Oregon Ducks (9-4)

• Head Coach: Dana Altman (9th Season)
• Top Performer: Bol Bol (21.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG)
• Points For: 72.1 PPG (234th)
• Points Against: 64.2 PPG (44th)
• Last Game/Streak: 62-50 Win at Boise State (1W)

The Skinny

The Beavers start their conference schedule with a trip down to Eugene for the 351st Civil War. It’s a hell of a way to get Pac-12 play started, but this isn’t quite the Oregon team many thought we’d be playing.

To start with, it appears that Bol Bol’s foot injury is going to keep him out much longer than originally expected, perhaps for the rest of the season. Before his injury, Bol was the centerpiece of Oregon’s offense, with 21 points per game.

It’s the latest bump in the road for a Ducks team that many thought was the front runner for this year’s Pac 12 Championship. Early losses against Texas Southern, Houston, and Iowa took the shine off the program, forward Kenny Wooten is out with a broken jaw, and recently sophomore Abu Kigab announced he would be transferring.

The Ducks still have Payton Pritchard. Pritchard was with the team when they made their run to the Final Four in 2016, and now more than ever the Ducks need some veteran leadership. Pritchard is currently averaging 12.3 points per game, but with the team possibly transitioning away from a post focused offense, may start seeing more action.

Who else do the Ducks have left? In their victory over Boise State, guard Ehab Amin stepped up, leading the team with 23 points. Francis Okoro has moved into a starting position as a forward, but hasn’t managed to contribute much yet. Highly rated recruit Louis King is starting to see a lot more play time, and is our Player to Watch.

This is a team still full of questions. Saturday’s game will give us the first answers.

Player to Watch: Louis King

Other than Bol, King was the biggest name from Oregon’s recruiting class. King is a five star recruit from Jersey City, and was rated as one of the best small forwards in the nation. So far in his career at Oregon, he hasn’t made a huge impact, but with the injuries mounting he’s starting to step into a bigger role. He’s started in the Ducks’ last three games, and played 33 minutes in their win over Boise State. With the Ducks forced to go through a midseason metamorphosis, it could be time for King to step into the center ring.

Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports

Game Info

• Date: Saturday, January 5th
• Time: 5:00 PM PT
• Location: Matthew Knight Arena (Eugene, OR)
• Coverage: Pac-12 Network