The Oregon Basketball team lost another Starter and key player earlier this week.
Sophomore Kenny Wooten broke his jaw and had surgery Monday. He will be sidelined for four to six weeks as he recovers. The injury bug has bitten Oregon hard as the team transitions into Pac-12 play, but the reality of the situation may not be as bad as it seems.
The Pac-12 Conference is not acting like the Conference of Champions with the teams ahead of Oregon in the Standings with at least two losses. Arizona State leads the Conference after beating Kansas on December 22nd 80-76. Arizona, the usual front runner lost by two points to Alabama earlier this month. When looking at the Conference, there are no real standouts, but if the Ducks were at full strength entering January, the story line may be different.
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
Head Coach Dana Altman has worked through injury plagued seasons before, but not seasons that had this much talent on the roster. Bol Bol is out with a foot injury and has missed the last three games. Ab Kijab has missed the last two with an ankle injury and now Wooten out for the first half of Pac-12 play.
Francis Okoro will need to step up to the challenge and be a defender and also find some Offense. The Ducks will work with a smaller lineup over the coming weeks and are in good hands with both Will Richardson and Payton Pritchard up to the challenge. Both have been on the floor together and played well as they have built some important early season chemistry.
The return of Bol and Kijab will help, but rebounding concerns will again be a concern for the first part of the Pac-12 season.
Oregon returns from the Christmas Holiday break on Saturday to face Boise State on the road. Tip off is set for 4:30 pm Pacific Time on CBS Sports Network.