ASU gives No. 13 Oregon a scare but Brooks comes through late
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EUGENE, Ore. -- Losing two games in a row wasn't an acceptable option for Dillon Brooks.
Coming off a loss at Colorado, he knew the margin of error for defending Pac-12 champion Oregon was too slim to slip up again.
Brooks scored 27 points, including the last 12 of the game for the 13th-ranked Ducks, as Oregon escaped with a 71-70 victory over Arizona State on Thursday night.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I really wanted to pull out that win," Brooks said. "I knew we couldn't lose this game."
Brooks hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:32 to play for the Ducks (20-3, 9-1), who trailed 60-59 before their preseason All-America took over in the final 3 minutes.
"The second half our ball movement was better and then we relied on Dillon," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "He made some big-time offensive plays. He was really good late there.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He likes being in that situation, which is a big part of it."
Jordan Bell had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Ducks, who outrebounded the Sun Devils 40-30. Oregon made 7 of 13 from 3-point range in the second half.
Shannon Evans II led Arizona State (10-13, 3-7) with 28 points and Tra Holder had 17.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Sun Devils had possession trailing 71-68 with 18 seconds left, but the best they could get was a rebound basket by Torian Graham. Oregon ran out the final 2.9 seconds for the win.
Brooks, who had 21 points in the second half, said a short bank shot over Graham that put the Ducks ahead 49-41 was the key to his hot finish. He was 9 of 14 overall and 3 of 5 from 3-point range with six rebounds and four assists.
"I've seen him take over games like that," Bell said. "I told him to just keep being aggressive and just keep cooking. I knew No. 4 (Graham) couldn't guard him, so just keep going."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Despite a decided height advantage, Oregon struggled to find any rhythm against Arizona State's four-guard lineup. The Ducks were just 1 of 10 from 3-point range in the first half and trailed 28-25.
It was the fewest points Oregon had scored in a first half since early season losses to Baylor and Georgetown.
The Ducks have less than a 48-hour turnaround before hosting Pac-12 leader Arizona and Allonzo Trier on Saturday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He definitely gives them another bullet, another weapon," Altman said. "We're going to have our work cut out for us.
"We'll hope we're ready to go at 1 o'clock."
BIG PICTURE
Arizona State dropped to 0-6 against ranked teams this season and is 1-5 in Pac-12 road games
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}STAT OF THE NIGHT
Oregon is 20-3 for the first time since the 1937-38 season. The last time the Ducks started conference play 9-1, they went on to win the 1939 national championship.
UP NEXT
Arizona State goes for its 13th win in its last 16 games against Oregon State on Saturday in Corvallis.