Ducks fall to 12 UCLA

EUGENE, Ore. - No. 12 UCLA held off the University of Oregon men's basketball team, 83-74, on Sunday afternoon in a Pac-10 Conference match-up at McArthur Court in Eugene. The loss was the Ducks' second straight dropping them to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in league play. The Bruins won their eighth straight game to improve to 12-2 on the year, 2-0 in conference action.

UO shot 44.4 percent from the field, making 24-of-54 field goal attempts. The Ducks were 8-of-18 on 3-pointers (44.4 percent) and 18-of-25 from the free throw line (72.0 percent).

Oregon was led offensively by junior guard Tajuan Porter who tallied a game-high 24 points. Porter finished the game 8-of-18 from the field, 4-of-11 on 3-point attempts. Fellow junior Joevan Catron and sophomore LeKendric Longmire both scored in double-figures. Catron finished with 13 points and a team-high seven assists. Longmire had 10 points in 26 minutes coming off the bench.

The Bruins shot 54.3 percent from the field (25-of-46), including 59.1 percent on 3-pointers (13-of-22). UCLA was 20-of-23 from the free throw line for 87.0 percent.

The Bruins had four players score in double-figures, led by Darren Collison who tallied 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Josh Shipp had 17 points, 14 of which came in the second half. Alfred Aboya and Nikola Dragovic each had 12 points for the Bruins.

The Bruins made five of their first six baskets to take a 12-6 advantage at the 14:49 mark. Oregon out-scored UCLA, 9-6, over the next five minutes, a run capped by a Porter 3-pointer with 9:17 left in the half.

After the Bruins extended their lead to as many as 10 points, a made 3-pointer by Longmire with 4:48 left in the half cut it down to seven, 30-23. UCLA out-scored Oregon, 10-6, to close the half with a 40-29 advantage.

Darren Collison and Nikola Dragovic each had nine first-half points to pace UCLA. Porter had nine points on 3-of-7 shooting to lead the Ducks over the first 20 minutes.

Oregon opened the second half on a 10-4 run to close the lead to five points, 44-39 with 16:59 remaining. UO freshman guard Humphrey had five points in that early second-half surge. A layup by Porter at the 14:47 mark cut the lead to three points, 46-43.

The Ducks opened the first eight minutes of the second half by hitting 8-of-9 from the field, a stretch capped on a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Kamyron Brown which cut the lead to 51-48 with 12:26 in the game.

The Bruins built the lead back up to seven points, 64-57, with 6:17 left in the game. Porter came back with his fourth made 3-pointer at the 6:07 mark to cut the lead back to four points. UCLA wouldn't look back, as the Bruins went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 11 points, 71-60, with 2:40 left in the contest.

Oregon (6-8, 0-2 Pac-10) will return to action next weekend with road games against Arizona and Arizona State. The Ducks will take on the Wildcats on Thursday, Jan.8, with tip-time scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PST). UO will face ASU on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 11 a.m.