From Oregon Communications:
Junior guard Chris Duarte has been named Pac-12 player of the week for the second time this season.
The Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, native posted a stat line Thursday against USC not seen at the Division I level in nearly 21 years. He had 30 points, 11 rebounds and a Matthew Knight Arena record eight steals in the win against the Trojans. The last player to do that was Niagara’s Alvin Young, who had 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine steals against Saint Peter’s on Jan. 30, 1999.
The eight steals was the most by a Duck since Kenya Wilkins set the school record with nine against Boise State on Dec. 20, 1996. It was also the most steals by a Pac-12 player since 2015 (T.J. McConnell, Arizona).
Duarte followed Thursday’s performance with 24 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists in Sunday’s win against UCLA.
He averaged 27.0 points per game on 50 percent shooting (17-of-34) and 54 percent behind the arc (7-of-13) as Oregon took over sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 with a home sweep of the LA schools.
Duarte, who has 21 steals in the last four games, was also named Pac-12 player of the week for the week of Dec. 23-29 when he scored a career-high 31 points against Alabama State. He is Oregon's first multiple Pac-12 award winner since Dillon Brooks in 2017.
The Ducks, who moved up a spot to No. 11 in this week’s Associated Press poll, visit California Thursday at 6 p.m.
