The only game that matters Vol. Enter the 12th chamber

Was it hard rooting against the school I attend? The school I have cheered for over the past two years? No, not at all, not when I can barely recognize them in lame navy blue jerseys with horrible white piping. When the opposing team has Aaron Brooks and Tajuan Porter it makes it that much easier.

• The Cats must have only ordered 11 new warm-ups because David Bagga, who is still in the midst of a sophomore slump after his phenomenal freshman year, is rocking a red warm-up while the rest of the team wears navy blue.
• 17:32 Tajuan Porter has four boards already. (cough) Freshman of the year. (cough)
• 15:27 Lute finally realizes that Staf is worthless and gives Nic Wise some burn.
• 15:07 Ernie Kent fights fire with freshness and puts Joevan “Stay Fresh” Catron.
• 12:30 Aaron Brooks (6’0’’) stuffs Ivan Radenovic’ (6’10’’). At this point Radenovic’ should just walk off the court and blow his brains out. Instead he grabs the ball back and misses a lay-up.
• 10:58 An Aaron Brooks 3 makes it 16-9, Ducks.
• 9:40 Brooks wets another 3 then blocks Jawann McClellen. The man fills a stat line quick.
• 8:08 Chase tries to justify his freshman of the year award and strokes a 3 from dead on. 21-16, Ducks.
• 5:29 Jordan Hill brings the Cats within three, 24-21, after an and-1.
• 3:36 Malik Hairston hits a 3 to put the Ducks up 10, 31-21.
• 2:47 I guess I can't officially call him Chase "no-‘D’" Buinger because he blocks Bryce Taylor. Halftime: 34-23, Ducks.
• 18:15 Staf hits a lay-up for his ONLY two of the game. Way to make the most of your second to last basketball game on U.S. soil Staf.
• 13:20 Radenovic’ proves the Stanford game was definitely a fluke and waits until the second half is halfway over to get a bucket. The rest of the second half was Tajuan Porter hitting 3s from anywhere he wanted on the court, while Arizona played half-hearted (except for Jordan Hill).
• Final 69-50, Ducks.

Nic Wise Moment of the Game: As Nic jogged up and down the court playing at three-quarter speed, you could read the thought bubble above his head. “Damn, why the fuck did I commit to this school as a high school freshman?” Let’s be real, Jerryd Bayless is going to come to Tucson next year try to be the next freshman phenom, set a few school records, try to carry the team on his back, destroy all team chemistry, and the Cats will be lucky to be as ‘good’ as they were this year.

Sneaker Watch: Once again Oregon was constrained by their white uniforms…Mustafa Shakur, who brought out black/white Penny IVs in the 2006 Pac-10 Tourney, wore his usual black/red Zoom LeBron IV…Radenovic ’ and Fendi rocked navy blue Air Force 25. Malik Hairston dark green Air Force 25. The random old UCLA fan in front of me wore Gil Zeros with Dockers. Gangster.


One day in the near future I will try to actually break down why I chose to root for the Ducks over the Cats. It's going to take some deep thinking, on a psycho-analysis level, but it will get done. I should also credit goducks.com with the word 'Tajuan-derful,' I wish I could think that hard and be that creative.

Also props to Daniel Dillon for getting suspended for the ever-ambigious "violation of team rules."

The rest of the Pac-10 Tourney recap of Oregon's glorious run will come in due time.