Alabama St. @ Oregon preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 17, 2019 ) Alabama St. 0, Oregon 0

Seventh-ranked Oregon isn't playing like one of the best teams in the country as it hosts struggling Alabama State on Sunday in its final non-conference game. The Ducks are coming off an 84-78 victory over Texas Southern on Dec. 21 that featured 52 percent shooting from the field but was marred by a season-high 19 turnovers.

Oregon coach Dana Altman told reporters: "I hope it's just that we had one foot out the door for Christmas, but we have a lot of work to do" while senior guard Payton Pritchard said: "We've got to learn from this. Our energy was just kind of bad from the jump. We've got to pick it up." Pritchard scored 29 versus Texas Southern and is the only player in the country averaging at least 19 points, six assists and four rebounds. Alabama State has lost five straight and 11 of 12 to start the season after an 80-69 setback to Austin Peay on Dec. 22 in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Hornets were 345th entering Saturday among the 350 Division I teams in scoring at 57.1 points per game and 346th in scoring margin at minus-20.4.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT ALABAMA STATE (1-11): Senior guard Tobi Ewuosho averages team highs of 14.3 points and 6.2 rebounds after scoring a career-best 25 versus Austin Peay, shooting 9-for-12 from the field and 4-for-4 from 3-point range. Senior guard Leon Daniels and junior forward Brandon Battle are next at 6.5 points per game apiece with Daniels shooting better from 3-point range (16-for-50) than from inside the arc (9-for-38). The Hornets allow opponents to shoot 51.1 percent from the field - the third-worst mark in the nation.

ABOUT OREGON (10-2): Pritchard averages club highs of 19.6 points and six assists after scoring in double figures for the 12th straight game, and is shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. Sophomore guard Will Richardson (10.3 points) scored a season-high 18 in the last game and is averaging 14.4 over his past five contests while shooting 52.9 percent from the field this season. Junior guard Chris Duarte (10.8) and senior guard Anthony Mathis (10.4) add scoring depth with Duarte reaching double figures in six of his last seven games.

TIP-INS

1. Pritchard has 1,538 points for his career - 13th on the school's all-time list with an outside shot at catching Ron Lee (2,085) at the top if the Ducks make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

2. Alabama State was fifth-worst nationally in rebounding margin at minus-10.3.

3. The Ducks were ninth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at 40.8 percent entering Saturday with Mathis seventh at 50.8.

PREDICTION: Oregon 83, Alabama State 52