Colorado St. @ Oregon preview

Colorado St. at Oregon

Last Meeting ( Nov 15, 2009 ) Colorado St. 55, Oregon 68

A half-court heave at the buzzer last Friday by Boise State’s Lexus Williams ended Oregon’s home win streak at a national-best 46 games. Now, a week later, the Ducks will try to start a new streak when they host Colorado State on Friday night.

Oregon, retooling after a Final Four appearance a year ago, has dropped three of its last four games after a 4-0 start. The loss, though, to the visiting Broncos was particularly stinging as the Ducks were unable to hold a 56-48 lead with 9:43 remaining in the game. Including the game-winner, Boise State connected on 7-of-11 3-point attempts in the second half and finished with a 33-30 rebounding edge. “We’ll learn to play together, but the physicality of the game, the defense, the rebounding – that has to improve,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said in his post-game news conference. “It comes down to toughness, and it comes down to leadership. We’ve got to get more out of our older guys.”

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT COLORADO STATE (4-5): The Rams have dropped five of their last seven after a 2-0 start and are closing out a stretch of three straight against Power Five conference foes. Junior guard Prentiss Nixon leads the team with 17.8 points per game and is coming off a career-best 31 points in Tuesday’s 92-66 road loss at Arkansas. Forward Che Bob (11.7 points) and guard J.D. Paige (10.8) also average double digits for Colorado State, which struggled offensively with 36.5-percent shooting and 19 turnovers against the Razorbacks to fall to 0-5 away from home this season.

ABOUT OREGON (5-3): Sophomore guard Payton Pritchard, the lone returning starter for the Ducks, is averaging a team-best 16.4 points and 4.9 assists and has 29- and 28-point outings in two of his last three games. Guard Elijah Brown (12.9 points) and forwards Troy Brown (11.7) and Paul White (11.7) also own double-figure scoring averages for Oregon, which is averaging 85.1 points on the season and 89.8 in five home contests. Troy Brown, a 6-foot-7 freshman who leads the squad in rebounding at 7.1 per game, sat out the Boise State contest with a concussion but has been cleared to return to the starting lineup Friday night.

TIP-INS

1. Oregon leads the series 8-1, but the Ducks’ 68-55 home win in 2009 has been the only meeting in the last 40 years.

2. Oregon ranks as most accurate free-throw shooting team in the nation, connecting on 81.6 percent of its attempts so far.

3. Bob (8.3 boards) and 6-11 center Nico Carvacho (9.0) are the rebounding leaders for Colorado State, which owns a plus-6.8 average rebounding margin.

PREDICTION: Oregon 90, Colorado State 72