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Game #8-660: Prairie View Panthers at Oregon Ducks December 21, 2011 10:00 pm McArthur Court BBState Stats/Recap

Writer's note: This is the fourth game of six from the Global Sports Hoops Showcase to be covered for @800GP. Here's a link to game one, game two and game three.

Because this game was the second game of the day at Matthew Knight Arena, it didn't start with a rendition of the National Anthem (or the Star-Spangled Banner either, for that matter). Instead, it started with Zombie Nation's "Kernkraft 400." Tons of teams start their games off with techno (and I use it as a great motivating tool to get stuff done on deadline) -- it's a great motivating tool for players and fans alike.

Instead, the artist's name summed up the group of fans in Eugene and the play of both Oregon and Prairie View A&M in the first half of Wednesday's second game. The lackluster crowd only got loud when the Jumbotron said to -- trademark Oregon. But to be honest, the home team didn't give them anything to cheer about. The Ducks struggled with their SWAC foe in the first half, one day after struggling with their MEAC foe, North Carolina Central, for the same time period. (Full disclosure: These teams are playing as I write this.) It certainly seemed like Knight Arena was home to a nation of zombie Ducks.

Even the timeout promotions went poorly. One kid missed all of his three-pointers for free food, and another made a lay-in, but missed a three-pointer and never got a chance to shoot a halfcourt shot for free tuition, sponsored by a local casino. Hell, even the halftime entertainment, fifth-graders from the local YMCA league engaging in some "basketball," went poorly, as each team made just one shot in five minutes of action.

Just like last time, Oregon showed its major-conference muscle in the second half, outshooting Prairie View from the perimeter and running away with the game. The Ducks went 10-for-21 from #superhoop range, taking advantage of the Panthers' sagging 2-3 zone that held the Ducks to a 30 percent two-point field goal performance and limited center Tony Woods to three points and five fouls in 15 minutes of action.

Prairie View had the right recipe to upset Oregon -- force the Ducks to shoot from outside and give away no easy points -- but the home team was able to convert from long distance and overcome its problems turning the ball over and at the free-throw line. Perhaps had the SWAC team, the second HBCU to face Oregon in succession, could have turned it over less or shot better than 6 of 19 from #superhoop range, but they had six players with eight or more points and acquitted themselves well inside. The Panthers certainly had the chance to upset an Oregon team that was walking around like a group of zombies for the first 20 minutes. They just couldn't bury the undead.


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