By ,
Published January 08, 2015
Boulder, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - A top-20 duel is on tap at Coors Events Center on Sunday, as the 10th-ranked Oregon Ducks battle the 20th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes in a Pac-12 Conference showdown.
Damyean Dotson intercepted a pass and went the length of the floor for a dunk to carry Oregon to a thrilling 70-68 win in overtime at Utah on Thursday. The win kept the Ducks perfect (13-0) on the campaign, while getting them off to an exhilarating start to the conference schedule. They will play their Pac-12 home opener on Thursday against California.
There was less fanfare and excitement for Colorado in its league debut, as the team outlasted Oregon State, 64-58, at home on Thursday, earning consecutive victories after suffering a 78-73 loss to Oklahoma State. Colorado is 12-2 on the season, and has yet to lose in 10 tries at home. Colorado visits the Evergreen State next for back-to-back bouts against Washington State and Washington.
Colorado stunned Oregon on its home floor last season, and then earned a 76-53 win later in the campaign. The Buffaloes have now won three straight against the Ducks, improving to 7-3 in the all-time series.
Dotson came up with clutch plays all game against Utah, as his free-throws with 28 seconds to play forced overtime and his steal and dunk earned Oregon the win. The Ducks were victorious despite shooting a season-low 38.7 percent from the floor, while coughing up the ball 16 times on turnovers.
The drop in offensive efficiency was a steep one for Oregon, a team that ranks No. 1 in the country in scoring (89.2 pg) and eighth in field goal percentage (.503). The high-octane Ducks get it done with balance, as six players are scoring at least nine ppg, led by Joseph Young (19.3 ppg), who is excelling following his transfer from Houston. The 6-foot-2 guard had a season-low nine points against Utah, but had netted at least 20 points in back-to-back games prior to that. Mike Moser (13.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg), another addition via transfer, leads the team on the boards and is coming off his third game this season with at least 10 rebounds. Jason Calliste (11.5 ppg) and Dotson (11.3 ppg) are also putting forth strong efforts.
Three players scored 13 points, including Josh Scott, who had a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) in Colorado's win over Oregon State. The Buffs scored a remarkable 25 points off of turnovers, while losing the ball only seven times themselves. Colorado also held a hefty advantage in the paint, where it outscored the Beavers, 30-18.
Tad Boyle's squad has not been nearly as productive as Oregon, but still nets a solid 76.5 ppg despite owning the second-worst field goal percentage (.450) in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes are also next-to-last in the league in assists (12.8 pg), but they do hold foes to 66.1 ppg and 42.1 percent shooting. Spencer Dinwiddie (15.3 ppg, 3.9 apg) has the ball in his hands most times down the floor as the team's leading scorer and passer. Dinwiddie had only nine points against Oregon Sate, but dished out five assists to soothe the drop in scoring. Scott (13.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg) is a constant double-double threat, and Askia Booker (12.6 ppg) is the final member of the unit scoring in double figures.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ducks-and-buffs-mix-it-up-in-pac-12-showdown