Cats visit Oregon Wednesday night

On Wednesday, the Catamounts travel to Eugene, Oregon for the first ever meeting between the Catamounts and the Oregon Ducks in the Matthew Knight Arena (12,541).

The Ducks were picked to finish fourth in the PAC 12 preseason polls. Last season, the Ducks finished the season 28-9, playing in the postseason, NCAA Sweet 16, losing to eventual national champions, Louisville.

The 18th ranked Ducks (1-0) beat Georgetown 82-75 last Saturday in their season opener played at the US Army Base Camp Humphreys in South Korea. 

However, sophomore point guard Dominic Artis (6-1, 186) and sophomore forward Ben Carter (6-8, 220), both of whom were expected to be starters for the Ducks, were suspended for violating team rules and did not make the trip to Korea. The duo was suspended for a total of nine (9) games for selling the limited edition shoes that were given to them for being members of the Oregon basketball team. That's the good news for the Catamounts.

What's the bad news?  Oregon's usual "quick rebuilding" effort has a trio of transfers in redshirt senior guard Jason Calliste (6-2, 171); redshirt junior guard (6-2, 185) Joseph Young; and redshirt senior forward Mike Moser (6-8, 211).  All three are eligible this season and should provide the depth to overcome the loss of Artis and Carter.  Head coach Dana Altman has had major makeovers utilizing transfers in each of his four seasons at Oregon and made significant postseason runs in the past three years.  Will his formula utilizing transfers work again this season?  I wouldn't bet against him.

In the opening game for the Ducks, Joseph Young, a redshirt junior guard, had 24 points and five rebounds while redshirt senior guard Jason Calliste scored 16 points off the bench, making 11 from the charity stripe. Senior forward Mike Moser (6-8, 211) scored 15 points while pulling down 7 rebounds.

As far as we know today, the Cats will continue to be without the services of Sumler and Mendenhall, but we understand that they are traveling with the team on this road trip, leading me to think the coaching staff expects a change in status at any time.

Good Luck Cats.


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