EUGENE, Ore. — In a commanding performance on Sunday, the No. 12 ranked Oregon Ducks secured a 79-61 victory against Stephen F. Austin, with Brandon Angel leading the way with 15 points and six rebounds.
Angel, a senior transfer from Stanford standing at 6-foot-9, displayed efficiency, making 4 of 5 shots from the field and converting 6 of 7 free throws. This win allowed the Ducks (10-1) to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season to UCLA the previous week.
Alongside Angel, Supreme Cook and Jadrian Tracey contributed significantly with 14 points each, while Nate Bittle added 13 points in a productive 18 minutes before fouling out. For Stephen F. Austin (5-6), Matt Hayman was the standout, scoring 17 points, and Keon Thompson chipped in with 11.
Oregon established a strong lead early on, shooting 47.8% from the field during the first half and entering halftime ahead 37-23. The Lumberjacks struggled to cut their deficit to fewer than 12 points in the second half, exemplifying the Ducks’ dominance throughout the game.
The matchup proved to be a substantial challenge for Stephen F. Austin, which is preparing for two more nonconference games before diving back into Southland Conference action, where they currently hold an 0-2 record. Meanwhile, Oregon has two nonconference games remaining, including a Saturday match against their former Pac-12 rival, Stanford. Notably, sophomore Kwame Evans Jr. exited the game in the second half due to what seemed to be an injury affecting his left knee or ankle; prior to this, he had recorded eight points and five rebounds in just 14 minutes of play.
A pivotal moment in the game was Oregon’s defense, which effectively shut down the Lumberjacks early, allowing them to build an 18-4 lead within the first eight minutes. Stephen F. Austin struggled significantly, making only 2 of their first 13 attempts from the field while committing six turnovers.
A notable statistic from this game was Oregon’s bench, which accounted for an impressive 44 points, primarily led by Cook and Tracey, in contrast to the mere 13 points from the Lumberjack bench.
Looking ahead, Stephen F. Austin is set to host Texas Wesleyan this coming Friday, while Oregon gears up to face Stanford on Saturday.
