Rush the Court will be providing wall-to-wall coverage of each of the NCAA Tournament from each of the 13 sites this year. Follow our NCAA Tourney specific Twitter accounts at @RTCeastregion, @RTCMWregion,@RTCsouthregion and @RTCwestregion.
Three Key Takeaways.
- The game was a beautiful, ugly mess. Oregon and Oklahoma State each had 12 turnovers and played little to no defense – but it led to an exciting game with plenty of runs and a quick tempo. Combined, the Ducks and Cowboys shot 48 three-pointers and connected on 17 of them. The extra pass was rarely made by either team on any occasion, as the two teams combined to register for 22 assists. Throw in the color-on-color jersey matchup with Oregon in highlighter yellow and Oklahoma State in highlighter orange, and the game was a glorious blur. If dunks were tallied on the postgame box score, we’d give you the exact number – but trust me when I say there were approximately 1,000. Oregon gets the unenviable task of (probably) taking on Wisconsin in the next round. The Badgers, they of preposterous efficiency, had to be salivating at the sight of this #8/#9 contest. Oregon is explosive in both a good and disastrous way (check out its most recent Pac-12 performance against Arizona), and that plays precisely into Wisconsin’s hands.
- Joe Young has no fear. Young began the first half by primarily sticking to pull-up jumpers and three-pointers, whether it was on the fast break or in a half-court set. He came out of his shell in the second half, particularly when he blew by Oklahoma State’s Anthony Hickey and threw down an emphatic left-handed dunk. Young showcased his versatility as a scorer (27 points), beating the Cowboys every which way and confirming his status as the Pac-12 Player of the Year. He played every single minute on Friday night and seemingly never ran out of gas. His four turnovers are simply a byproduct of his aggressiveness, and that’s something the Ducks are going to have to live with for the remainder of his career. But Young is Oregon’s sparkplug, catalyst and leader. He kept himself fresh on offense, picking up no fouls and only getting one steal, but he’s not out there to dominate defensively. He does his best work with the ball in his hands.
- Le’Bryan Nash ended his career on a sour note. Nash is undoubtedly a professional talent, but his final game as a Cowboy will certainly leave an ugly mark on his collegiate career. While he was solid on the boards, he matched his rebound total in turnovers with seven. His 18 points were a team-high but those turnovers were incredibly costly – not to mention surprising. A big, strong player like Nash probably shouldn’t have the ball taken away so easily in the post as he did tonight. He voiced his disappointment at the postgame press conference, and it’s hard to see such a good player go out that way. March Madness is odd – it gives us insanely dramatic storylines, makes heroes out of unknowns, and ends careers abruptly. Luckily for Nash, his basketball career isn’t over. Hopefully his last NCAA Tournament performance will only further his motivation to become a solid professional player somewhere.
Star of the game. Joe Young, Oregon. The Pac-12’s best gunner and electric floor general was phenomenal, putting up 27 points, canning 8-of-8 free throws and dishing our four assists in the process. He showed he could do it all, from acrobatic layups to long jumpers and even a couple of contested dunks. Even though he had plenty of support from Dillon Brooks (17 points) and Elgin Cook (18 points), it was Young who was the Cowboys’ primary concern and ultimately, their downfall, here on Friday.
Sights and Sounds. A wave of boos rained down on the court after Oklahoma State’s Leyton Hammonds three-pointer was blocked out of bounds with nine seconds to play. It appeared that Hammonds’ hand had been hit when he let go of the three, but no call was made. The Cowboys trailed by four at that juncture and ultimately failed to score any points.
Quotable.
- “It hurts. Good players don’t turn the ball over… Without my seven turnovers, it’s a different ballgame.’ – Oklahoma State’s Le’Bryan Nash
- “It’s not rocket science. You put the ball in your two best players’ hands, and you get them to make plays.” – Oregon head coach Dana Altman
What’s Next? Oregon will face the winner of #1 Wisconsin and #16 Coastal Carolina’s Friday evening tilt on Sunday.