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UNIVERSITYHOUSE.COM 541.344.1660 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS

THE DUCKS WITHOUT YOUNG

SIX NEWCOMERS JOIN ROSTER

PAC-12 RUNDOWN

CANADIANQ & A WITH ADVANTAGE TYSON ALGER

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADAM EBERHARDT AND SAMUEL MARSHALL 6 DuckSeason, the Emerald’s annual football magazine, is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit news company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

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DESIGN RAQUEL ORTEGA GINA MILLS JARRED GRAHAM

ON THE COVER

DILLON BROOKS MAKES A BASKET IN THE DUCKS NOV. 3 GAME

AGAINST NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY.

PHOTO BY SAMUEL MARSHALL

7 NOT A ONE-MAN TEAM NOW ADDITIONAL PARKING BEHIND CAFE YUMM. NOTE: There is no longer parking across Broadway.

GLUTEN FREE OPEN PANCAKES! OREGON PREPARES WITH BALANCED ROSTER SINCE Redshirt senior Elgin Cook has become one 1965 of the faces of Oregon basketball, a cast that includes a more balanced roster than 6am-2pm last year. MON-FRI 6am-3pm SAT & SUN Freshman is the 23rd ranked recruit in the 2015 class, and now an asset for the Ducks.

Kendall Small, a four-star recruit from Mayfair High School, stands among the best guards in the 2015 class.

541-343-7523 • 782 East Broadway, Eugene Corner of Alder & Franklin Blvd. Walking distance from campus!

PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM EBERHARDT NOT A ONE-MAN TEAM SEASON PREVIEW

OREGON PREPARES WITH BALANCED ROSTER BY HAYDEN KIM, @HAYDAYKIM

Sitting beside Dana Altman at this year’s Pac-12 Media Day in as reigning Spalding NJCAA Division I Player of the Year Chris San Francisco was Elgin Cook. Boucher, Altman has three highly touted freshman guards.

This time last year, it was the Pac-12 Player of the Year Ennis was a starter for Villanova and is someone that and recently signed NBA rookie Joseph Young, not Cook, Altman claimed to be “easy to work with.” He is now a alongside Altman answering questions and taking pictures in graduate student who has already shown signs of being an preparation for the upcoming season. In his senior campaign emerging leader. for Oregon, Young averaged 20.7 points, 4.4 boards and 3.8 Freshman Tyler Dorsey, a 6-foot-4 product of Maranatha assists while leading the Ducks to the Round of 32 in the High School in Los Angeles, is the 23rd ranked recruit in the NCAA Tournament. 2015 class, according to . Named Gatorade But Oregon isn’t too worried about his departure, State Player of the Year for California, the double-double as the team looks to fill the void he leaves with a machine hung his hat on averages of 34.0 points, 10.4 balanced approach. rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals as a senior.

“We were more balanced last year than people gave us Trevor Manuel, a four-star prospect out of Everett High credit for,” Altman said. “This year, I think we’ll have that School and Oak Hill Academy, is the No. 3 player out of the balance. Offensively, we’ve got a number of guys that can state of Michigan. He averaged 21.9 in his step up and score baskets.” senior year.

Said Cook: “We got a great recruiting class and transfers Kendall Small, a four-star out of Mayfair High School in that will pick up the slack.” Anaheim, California, averaged 22 points and 9.3 rebounds to stand among the best guards in the 2015 class. Cook, a redshirt senior who averaged 13.0 points and 5.2 rebounds, is one of six returners. Returning is an experienced group featuring Cooks, Dillon Brooks and Dwayne Benjamin, and Altman expects them to Altman and Cook took the podium, representing what will be take over the team. a drastically different-looking Oregon men’s basketball team that is projected to finish fourth in the Pac-12 by the media. Altman’s goal will be no different than year’s past: to intermix a balanced group of young prospects and veterans. Both were optimistic about their potential and incoming mixture of talent. Since Altman first arrived in 2010, he has guided Oregon to five straight 20-plus win seasons and a program-best three “I think we’ve got a group of good guys that want to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. compete,” Altman said. “It will be a lot of fun working with them this year.” “We have to play an exciting brand of basketball,” Altman said. “We have challenges in front of us. [But] we have the On top of getting Villanova’s Dylan Ennis via transfer as well resources, the facilities. Our program will grow.”

9 DEPTH EXPANSION Tyler Dorsey is one of the top freshmen Oregon has recruited in the last few years.

Coming off their third straight NCAA Tournament bid last year, the Ducks welcome a solid group of newcomers to fill the void that former guard Joseph Young left behind. Three freshmen, two transfers and one walk- on will join an already deep Oregon roster.

Although Oregon’s recruiting class landed outside the top 20 in the country, according to 247Sports, almost every new player will be critical to the Ducks’ success. SIX OREGON NEWCOMERS BY GUS MORRIS, @G_AMORRIS

Chris Boucher: Kendall Small:

A Montreal, Quebec native and the reigning Spalding NJCAA Another skilled guard from southern California, Small was the Division I Player of the Year, Boucher will more than likely 92nd ranked player in ESPN’s Top 100. Standing six feet tall, start immediately for the Ducks. Boucher averaged 22.5 he displays a broad and unique skill set, averaging 22 points, points and 11.8 rebounds per game at Northwest College in 9.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.1 per game his senior Wyoming and was named a First-Team All American. Not only year at Mayfair High School. He will come off the bench is the 6-foot-10 junior a talented defender — he blocked five or behind fellow guards Casey Benson, Dorsey and Ennis. more shots in 11 games last season — he can also step outside and knock down the three. Trevor Manuel: Tyler Dorsey: The No. 3 player from the state of Michigan, Manuel finished One of the top freshmen Oregon has landed in the past few his high school career at Everett High School averaging 21.9 years, Dorsey was the 38th best player in the class of 2015 points per game. His junior year, he helped lead Oak Hill (according to ESPN’s Top 100) and the 2015 Gatorade State Academy to a 41-4 record and to the championship game of Player of the Year in California. During his senior year at the Dick’s National High School Tournament. He was named Maranatha High School in Pasadena, he averaged 34.0 points to the Class A All-State team following his senior year. The per game to go along with 10.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 6-foot-9 forward highlighted his career at Everett with 42 1.9 steals per game, and scored 52 points in a game against points and 10 blocks in a win over Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills. Chaminade. Dorsey is one of the most explosive scorers in the Expect Manuel to contribute key minutes off the bench. country and should be getting lots of minutes all season long.

Dylan Ennis: Phil Richmond: A redshirt transfer from a Villanova team that spent much The lone new walk-on on the team, redshirt junior Richmond of last season ranked in the top 10, Ennis was a crucial guard was a team manager last year. He last played organized in the Wildcats’ deep run into the NCAA tournament a year basketball at Calabasas High School. His father, Mitch ago. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds per Richmond, played for Oregon head coach Dana Altman game while shooting 42 percent from the field and 36 percent at Moberly Junior College and Kansas State. Mitch played from three. He may not take the court for some time, though, professionally in the NBA for 14 years and was named an as he will be out for an undisclosed amount of time, having All-Star six times. undergone foot injury.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM EBERHARDT 10 WHERE TO LOOK WHERE TO LOOK ON THE COURT

BY JUSTIN WISE, @JUSTINFWISE

Oregon men’s basketball surprised everyone last season when it went 26- 10 and reached the Pac-12 tournament final and the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. Behind senior Joseph Young, who averaged 20.7 points per game and was named Pac-12 Player of the year, the Ducks ended their season in a place few would have expected considering the sudden turnover their roster was hit with.

Now a year after Oregon head coach Dana Altman was forced to put three freshman and one junior college transfer into his main rotation, Altman has a considerably more experienced group. But he does lose his top scorer in Young. It appears that it won’t be a one- man show like it was at times last year.

Here are three things to watch for this season:

1) Who steps up in Joseph Young’s 2) Recent recruits could expected to make impacts 3) How will rule changes effect Oregon place? early Since Altman became head coach, Oregon has been It appears that sophomore Dillon Heralded as one of the top recruits in the country last known for playing in high scoring contests. Now, Brooks is ready to fill Young’s shoes. year, freshman Tyler Dorsey is expected to make an with the shot clock changing from 35 to 30 seconds, Brooks averaged 11.5 points and impact for the Ducks in 2015. Dorsey, who averaged should we expect those scores to increase? The shot 4.9 rebounds per game last year 30 points and 10 rebounds as a senior in high school, clock alteration is just one of 25 new rule changes as a freshman. In addition, this past was ranked the 87th best player in incorporated into the game this year. Nearly all of summer he won a silver medal while this season, according to ESPN. He was the only Duck them were instilled to speed up the pace of the game playing for the Canadian Senior to make it on the list. In addition, junior college transfer and increase scoring. Other changes include coaches National team at the Pan American Chris Boucher is expected to help the Ducks at the post. having one less timeout and substitution breaks being games. He scored a team-high shortened. With nursing a foot injury, the 6-foot-10 26 points in the team’s opening Boucher will try to fill the void. And, due to Dylan Ennis’ How that affects Oregon’s brand of basketball remains exhibition and said he feels really injury, freshmen Kendall Small and Trevor Manuel to be seen. comfortable right now. will have “a little bit more” playing time than planned, said Altman.

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RUNDOWN

BY HAYDEN KIM, @HAYDAYKIM

Arizona Oregon

Record last season: 34-4, 16-2 Pac-12 Record last season: 26-10, 13-5 Pac-12

Key returners: Kaleb Tarczewski, Key returners: Elgin Cook, Dwayne Benjamin, Dillon Brooks

Summary: After losing four key starters — T.J. McConnell, Rondae Hollis- Summary: Oregon will start the season just outside the Top 25. It’ll also Jefferson, Stanley Johnson and Brandon Ashley — to the NBA, enter the season with one of the most talented groups Dana Altman has will look to seasoned big man Kaleb Tarczewski for a reliable foundation to had since taking over in 2010. Keep your eyes out for newcomers Tyler build on. Tarczewski, who has reportedly worked on his offensive game in Dorsey and Chris Boucher to make an instant impact as the Ducks patiently the offseason, will be tasked with not only leading this year’s roster, but wait for Villanova transfer Dylan Ennis to return from a foot injury. also stepping up as a primary option on both sides of the ball. No one is ever going to question Arizona’s talent level, but it will be worth watching UCLA Tarczewski’s progress as he plays the game of risk versus reward by Record last season: 22-14, 11-7 Pac-12 staying another year. Key returners: , Bryce Alford California Summary: Gone is Kevin Looney, UCLA’s top athlete and the Pac-12 Record last season: 18-15, 7-11 Pac-12 reigning rebounding leader. Here is Tony Parker and Bryce Alford, two players that could form a formidable duo this season. The Bruins will be Key returners: , Jordan Matthews, relying on their backcourt of Alford (15.4 points, 4.9 assists) and Isaac Summary: California will go as far as its strong recruits take them. Jaylen Hamilton (10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds), but if they avoid complacency, Brown and , both highly touted recruits, have a lot of hype there’s no reason why they can’t be in the mix as an NCAA tournament heading into the season and will have a lot of opportunities to play/start bubble team with a balanced roster. right away. Let’s see if the Golden Bears can make a drastic improvement following a productive offseason. Oregon State Utah Record last season: 17-14, 8-10 Pac-12 Key returners: II Record last season: 26-9, 13-5 Pac-12 Summary: made an immediate impact as Oregon State’s Key returners: Jakob Poeltl, Jordan Loveridge new head coach but he was limited by the lack of talent and depth in the Summary: took his talents to the NBA, but that doesn’t Beavers roster he initially inherited. Now, Tinkle will have the luxury of mean Utah will be counting its losses. Returning 7-footer Jakob Poeltl, pairing a program-best recruiting class with NBA-ready, senior guard who averaged 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds, is projected to have a breakout Gary Payton. The Beavers will be no pushovers this season. season as the Utes’ anchor.

12 Redshirt senior Elgin Cook in last season’s game against .

Stanford USC

Record last season: 24-13, 9-9 Pac-12 Record last season: 12-20, 3-15 Pac-12

Key returners: Marcus Allen, Rosco Key returners: Katin Reinhardt, Nikola Allen Jovanovic

Summary: Despite winning the National Summary: USC will welcome back Invitational Tournament to conclude nine players from last season. Andy the season last year, Stanford will be Enfield will have to make something of without their three main contributors. that. Coming off a dismal 3-15 outing Losing Chasson Randle, Anthony Brown in Pac-12 play, the Trojans will have the and Stefan Nastic, the Cardinal will fortune of low expectations on their essentially have to redefine themselves side. We’ll see if they can return to this season. As of now, the team relevancy. doesn’t appear to have one glaring Washington standout. Expect a balanced approach on both sides of the ball. Record last season: 16-15, 5-13 Pac-12

Arizona State Key returners: Andrew Andrews

Record last season: 18-16, 9-9 Pac-12 Summary: The addition of a top-10 recruiting class will make the Huskies, Key returners: Savon Goodman, Gerry at the very least, exciting. While head Blakes coach will look to senior Summary: After an impressive year at Andrew Andrews (15.0 points, 4.3 Buffalo, will be joining the rebounds) for consistency, he’ll also try Sun Devils staff in 2015. Hurley, who to integrate freshman will have his fair share of returners at as soon as possible. The two could his disposal, could fly under the radar end up forming a deadly backcourt, as in a loaded Pac-12 conference. A lot Murray carries early NBA potential. will depend on Savon Goodman’s (11.2 Washington State points, 7.6 rebounds) production. Colorado Record last season: 13-18, 7-11 Pac-12 Key returners: Josh Hawkinson, Ike Record last season: 16-18, 7-11 Pac-12 Iroegbu Key returners: Josh Scott Summary: Projections for the Cougars Summary: Colorado will live or die this season are low for two main based on how senior Josh Scott plays reasons: lack of experience and overall this season. Scott, who is the lone depth. While Josh Hawkinson (14.7 double-digit scoring returner, will have points, 10.8 rebounds) and Ike Iroegbu to carry a lot of the Buffaloes’ weight will anchor the Cougars, the rest of the this season. He averaged 14.5 points roster will need to do much more if and 8.4 rebounds last year. they want to stay afloat in the Pac-12.

Senior Dwayne Benjamin in last season’s away contest with Arizona State.

13 DILLON BROOKS DILLON BROOKS:

BY HAYDEN KIM, @HAYDAYKIM

Ducks guard Dillon Canada has had a good year. Brooks enters his sophomore season claimed Rookie of the Year in the NBA. The with two years Raptors made the NBA playoffs. Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose of international Bautista immortalized himself with an unforgettable bat flip against the basketball experience. Rangers in game five of the ALDS. For the first time, Toronto announced it would be hosting NBA All-Star weekend.

Justin Bieber — love or hate him — made a big comeback at college bars and parties all across the globe with his new hit single What Do You Mean? Drake broke the Internet (again) with his catchy, dance provoking, Director X produced Hotline Bling video that reminded everyone how viral and entertaining a well-made GIF could be.

“I always look back there and see what’s going on,” Oregon sophomore guard Dillon Brooks said of his home country. “Good things are going on over there. I just love being a part of it. I love helping the cause for it. It’s just a great feeling.”

But here’s what you may not have known about Canada’s memorable year: Its senior national team sidelined Team USA in the semifinals of the Pan American Games en route to a silver medal finish.

On that team was Brooks, a Mississauga, Ontario native who enters his sophomore season at Oregon with two years of international experience — U-19 and the Pan American Games with Team Canada.

Brooks is one player among a growing class of hungry, Canadian-born, NBA-ready prospects that aren’t afraid to push the status quo in an American-dominated sport.

Two-time NBA MVP and Canadian-born Steve Nash has taken notice.

“It’s really cut across all segments of the population and is growing like wildfire,” Nash told The Canadian Press.

Recently, the NBA has welcomed the likes of Wiggins, Corey Joseph, Anthony Bennett and into its elite fraternity.

“With being on the rise, with the Raptors coming in there and starting to experience success at the time, that’s — if you’re a young boy — very influential to your life, especially if you grow to love the game,” Coach Andy Johnson said. “That’s what happened with Dillon.”

Brooks, who was born right around the time the were founded in 1995, grew up during a time when basketball was beginning to

14 AN ONTARIO ADVANTAGE

take off in Canada. He takes pride in the country’s growing representation pick in 2015 draft). in the sport. “That’s what you want to do: surround yourself with the best possible. “I love Canada,” Brooks said. “I always wear it on my chest. It’s just a Just being around the NBA feel, culture, makes you want to go to the NBA, great feeling playing for your country, for the red and white. With Andrew makes you want to get ready for them,” Brooks said. Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and those guys, it just shows you that you can Brooks’ story is one that epitomizes the saying, “show me your friends make it in the NBA. It just gives us hope that you make it there, make a lot and I’ll show you your future.” Coming from a family that hadn’t had any of money and play a job that you love.” prior ties to the basketball community, Brooks had to rely on his own Brooks had a productive offseason. In concert with his international play intuition and gut to sort out his inner circle. with Team Canada in the Pan American Games was an improved diet, “He had a lot of the right people around that helped him to get to where fitness and overall development of his athleticism and fundamentals. he is,” Brooks’ mother Diane said. “His whole circle, even circle of friends, Playing alongside a player like — a highly touted prospect everyone is basketball related.” committed to Kentucky — Brooks exposed himself to a higher level of As a sophomore, Brooks has continued to form those bonds with like- basketball. minded, hardworking individuals. While Brooks grabbed Pac-12 All Freshman honors and finished as the Recently, that list includes reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year and current No. 3 freshman scorer in the conference with the Ducks last season (11.5 Indiana Pacer Joseph Young, who he still keeps in contact with, and Nash, PPG), he still felt like making a drastic physical change. a model figure growing up in Canada that he texts regularly since meeting For Brooks, who has always been known for his top-notch work ethic, him at the Pan American Games. this offseason was a reflection of his determination to not become Brooks is a byproduct of Canada’s growing love for the game of complacent. basketball. With the growing popularity of the Raptors, the country up “When the season was done, I went through — I wouldn’t say a diet — but north has slowly but surely ascended to heights only Canadians might a life change,” Brooks said. “I just added more vegetables, less carbs, have seen coming. From this standpoint, Brooks owes a lot of his current more protein. When I got back here, everyone realized I was skinny. I didn’t and future successes to good fortune and timing. realize it till I went back to scale and saw I was 220 [pounds].” Before the Raptors, before Wiggins and Bennett went No. 1 overall in From Canadian AAU powerhouse CIA Bounce to Findlay Prep in consecutive NBA Drafts, hockey dominated the attention of Canadian Henderson, Nevada, Brooks has always made sure to surround himself sports fans. But now, Canadian basketball is more than ready to take its with a passionate basketball community — he comes from a family next step. It’s a step that includes grooming and promoting rising names without a background in the sport. like Brooks. It’s a step that requires the support of good company — the very basis of Brooks’ past, present and potentially bright future. At Findlay Prep, a national powerhouse based 20 minutes outside of that had recently won three of the last four National High School “Canada basketball is on the rise,” Dillon said. “It’s scary to look at it Invitational championships, Brooks got his first taste of what it would be because there’s a lot of young talent there and they’re all watching us in like to play in a college-like environment. the NCAA, in the NBA, so we just got to put on and show them that they can make it too. The NBA is a long-term goal [for me].” Said Findlay Prep Coach Andy Johnson: “When you have 12 guys that will go on to play Division I basketball, all on the same team, all living “I think he sees it, the light’s at the end of the tunnel,” CIA Bounce Coach together, they’re going to push each other.” Tony McIntyre said. “The sky is the limit for him. He’s still so young and he’s putting it all together so early. He’s seen it. He’s talked to the guys Brooks roomed with current NBA players Rashad Vaughn (Milwaukee that have gone through it. There’s nothing that’s going to come as a shock Bucks, 17th pick in 2015 draft) and Kelly Oubre (, 15th to him from this point on.”

15 INJURED DUCK

WHO WILL FILL DYLAN ENNIS’ SHOES? BY RYAN KOSTECKA, @RYAN_KOSTECKA

With the loss of guard Joseph Young, a do-everything type of player, and duties left behind by Ennis, but if any of them struggle, expect Altman to Jalil Abdul-Bassit, a three-point specialist, to graduation, the expected rely on experience, with 6-foot-6 sophomore Dillon Brooks and 6-foot-7 arrival of transfer Dylan Ennis was supposed to provide the Oregon senior Dwayne Benjamin at the spot. backcourt with some much needed scoring and maturity. The combination of those five players should help take care of the While Ennis, who averaged 9.9 points for Villanova last year, is in Eugene scoring, passing, defense and ball-handling that Ennis provides as a and donning the green and yellow of the Ducks, coaches and players are talented redshirt senior. going to have to wait before they see what kind of presence he gives Where the Ducks will struggle with trying to fill Ennis’ void is in the Oregon on the court. According to head coach Dana Altman, Ennis is out department of experience and communication. Although he has yet for at least the month of November, and possibly all of December, with a to see time on the court, Ennis has been extremely vocal from the left foot injury. bench, constantly shouting out encouragement and corrections for his Ennis, who was expected to be the Oregon’s starting , may teammates. be back in time for Pac-12 play, but that doesn’t help the Ducks and the Entering his third season in Eugene, redshirt senior Elgin Cook is the brutal non-conference schedule that starts their season. longest tenured Duck under Altman. He’s the player most familiar with With Ennis’ injury, the most pressing question for the Ducks entering the Oregon’s style and schemes, so it will be on him to take on a vocal season is who will step in and replace him until he returns. leadership role. The problem is that Cook isn’t the most vocal of guys, he’s more of a lead-by-example type. The most conventional approach would be to play a committee of players until Ennis returns, and with Oregon’s depth at the guard spot this year, Brooks seems the most logical player to take up the void left behind by that seems the most likely option. The Ducks have three players who Ennis because he’s expected to have a breakout sophomore season after could all see action at the point guard spot, with returning sophomore averaging 11.5 points per game last year. Brooks poured in 26 points Casey Benson the most likely player to receive the bulk of Ennis’ minutes. on 10-of-12 shooting in Oregon’s exhibition opener against Northwest Christian and will have a bigger offensive presence with Young gone and Five-star guard Tyler Dorsey is penciled in as Oregon’s starting shooting Ennis hurt. guard and has already been drawing raves for his stellar scoring ability, but has no collegiate experience thus far. Fellow freshman guard Kendall Although he has yet to see the court for the Ducks, the injury to Ennis is Small will now be seeing the court more with Ennis out, probably quicker one that could hurt Oregon in the early season going forward. While it’s than Altman would’ve liked. nearly impossible to replace that play-making ability and experience with one player, the Ducks’ committee approach should pay dividends during Those three players will combine to absorb most of the point guard their rough and tough non-conference schedule.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ADAM EBERHARDT AND SAMUEL MARSHALL 16 MISSING RECRUITS

SO CLOSE: OREGON LOST OUT ON BIG-TIME RECRUITS BY JOSEPH HOYT, @JOEJHOYTT

Anthony Bennett (5-star power forward -- 2012)

Jamal Murray planned to announce which Before Anthony Bennett was selected as the No. 1 collegiate court he’d call home on a Tuesday overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Cleveland in late June. But for some reason, Murray, the Cavaliers, he was a Canadian transplant, finishing No. 10 recruit in the 2015 class according to his high school basketball career at Findlay Prep 247Sports, pushed his announcement back a in Nevada. There, Bennett became one of the day later. best high school players in the country, ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation by Yahoo! Sports. It was reported a couple days earlier, by His decision came down to Oregon and UNLV. He Sonny Bairos of Canadianballers.com, that elected to play close to his high school home for Murray’s decision would come down to the Runnin’ Rebels. Oregon and perennial powerhouse Kentucky, with the Ducks being the “front-runner” for In his only season with UNLV, Bennett averaged 16.1 the Kitchener, Ontario native. A week before points and 8.1 rebounds per game, leading UNLV to Murray’s announcement, Oregon forward a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament — UNLV was Elgin Cook tweeted, “Welcoming our newest upset 64-61 by No. 12 California in the team’s first commit Jamal Murray into the family,” before tournament game. deleting it. (5-star power forward -- 2013) All signs pointed to Dana Altman and Oregon In the sweepstakes for Aaron Gordon, the No. 3 picking up one of the best incoming freshman player in the 2013 recruiting class, according to in the country for this year. But on that Yahoo! Sports, Oregon was a close second. Gordon Wednesday, Murray stood at a podium and told the Oregonian, “I didn’t think [Oregon] had donned a blue Kentucky hat. enough talent, but obviously they do have a lot of Coming close to gaining high profile recruits great young players who fit my style of play ... has become a trend for the Oregon basketball at Oregon it would have been more magnified.” team over the last couple of years. While Gordon, the No. 3 overall pick by the Oregon has had a successful run over the in the 2014 NBA Draft, averaged 12.4 points and past couple of years — a Pac-12 championship eight rebounds per game. trophy and a couple of runs to the Sweet Jaquan Lyle (4-star shooting guard -- 2014) Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament — it’s hard not to ponder what could’ve been for Oregon Jaquan Lyle actually committed to Oregon in if a couple of recruits had decided to come to 2014, but never played a game for the team. And Eugene. still, a year after graduating Huntington Prep High School in West Virginia, Lyle — the former No. 24 Murray is just one high-profile recruit Oregon player in the country — hasn’t played a college has missed out on. Here’s a few others that basketball game. He wasn’t admitted to Oregon came close to going to Oregon before playing for undisclosed reasons, and after a year of their college basketball elsewhere. reopening his recruiting, Lyle will play at Ohio State this season.

17 SCHEDULE

Tue, Nov 3 Northwest Christian (EX.) Eugene, OR 7:00 p.m. Sun, Nov 8 Southern Oregon (EX.) Eugene, OR 6:00 p.m. Fri, Nov 13 Jackson State Eugene, OR 7:00 p.m. Mon, Nov 16 Baylor Eugene, OR 8:30 p.m. Fri, Nov 20 Savannah State Eugene, OR 8:00 p.m. Sun, Nov 22 Valparaiso Eugene, OR 3:00 p.m. Wed, Nov 25 Arkansas State Eugene, OR 4:00 p.m. Mon, Nov 30 Fresno State Eugene, OR 5:00 p.m. Fri, Dec 4 Nevada Las Vegas, NV 8:00 p.m. Mon, Dec 7 Navy Pearl Harbor, HI 6:30 p.m. Sat, Dec 12 Boise State Boise, ID 4:00 p.m. Tue, Dec 15 UC Irvine Eugene, OR 8:00 p.m. Fri, Dec 18 Long Beach State Eugene, OR 6:00 p.m. Mon, Dec 21 Alabama Birmingham, AL 6:00 p.m. Tue, Dec 29 Western Oregon Eugene, OR 6:00 p.m. CONFERENCE NON-CONFERENCE

18 PHOTOGRAPH BY COLE ELSASSER Team Stats 2014-15 Record: 26-10 (13-5 Pac-12) 75.6 points per game 36.4 rebounds per game 14.2 assists per game percentage: 46.1%

Sun, Jan 3 Oregon State Corvallis, OR 4:00 p.m. Wed, Jan 6 California Eugene, OR 6:00 p.m. Sun, Jan 10 Stanford Eugene, OR 7:00 p.m. Thu, Jan 14 Utah , UT 7:00 p.m. Sun, Jan 17 Colorado Boulder, CO 4:00 p.m. Thu, Jan 21 USC Eugene, OR 6:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 23 UCLA Eugene, OR 1:00 p.m. Thu, Jan 28 Arizona Tucson, AZ 8:00 p.m. Sun, Jan 31 Arizona State Tempe, AZ 5:30 p.m. Thu, Feb 4 Colorado Eugene, OR 6:00 p.m. Sun, Feb 7 Utah Eugene, OR TBA Thu, Feb 11 California Berkeley, CA 6:00 p.m. Sat, Feb 13 Stanford Stanford, CA 1:00 p.m. Sat, Feb 20 Oregon State Eugene, OR 7:00 p.m. Wed, Feb 24 Washington State Eugene, OR 7:00 p.m. Sun, Feb 28 Washington Eugene, OR 5:30 p.m. Wed, Mar 2 UCLA Los Angeles, CA 6:00 p.m. Sat, Mar 5 USC Los Angeles, CA 1:00 p.m.

PHOTOGRAPH BY COLE ELSASSER ANALYST Q&A

The Oregonian's Tyson Alger: Ducks’ chances for a title

BY HAYDEN KIM, @HAYDAYKIM

Emerald: What are your general impressions of responsibility from the get-go. It will be great this team heading into the season? experience for them, especially if you can get Ennis back for Pac-12 play and then the Tyson Alger: Overall, this is probably a better tournament. team, in the sense of the word, than it was last year. That team was completely carried by E: What do you make of Oregon’s defensive Joseph Young, especially when he got hot. That’s potential, especially with a guy like Chris going to be the biggest change this season: you Boucher? have a better overall team, but can someone fill TA: You never quite know what you’re getting the cup in those stretches where you just need a with junior college players because you don’t guy to take over? I think a guy like Dillon Brooks know how polished they are or how they can can do that at times. Overall, I really like the fit into a system. But Boucher, through the buildup of this team. two exhibition games, [shows] that he’s going E: What do you make of the impact that Dylan to and can score a bit too. I’m a little Q Ennis’ injury will have on this team? concerned with how his body is going to hold up against some of the bigger Pac-12 opponents TA: Losing Dylan Ennis for the indefinite future because Boucher is awfully skinny, but if he’s is going to be a bigger problem than it may able to kind of work around that, that’s going to seem because you’re losing a proven starter be a big plus. who can average 10 points a game and replacing him with Casey Benson who, although he has a E: What are your overall preseason projections good amount of time playing last season, wasn’t for this team? really a featured player on the floor for the TA: If the Ducks play well with each other, with Ducks. some of that length and depth that they have, & E: Optimistically then, is this a good opportunity and they’re able to find some guys who can for a freshman like Tyler Dorsey to get that reliably account for some of those points Joseph experience in non-conference play before they Young went for last year, I really like the ceiling head into the thick of the Pac-12 season? of this team. I picked them to finish second in the Pac-12. If they got hot and everything goes TA: You never want anyone to go down with well, I think they got a shot at competing for the an injury, but if the timing is kind of like what [conference] title. I think this is the going to be Dana alluded to where it’s just maybe two the year that you find out how important having months or so, I think it could be really valuable A a guy like Joseph Young is, a guy that is an to bring guys along like Dorsey, [Kendall] Small elite level scorer, can win a Pac-12 MVP, versus and get them substantial playing minutes and having an overall better team.

20 ROSTER

The Oregonian's Tyson Alger: Ducks’ chances for a title

DUCKS ROSTER

1 BELL, JORDAN F 6-9 225 SO. LONG BEACH, CALIF. / LONG BEACH POLY HS 0 BENJAMIN, DWAYNE F 6-7 210 SR. LAFAYETTE, LA. / MT. SAN JACINTO JC / NORTHSIDE HS 2 BENSON, CASEY G 6-3 185 SO. TEMPE, ARIZ. / CORONA DEL SOL HS 25 BOUCHER, CHRIS F 6-10 190 SR. MONTREAL, QUEBEC / NORTHWEST COLLEGE / DAMASE BOULANGER HS 24 BROOKS, DILLON F 6-6 225 SO. MISSISSAUGA, ONT. / FINDLAY PREP 23 COOK, ELGIN F 6-6 205 RSR. MILWAUKEE, WIS. / NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE / HAMILTON HS 5 DORSEY, TYLER G 6-4 180 FR. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. / MARANATHA HS 31 ENNIS, DYLAN G 6-2 195 RSR. BRAMPTON, ONT. / RICE / VILLANOVA / LAKE FOREST ACADEMY 35 MANUEL, TREVOR F 6-9 187 FR. LANSING, MICH. / EVERETT HS 10 NOEBEL, CHARLIE G 6-2 178 JR. IRVINE, CALIF. / MATER DEI HS 11 RICHMOND, PHIL G 6-4 190 RJR. CALABASAS, CALIF. / TRINITY INTERNATIONAL HS 21 SMALL, KENDALL G 6-0 175 FR. ANAHEIM, CALIF. / MAYFAIR HS 41 SORKIN, ROMAN F 6-10 225 SO. ASHDOD, ISRAEL / HOF HASHARON HS

PHOTOGRAPH BY SAMUEL MARSHALL 21

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