Elgin Cook Leads Oregon Ducks To Win Over USC Trojans
The Oregon Ducks faced their biggest game of the season on Thursday night hosting the USC Trojans at Matthew Knight Arena. A win would set a tie at the top of the Pac-12 Conference between the Ducks and Trojans. The Oregon Starters were the usual in Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher, Elgin Cook, Tyler Dorsey, and Casey Benson.
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The Trojans would start the game with the ball and pull out to an early lead, but shots by Chris Boucher and Elgin Cook would keep the Oregon Ducks close in the opening minutes. USC stated the game hitting two of three from beyond the arc. Dillon Brooks would tie the game with just over 15 minutes left in the first half.
Oregon would find early foul trouble, but as the Quarter progressed, so would USC. Nearly midway through the first half, USC made three of five from beyond the arc, but Oregon made four of five free throws. The Ducks fifth foul of the game would happen with just under 13 minutes to go in the first half.
Dwayne Benjamin would tie the game at 21, but Elijah Stewart would hit a slam dunk giving the lead back to USC. A three from Tyler Dorsey and a Chris Boucher dunk would keep the crowd in the game headed into the under 8 timeout with Oregon down 28-27.
Dana Altman and the Ducks would build some momentum entering the break as Elgin Cook, Tyler Dorsey and Casey Benson would all connect giving the home team a 36-30 lead. USC would charge right back forcing an Oregon timeout, but the Ducks were not going away and rebuilt a 4 point lead thanks to a three pointer from Dwayne Benjamin.
The Oregon Ducks would lead at the break 46-41.
"We don’t care. We just worry about people in our locker room. We don’t worry about that.Dwayne Benjamin on other teams in the Pac-12, USC and Washington, and their gameplay"
Dwayne Benjamin would continue to shine into the second half with a steal and basket with 13:50 left in the game putting Oregon up by nine points, 64-55. Oregon would hold USC to close to 4 minutes without scoring, the points were foul shots with just over 9 minutes left in the game. Dillon Brooks would add another three pointer to put the Ducks up 74-58.
Dillon Brooks and Chris Boucher would play the final five minutes of the game with four fouls each. Elgin Cook would pick up his third foul as Oregon held on to a 10 point lead.
A technical foul on Julian Jacobs for throwing the ball in the air after a travel call on the Trojans cost USC a possession, but Dillon Brooks failed to make the free throws. Oregon did hold the ball for close to a full 30 possession as Boatwright would foul out and the Ducks would add to their lead with less than 90 seconds left, 82-73.
The Oregon Ducks would hold on to beat the Trojans and out rebound USC 43 to 37. The Ducks would have 5 steals on the night and see four players in double figures led by Elgin Cook.
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Up next for Oregon, a visit from UCLA on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 1pm Pacific Time on CBS.