Oregon @ Arizona preview
McKale Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 22, 2020 ) Oregon 73, Arizona 72
Chris Duarte is back and Oregon finally is healthy heading into Saturday's road game against Arizona at Tucson.
Duarte, who injured his right ankle in the second half against Washington State on Feb. 4, missed the Washington game on Feb. 6. He returned Thursday and scored 18 points -- all in the first half -- in a 75-64 victory at Arizona State.
Duarte, who added seven rebounds, four assists and three steals, is averaging a team-high 17.8 points per game. Eric Williams Jr. (11.3 points) returned Thursday night from COVID-19 protocols, meaning Oregon's top five scorers played in the same game for the first time this season.
"It was good to get everyone back out there tonight, but I feel like we've still only scratched the surface," said coach Dana Altman. "There's so much more there."
The return of Duarte and Williams helps set up a high-scoring clash against the Wildcats. Arizona (14-6, 8-6 Pac-12) averages a conference-best 77.3 points per game, while Oregon (11-4, 6-3) is second at 76.3.
The first meeting between these teams, set for Jan. 16, was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Ducks program. It's unclear whether that game will be rescheduled, but with Arizona self-imposing a postseason ban, this could be the only meeting of the season in what has become a marquee matchup in Pac-12 play.
Arizona and Oregon have claimed six of the past seven regular-season championships and won the past five conference tournament titles.
Arizona snapped a two-game skid with an 70-61 victory over Oregon State on Thursday night, earning coach Sean Miller his 299th win with the Wildcats. Miller, in his 12th season at Arizona, has a 73.8 winning percentage (299-106).
Do-it-all point guard James Akinjo leads the Wildcats, averaging 14.6 points and 5.5 assists, while making 38.0 percent of his 100 3-point attempts this season.
Akinjo had a new starting backcourt running mate Thursday night in Kerr Kriisa. The freshman from Estonia was playing in just his third game after eligibility and injury issues. Kriisa hasn't yet been a big scorer (3.7 points per game) but he's another adept ball-handler and is providing key minutes in a thin backcourt.
"It keeps everybody on their toes," Miller said of the lineup change, with Terrell Brown Jr. coming off the bench. "It's kind of like a puzzle, trying to keep our energy up, trying to keep us hungry, playing hard."
Oregon has five players averaging double-digit points, including second-leading scorer Eugene Omoruyi (17.7). St. John's transfer LJ Figueroa, who is averaging 10.5 points, has good memories of playing against Arizona. He scored a team-high 21 for the Red Storm in a 70-67 upset of the Wildcats last season.
Arizona backup post player Ira Lee missed Thursday's game because of an ankle injury and is questionable for Saturday's game.
--Field Level Media