Ducks don't miss a beat even without key players in blowout of Tennessee State

EUGENE, Ore. — On a Friday night at Matthew Knight Arena, the Oregon Ducks defeated the visiting Tennessee State Tigers 92-67 to improve their record to 3-0 on the season.

Kwame Evans Jr. got the scoring started early for the Ducks, posting up his defender to hit a hook shot on Oregon’s first possession. Oregon was looking to run in transition early, scoring 14 points off six Tiger turnovers in the first half. They were aggressive attacking the rim throughout the first half, scoring 24 points in the paint before Tennessee State was able to get its first two with 4:41 remaining in the half.

Once the Tigers were able to get one to fall inside, the floodgates started to open for them. After being down as many as 14 points, they ended the half only down eight points as the Ducks’ shooting went cold.

After Jesse Zarzuela hit a three with 4:34 remaining in the half, Oregon wasn’t able to record a field goal until Zarzuela converted a four-point play just before first-half buzzer.

Despite starting center Nate Bittle not coming back out to start the second half, the Ducks were able to turn this game into a blowout, outscoring Tennessee State 44-27 in the second half to ultimately win by 25.

They were led on the night by 15 bench points from Jadrian Tracey, who was flanked by 14 points from Zarzuela and 13 points and six assists from Keeshawn Barthelemy.

The story of Friday's game for Oregon was its ability to generate turnovers and create transition opportunities. The Ducks finished the night with 10 steals, and were able to generate a plus-eight turnover differential that led to them outsourcing the Tigers 27-6 off of those turnovers.

Postgame, head coach, Dana Altman wasn’t able to provide any update on Bittle’s status, only saying that it was a wrist injury he suffered after falling in the first half and that he was wearing a brace on it for now.

Without Bittle in the lineup in the second, other players were forced to step up, namely, backup center, Mahamadou Diawara. In Bittle’s place in the second half, Diawara scored six points, including a big put-back dunk with 10:49 left in the game, while also grabbing three boards. He finished the game as a +22 in only 16 minutes, second on the team to only Kario Oquendo.

"Mo did a good job." Altman said of Diawara's performance. "Played hard, and physical… I thought his minutes were a big plus.”

On the night, Oregon’s bench doubled the bench scoring of Tennessee State 38-19.

“I thought those four guys off the bench were really good, all four of ’em," Altman said of the play of Diawara, Tracey, Oquendo and Brennan Rigsby.

Altman added that they "gave [the team] a big, big lift" and that they've been "really patient, really unselfish.”

“Honestly, I just wanted to come in and give my team some energy" said Tracey, the game's leading scorer with 15 points. "When my number was called, I just felt like I was ready.”

Oregon will travel to Tallahassee on Monday to take on Florida A&M, but will once again be without their star center, N’Faly Dante, who has missed each of the last two games after grabbing 21 rebounds in the Ducks’ first game to lead them to a win over Georgia.

Altman said postgame that Dante will be seeing a specialist in Chicago on Monday to “see where the problem is, or what the problem is.”

Oregon will tip off against Florida A&M at 5 PM on Monday, before staying in Florida to play Santa Clara in their first game of the Emerald Coast Classic on Friday.