by EUGENE, Ore. – The Montana State men’s basketball team hung with the Oregon Ducks, yet an 18-3 Oregon run to open the second half was the difference in an 81-51 MSU loss on Tuesday.
Playing in Eugene for the first time since 2009, the Bobcats (1-2) hung with the Ducks (2-1) for the first half before Oregon pulled away by outshooting MSU 69.2% to 36.7% in the second half.
RaeQUan Battle (Tulalip Tribes) led the Bobcats in scoring for the second-straight night, scoring 20 points on 8-for-17 shooting. Great Osobor chipped in seven points for Montana State, plus Patrick McMahon added six points in 14 minutes.
“RaeQuan looked like he was the one who belonged on the court for our team,” Sprinkle said. “Obviously that’s why he was in the Pac-12, but he was aggressive and we needed him to be like that for this game. He was the one guy who could get by their defenders and make some problems for Oregon.”
Battle and Sam Lecholat opened up the scoring for MSU, giving the Bobcats an early 5-3 lead over the Ducks. Both teams struggled to make shots for several minutes, as both teams were tied 5-5 at the first media timeout. Battle snapped the scoring drought by nailing a three to make it an 8-5 game, yet the Ducks went on an 8-0 run to take a 13-8 lead with 11:44 left in the half.
A put-back layup from Robert Ford III momentarily halted Oregon’s run, yet the Ducks went on a 7-0 run. Battle heated up, going on a personal 6-0 run that pulled MSU within four, trailing 20-16. However, the Ducks gained some distance on the Bobcats with a 5-0 run.
Tyler Patterson’s long, corner-two helped MSU make the score 26-21 in favor of the Ducks with 4:46 to go. Oregon would go on a 9-1 run to close the half and take a 34-22 lead.
Although Oregon went on a 9-0 run to open the second half, Patterson’s first three of the night helped make it a 40-27 ballgame with 17:34 left. The Ducks would start the half shooting 66.7% from the field while also forcing four quick turnovers before the first media timeout to take a 50-27 lead with 14:14 to go.
The Ducks gapped the Bobcats in the second half, outshooting the ‘Cats 69.2% to 36.7% in the frame. Despite a 7-0 run from Osobor late, Oregon sustained its 30-point lead on a banked three from Brady Parris on the final possession to make it an 81-51 ballgame.
Oregon had five players finish in double-figures, led by Kel’el Ware’s 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting off the bench. Tuesday was Oregon’s fourth-straight win over the Bobcats.
