Had some said a month ago that after 4 weeks ASU and Oregon would be the only 4-0 teams in the conference and USC and UCLA would be big disappointments, they would have been stuffed into the same box of crazy I usually occupy. Even I would have laughed. and that would have been true even with the Big guys not recovering from injuries. Arizona was, at one time, number 1 in the nation. The Trojans and Bruins were favored for at least the second spot. Stanford shocked the Wildcats and almost everyone pounds away at the UCLA and USC pretenders.
Haven't watched the Devils play but Oregon has been spending counterfeit money and getting the goods for it. There is a lot of talent there but a team depending so heavily on a couple of freshman isn't supposed to be that good. Yet, they are. With only 7 or eight scholly players on the floor and one of those of third string caliber, on this team, they are hustling and shooting themselves into the front and onto the top. How can such a team fail to fall apart in the ends of games where their leads begin to dissolve late in the clock, yet when have they folded?
I'll say it again. They are playing Altman ball, not resisting doing so. Recently at about this time in the schedule we are beginning to question if Dana will have another 20 victory season and the past couple of years the answers hasn't come until almost the final whistle of the final game after the players finally bought in. This year, if the addition of the biggest stars going into this season doesn't cause an upset in style (can't imaging it will), Oregon might have a nice seeding in March.
Last night was amazing. Oregon was back into trying to hold down the other teams scoring in the paint, collecting more fouls than they could probably use. The other team was also getting a decent share of the three pointers and really spending a lot of time at the foul line. It probably should have been another disappointing trip to Pullman. BUT .. Oregon shot the lights out from mid ranges, and especially from beyond the arc. And .. again .. when the Cougs were within a three point shot of victory, they Coug'd it.
Cal coming to town on Thursday gives the Duck's a good shot a 5-0 (13-3) , with not much chance they are overconfident even against a so-so team of Bears. After that they travel to Colorado to play a completely unpredictable host in a place where Altman has collected plenty of material for nightmares. I don't know if the big guys will be back yet but even without them this group might keep up their trend.
Haven't watched the Devils play but Oregon has been spending counterfeit money and getting the goods for it. There is a lot of talent there but a team depending so heavily on a couple of freshman isn't supposed to be that good. Yet, they are. With only 7 or eight scholly players on the floor and one of those of third string caliber, on this team, they are hustling and shooting themselves into the front and onto the top. How can such a team fail to fall apart in the ends of games where their leads begin to dissolve late in the clock, yet when have they folded?
I'll say it again. They are playing Altman ball, not resisting doing so. Recently at about this time in the schedule we are beginning to question if Dana will have another 20 victory season and the past couple of years the answers hasn't come until almost the final whistle of the final game after the players finally bought in. This year, if the addition of the biggest stars going into this season doesn't cause an upset in style (can't imaging it will), Oregon might have a nice seeding in March.
Last night was amazing. Oregon was back into trying to hold down the other teams scoring in the paint, collecting more fouls than they could probably use. The other team was also getting a decent share of the three pointers and really spending a lot of time at the foul line. It probably should have been another disappointing trip to Pullman. BUT .. Oregon shot the lights out from mid ranges, and especially from beyond the arc. And .. again .. when the Cougs were within a three point shot of victory, they Coug'd it.
Cal coming to town on Thursday gives the Duck's a good shot a 5-0 (13-3) , with not much chance they are overconfident even against a so-so team of Bears. After that they travel to Colorado to play a completely unpredictable host in a place where Altman has collected plenty of material for nightmares. I don't know if the big guys will be back yet but even without them this group might keep up their trend.
