Can Oregon Ducks Rebound After Falling to USC Trojans at Galen Center?
In a recent face-off at the Galen Center, the Oregon Ducks were bested by the USC Trojans with a final score of 68-54. The Ducks now stand with an unranked status, while the Trojans boast a rank of 9. The game was marked by intense competition, as evidenced by five lead changes and no ties throughout the duration.
The Oregon Ducks started strong in the first quarter with 13 points but fell slightly behind as the Trojans secured 14 points. As play progressed, it became clear that maintaining possession was challenging for Oregon; they ended up turning over the ball a total of 14 times. Despite these turnovers, they managed to score 28 points in paint and secured six second-chance points.
Oregon's shooting accuracy from within the arc was notable at 44 percent, making 18 out of their attempted two-point shots. However, their performance from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line left room for improvement; they shot just four three-pointers out of thirteen attempts (31 percent) and made only six free throws from eleven attempts (54 percent). Their defensive efforts yielded one steal and two blocks but were overshadowed by USC's tenacious defense which resulted in ten blocks.
The Ducks showed resilience in rebounding with a total of 35 rebounds—25 defensive and seven offensive—demonstrating their ability to compete on both ends of the court. Their assist-to-turnover ratio stood at an even keel with fifteen assists throughout four quarters.
On contrast, The USC Trojans displayed remarkable efficiency on offense with an impressive field goal percentage of nearly half their shots made (49 percent) including seven successful three-pointers (33 percent). They also capitalized on opportunities given by Oregon turnovers scoring nineteen points off them. Furthermore, their assist game was strong as they doubled up on assists compared to turnovers achieving an assists turnover ratio above four.
Looking ahead after this setback, The Oregon Ducks are set to host Arizona State Sun Devils at Matthew Knight Arena located in Eugene on January 12th at 8:00 PM local time. Fans eager to support can catch live coverage as The Ducks aim for redemption on home turf against ASU following this tough loss against USC.