Portland, Ore. ? Payback is hell, and Kansas University paid the price for ending Oregon’s season in the NCAA Elite Eight last March.
“We had a sour taste in our mouths,” said Luke Jackson, who scored a game-high 26 points in the Ducks’ 84-78 victory against Kansas on Saturday.
“That kind of stuck with us over the summer,” said Luke Ridnour, who added 25 points in front of 20,762 fans in the Rose Garden, making it the largest crowd ever to watch a college basketball game in Oregon.
Vengeance wasn’t the only motive, however. The Ducks wanted to prove they’re legitimate, and what better way than to knock off a traditional powerhouse in front of a national TV audience?
“It was a huge win for this team,” Ridnour said. “It was awesome to play in front of this many people. This was like a March game.”
Not like last March’s 104-86 loss to the Jayhawks at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Madison, Wis.
“I like to call this a statement game,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. “This is a basketball-crazy place, too, and we had a chance to make that statement on national TV.”
Oregon punctuated that statement during the last 3:41, when the Ducks took command after Kansas had wiped out a 14-point deficit, forged a tie and had momentum.
“Kansas forced us to expand our mental capability and our physical capability out there,” Kent said.
Mainly, the Ducks benefited from putting Kansas big men Nick Collison and Wayne Simien into foul trouble. Last year, Collison and the departed Drew Gooden slaughtered the Ducks inside.
“On the boards, they dominated us last year,” Kent said. “But our big guys stepped in.”
Kansas still outrebounded the Ducks, but the margin was only six (49-43), and that disadvantage was negated by the Jayhawks having 22 turnovers to the Ducks’ 17.
At the same time, Oregon held Kansas to 39.7 percent shooting.
“For us to defend them about 90 percent of the time in man-to-man,” Kent said, “tells you something about our defense.”
Oregon did nothing Saturday to make anyone suspect it isn’t a Top 10 team. The Ducks were ranked No. 7 going in, and Saturday’s win only polished their luster.
“We’re a contender, and we’re not afraid to play anybody in the country,” Jackson said. “Today me and Luke were kinda feedling off each other’s energy and show everybody how good we are.”
Tomorrow, however, is another day, and the other Luke raised a caution flag.
“This is one step,” Ridnour said, “but we know it’s a long season and we have a long way to go.”
What goes around comes around, and next season the shoe may be on the other foot when the Ducks travel to Kansas City, Mo., to play the Jayhawks in Kemper Arena.
“I’ve got to go back to Kansas next year,” Kent remarked, “and they’re not going to have a friendly environment down there.”
Notes
Jackson and Ridnour combined to take 44 shots. Their teammates took 30. : Jackson and Ridnour each played 39 minutes. No other Duck logged more than 25 minutes. : Oregon’s bench outscored KU’s, 16-12, led by Jay Anderson with seven points. : Oregon, 5-0, will travel to Pepperdine next Saturday.
Portland, Ore. ? Payback is hell, and Kansas University paid the price for ending Oregon’s season in the NCAA Elite Eight last March.
“We had a sour taste in our mouths,” said Luke Jackson, who scored a game-high 26 points in the Ducks’ 84-78 victory against Kansas on Saturday.
“That kind of stuck with us over the summer,” said Luke Ridnour, who added 25 points in front of 20,762 fans in the Rose Garden, making it the largest crowd ever to watch a college basketball game in Oregon.
Vengeance wasn’t the only motive, however. The Ducks wanted to prove they’re legitimate, and what better way than to knock off a traditional powerhouse in front of a national TV audience?
“It was a huge win for this team,” Ridnour said. “It was awesome to play in front of this many people. This was like a March game.”
Not like last March’s 104-86 loss to the Jayhawks at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Madison, Wis.
“I like to call this a statement game,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. “This is a basketball-crazy place, too, and we had a chance to make that statement on national TV.”
Oregon punctuated that statement during the last 3:41, when the Ducks took command after Kansas had wiped out a 14-point deficit, forged a tie and had momentum.
“Kansas forced us to expand our mental capability and our physical capability out there,” Kent said.
Mainly, the Ducks benefited from putting Kansas big men Nick Collison and Wayne Simien into foul trouble. Last year, Collison and the departed Drew Gooden slaughtered the Ducks inside.
“On the boards, they dominated us last year,” Kent said. “But our big guys stepped in.”
Kansas still outrebounded the Ducks, but the margin was only six (49-43), and that disadvantage was negated by the Jayhawks having 22 turnovers to the Ducks’ 17.
At the same time, Oregon held Kansas to 39.7 percent shooting.
“For us to defend them about 90 percent of the time in man-to-man,” Kent said, “tells you something about our defense.”
Oregon did nothing Saturday to make anyone suspect it isn’t a Top 10 team. The Ducks were ranked No. 7 going in, and Saturday’s win only polished their luster.
“We’re a contender, and we’re not afraid to play anybody in the country,” Jackson said. “Today me and Luke were kinda feedling off each other’s energy and show everybody how good we are.”
Tomorrow, however, is another day, and the other Luke raised a caution flag.
“This is one step,” Ridnour said, “but we know it’s a long season and we have a long way to go.”
What goes around comes around, and next season the shoe may be on the other foot when the Ducks travel to Kansas City, Mo., to play the Jayhawks in Kemper Arena.
“I’ve got to go back to Kansas next year,” Kent remarked, “and they’re not going to have a friendly environment down there.”
Jackson and Ridnour combined to take 44 shots. Their teammates took 30. : Jackson and Ridnour each played 39 minutes. No other Duck logged more than 25 minutes. : Oregon’s bench outscored KU’s, 16-12, led by Jay Anderson with seven points. : Oregon, 5-0, will travel to Pepperdine next Saturday.
:quot; Sports editor Chuck Woodling can be reached at 832-7147.
Portland, Ore. ? Payback is hell, and Kansas University paid the price for ending Oregon’s season in the NCAA Elite Eight last March.
“We had a sour taste in our mouths,” said Luke Jackson, who scored a game-high 26 points in the Ducks’ 84-78 victory against Kansas on Saturday.
“That kind of stuck with us over the summer,” said Luke Ridnour, who added 25 points in front of 20,762 fans in the Rose Garden, making it the largest crowd ever to watch a college basketball game in Oregon.
Vengeance wasn’t the only motive, however. The Ducks wanted to prove they’re legitimate, and what better way than to knock off a traditional powerhouse in front of a national TV audience?
“It was a huge win for this team,” Ridnour said. “It was awesome to play in front of this many people. This was like a March game.”
Not like last March’s 104-86 loss to the Jayhawks at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Madison, Wis.
“I like to call this a statement game,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. “This is a basketball-crazy place, too, and we had a chance to make that statement on national TV.”
Oregon punctuated that statement during the last 3:41, when the Ducks took command after Kansas had wiped out a 14-point deficit, forged a tie and had momentum.
“Kansas forced us to expand our mental capability and our physical capability out there,” Kent said.
Mainly, the Ducks benefited from putting Kansas big men Nick Collison and Wayne Simien into foul trouble. Last year, Collison and the departed Drew Gooden slaughtered the Ducks inside.
“On the boards, they dominated us last year,” Kent said. “But our big guys stepped in.”
Kansas still outrebounded the Ducks, but the margin was only six (49-43), and that disadvantage was negated by the Jayhawks having 22 turnovers to the Ducks’ 17.
At the same time, Oregon held Kansas to 39.7 percent shooting.
“For us to defend them about 90 percent of the time in man-to-man,” Kent said, “tells you something about our defense.”
Oregon did nothing Saturday to make anyone suspect it isn’t a Top 10 team. The Ducks were ranked No. 7 going in, and Saturday’s win only polished their luster.
“We’re a contender, and we’re not afraid to play anybody in the country,” Jackson said. “Today me and Luke were kinda feedling off each other’s energy and show everybody how good we are.”
Tomorrow, however, is another day, and the other Luke raised a caution flag.
“This is one step,” Ridnour said, “but we know it’s a long season and we have a long way to go.”
What goes around comes around, and next season the shoe may be on the other foot when the Ducks travel to Kansas City, Mo., to play the Jayhawks in Kemper Arena.
“I’ve got to go back to Kansas next year,” Kent remarked, “and they’re not going to have a friendly environment down there.”
Jackson and Ridnour combined to take 44 shots. Their teammates took 30. : Jackson and Ridnour each played 39 minutes. No other Duck logged more than 25 minutes. : Oregon’s bench outscored KU’s, 16-12, led by Jay Anderson with seven points. : Oregon, 5-0, will travel to Pepperdine next Saturday.
:quot; Sports editor Chuck Woodling can be reached at 832-7147.
Portland, Ore. ? Payback is hell, and Kansas University paid the price for ending Oregon’s season in the NCAA Elite Eight last March.
“We had a sour taste in our mouths,” said Luke Jackson, who scored a game-high 26 points in the Ducks’ 84-78 victory against Kansas on Saturday.
“That kind of stuck with us over the summer,” said Luke Ridnour, who added 25 points in front of 20,762 fans in the Rose Garden, making it the largest crowd ever to watch a college basketball game in Oregon.
Vengeance wasn’t the only motive, however. The Ducks wanted to prove they’re legitimate, and what better way than to knock off a traditional powerhouse in front of a national TV audience?
“It was a huge win for this team,” Ridnour said. “It was awesome to play in front of this many people. This was like a March game.”
Not like last March’s 104-86 loss to the Jayhawks at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Madison, Wis.
“I like to call this a statement game,” Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. “This is a basketball-crazy place, too, and we had a chance to make that statement on national TV.”
Oregon punctuated that statement during the last 3:41, when the Ducks took command after Kansas had wiped out a 14-point deficit, forged a tie and had momentum.
“Kansas forced us to expand our mental capability and our physical capability out there,” Kent said.
Mainly, the Ducks benefited from putting Kansas big men Nick Collison and Wayne Simien into foul trouble. Last year, Collison and the departed Drew Gooden slaughtered the Ducks inside.
“On the boards, they dominated us last year,” Kent said. “But our big guys stepped in.”
Kansas still outrebounded the Ducks, but the margin was only six (49-43), and that disadvantage was negated by the Jayhawks having 22 turnovers to the Ducks’ 17.
At the same time, Oregon held Kansas to 39.7 percent shooting.
“For us to defend them about 90 percent of the time in man-to-man,” Kent said, “tells you something about our defense.”
Oregon did nothing Saturday to make anyone suspect it isn’t a Top 10 team. The Ducks were ranked No. 7 going in, and Saturday’s win only polished their luster.
“We’re a contender, and we’re not afraid to play anybody in the country,” Jackson said. “Today me and Luke were kinda feedling off each other’s energy and show everybody how good we are.”
Tomorrow, however, is another day, and the other Luke raised a caution flag.
“This is one step,” Ridnour said, “but we know it’s a long season and we have a long way to go.”
What goes around comes around, and next season the shoe may be on the other foot when the Ducks travel to Kansas City, Mo., to play the Jayhawks in Kemper Arena.
“I’ve got to go back to Kansas next year,” Kent remarked, “and they’re not going to have a friendly environment down there.”
Jackson and Ridnour combined to take 44 shots. Their teammates took 30. : Jackson and Ridnour each played 39 minutes. No other Duck logged more than 25 minutes. : Oregon’s bench outscored KU’s, 16-12, led by Jay Anderson with seven points. : Oregon, 5-0, will travel to Pepperdine next Saturday.
:quot; Sports editor Chuck Woodling can be reached at 832-7147.
