Men’s Basketball: Ducks Pound Pioneers, 93-55

The Ducks face Southern Oregon on Monday in the final exhibition game of the season.

Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - With Malik Hairston sitting out the exhibition opener, the Ducks rode their other star recruit out of Detroit’s Renaissance High School to a 93-55 victory over Lewis & Clark College on Wednesday. Freshman Tajuan Porter, playing in his first game in an Oregon uniform, led all scorers with 29 points on 7-of-14 shooting from three point range, and walked off the court to a Mac Court crowd chanting his name.

Two other Ducks, Maarty Leunen and Aaron Brooks, scored in double digits. Leunen coupled his 16 points with 20 rebounds in only 29 minutes of playing time. Although it was an exhibition, Leunen became the first Oregon player to get 20 rebounds in a single game since Greg Ballard did it against Cal in 1977.

Brooks scored 21 as he shot 9-of-14 from the field. The senior guard also added nine assists and five steals.

After scrimmaging each other for weeks at practice, the Ducks looked eager for a new opponent. "It was good to actually play someone else," said Leunen. "We can see what we need to work on. We’re just trying to improve until the real games begin." His dominant play down low led the Ducks to a 53-27 rebounding advantage.

Eleven players logged minutes for Oregon. Junior Bryce Taylor had eight points, including the Ducks lone pair of dunks, while junior Mitch Platt, coming off a medical redshirt last season, snagged six rebounds and senior Adam Zahn grabbed seven in limited playing time.

Center Dave Berggren led all Pioneers in scoring with 14, but was held to only 4-of-13 shooting by an Oregon defense that limited Lewis & Clark to 24 second half points.

Although the victory was never really in doubt for the Ducks, the Pioneers kept the game from getting out of hand until a late 23-3 run by the Ducks. "We got the jitters out in the beginning and started to click at the end," said Brooks. Oregon’s lead was never smaller than 16 points in the second half.

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