Jordan Bell Leads Oregon Ducks Past Fresno State
The Oregon Ducks had a final tune-up for Pac-12 play hosting Fresno State on Tuesday night at Matthew Knight Arena.
The Bulldogs have been just that. They have won six of their last seven road games. Oregon was without Chris Boucher who was out with a sprained ankle.
Through the first five minutes, Dillon Brooks picked up a foul and landed a jump shot. Both teams were hitting 40 percent from the start. Fresno State had a one-point lead with 15:55 left in the first half. The Oregon run was small, butt he Ducks pushed the lead to 15-11 hitting 7 for 12 from the floor. Fresno State landed two three-point shots to keep it close.
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Dana Altman watched the Oregon Ducks land five of six shots to take a nine-point lead 26-17. Oregon forced a turnover and missed two chances before Fresno State committed a foul putting Tyler Dorsey at the line. He missed both foul shots. The Ducks continued to push a Fresno State scoreless streak toward the 4-minute mark. Oregon quietly put together a 9-0 run to push the lead to 31-17 with 3:44 left in the first half.
For the first half, Fresno State had just two assists. Oregon was able to open things up as the Bulldogs hit a cold streak. Dillon Brooks sat the better part of the last 10 minutes of the first half in foul trouble.
Brooks picked up his third foul less than two minutes into the second half. Keith Smith stepped in. Two minutes later Brooks checked back in. Fresno State went on a 6-2 run. Kavell Bigby-Williams missed a block and allowed a basket to start the run.
The Oregon Ducks would hit a badly timed three-minute scoring drought with a 5 point lead and 11:49 left in the game. The Bulldogs would keep it close. Dillon Brooks landed a three-pointer off an assist from Casey Benson. Fresno State countered and Payton Pritchard would turn the ball over.
It was not the kind of game that Alman wanted to see. At this point in the non-conference season, the Oregon Ducks should be a more well-oiled machine.
Jordan Bell took out his frustration on the basket with a monster slam dunk. He was fouled and completed the three-point play. He led the team in points with 18 and had Oregon up 56-50 with 7:31 left in the game.
Bell and Benson would push the Ducks led to 10, 62-52. Both teams exchanged several baskets, but Oregon was unable to capitalize on free throws keeping the door open at 65-58 with 4 minutes remaining.
In the end, it was a 75-63 win for the Oregon Ducks but the play during the Non-Conference slate still leaves questions unanswered and with a Top 5 UCLA team up next, the answers will need to come quickly. Jordan Bell finished the game with 23 points and 8 rebounds to lead Oregon.
The Oregon Ducks and UCLA Bruins tipoff Pac-12 Conference play next Wednesday at 6 pm Pacific Time.