A win on Sunday against their former coach would give the team their fifth win in six opportunities. Oregon has had multiple leaders this season including Joseph Young who recently scored his one-thousandth point in an Oregon uniform and the two-thousandth point in his NCAA career. The Ducks have also had several games where shooting has been solid.

Against UCLA two weekends ago Oregon shot close to eighty percent in the first half and ended the game over sixty percent from the floor. As a team they were able to find teammates and outlets throughout the game. One area of concern are points in the paint where Oregon has given up a lot this season. Against Arizona on the road last week they gave up fifty points inside the paint on the  road.

Oregon will look to continue winning momentum on Sunday afternoon against their former coach. Tipoff is set for 4pm Pacific Time on Pac-12 Networks.