Oregon plows under the Aggies in get-right game at Matthew Knight

Losers of five in a row after a 4-0 start, Oregon played with more defensive intensity and awareness in putting away the University of California Davis 104-62 in Matthew Knight Arena Saturday night.

After they'd opened Big Ten play with decisive losses to USC and UCLA, it was a much-needed win to even their season record at 5-5. They continue this week with games in Eugene versus Portland Wednesday and No. 8 Gonzaga on Sunday the 21st, hoping to get on a run before facing Omaha on the 28th.

They produced their best rhythm of the season against Davis, starting the game with a surge that reached 16-0 when Elon transfer Takai Simpkins buried a three-pointer, Kwame Evans threw down a dunk assisted by Jackson Shelstad and Wei Lin nailed a three-pointer off a pass by Evans.

The Ducks led 52-16 by halftime. For the game they shot a sparkling 61 percent from the floor and 10-21 (48 percent) from beyond the arc. Simpkins hit 7-8 shots, 3-4 from three on his way to 18 points, while floor leader Shelstad paced the victors with 21 points and 9 assists. Junior center Ege Demir, 6-11 of Kaduna, Nigeria chipped in 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Injury-plagued roster shows progress in lopsided tuneup win

Dana Altman laid down a challenge to his team before the game. “A lot of progress to be made. We’re off to a terrible start here,” he said. “So we’ve got to get things corrected, and to start, get guys healthy, get them back on the floor, guys that we have to have because of their experience.”

The injury bug continues to bite like a chigger in a flophouse bed. Starting center Nate Bittle was limited to seven minutes, still battling an ankle injury. Forward Devon Pryor did not play, out with a groin pull. Though listed as questionable, iron man Kwame Evans started and pulled down 13 rebounds, 10 by halftime, with 14 points.

Though expected, the big win at home lifts the outlook for the Ducks, who return to conference play on January 2nd with a game at Maryland. With that 0-2 start in B1G play they'd need to go 13-5 in January, February and March to reach 20 wins, difficult but not impossible if they get healthier. They were 12-8 in the league last year.