A lot went wrong for Oregon (9-2) in the first half against visiting Long Beach State (6-7). Against an outside-oriented 49ers team, the Ducks didn’t contest the perimeter and gave up a combined 34 points to two role players: Roschon Prince (13) and Travis Hammonds (21).

This lapse in focus resulted in a tightly contested 40-39 Oregon edge at the break.

“We just weren’t focused,” Dwayne Benjamin said. “We just lost the shooters. We went into halftime and really made the adjustment.”

Entering the game, Prince was averaging 7.8 points off the bench, while Hammonds averaged 9.5 points as a starter. The two anchored the 49ers offense, while leading scorer Nick Faust (16.5 points per game average) eventually warmed up in the second half to finish with 12 points and six rebounds.

Hammonds’ eight made three-pointers broke a Matthew Knight Arena record.

“We just lost him: man, zone, it didn’t matter,” Altman said. “Should be able to recognize when someone is getting five, six threes on you in a half. Disappointed there.”

For Oregon, this first half was not only uncharacteristic, but it was detrimental. Holding its hat on the defensive end so far this season, Oregon’s inability to close out on Long Beach States trigger-happy shooters just wasn’t acceptable for its style of play.

In a way, Dana Altman’s prideful defense took a step backwards tonight.

“I was just really disappointed,” Altman said. “Our guys were all worried about the offense and we just let them score. I was yelling at them a little bit to get focused … we weren’t just going to be able to shoot our way out of it.”

If it weren’t for a strong push midway through the second half — much thanks to Chris Boucher who finished with a double-double: 14 points and 10 rebounds — the Ducks could have easily seen another “L” on their non-conference schedule.

“After a slow start, in the second half, I thought the last 18 minutes, we played really hard and really well,” Altman said. “But we weren’t focused for long periods of time, especially in that first half and you can’t do that against good teams.”

Midway through the second half, Boucher got it going. After posting just four points in the first, Boucher came alive with eight crucial points — six of them came at the line — in a five-minute span beginning around the 12-minute mark. He also added four blocks.

“I tried to bring energy,” Boucher said. “I knew that first half, I didn’t play well, so I just tried to help my teammates with rebounds and blocking shots.”

The junior college transfer has shown steady progress through the first 11 games.

It was another all-around performance for the Oregon offense that highlighted six different players in double-figures: Brooks (21), Dorsey (17), Boucher (14), Elgin Cook (13), Casey Benson (11) and Jordan Bell (10).

Validating Altman’s balanced offensive approach, Oregon eventually got it together in the second half, despite looking stagnant and stiff early on.

“It was the whole team,” Altman said. “When you get six guys in double-figures, that’s obviously pretty balanced for you. All the guys did a pretty nice job of moving the ball and making plays.”

A lot of it had to do with the strong play from Brooks and Dorsey, who have consistently led the way for Oregon’s offense through non-conference play.

“Just like with scoring, our leadership is versatile,” Benjamin said. “A lot of different players do it in a lot of different ways. We look for him (Dorsey), especially when he plays the point. I think he did a good job tonight. He’s starting to come along with that.”

The Ducks also went 22-of-24 from the line, making it difficult for Long Beach State to creep back into the game.

“That’s the best we shot free throws and a lot of those were late when they were trying to foul and get back into the game,” Altman said. “Those free throws are important.”

Struggling to close out games earlier in the season, Altman’s now healthier rotation, with more depth, has improved in closing out games.

“Our depth was really the difference,” Altman said.

Next up is a 7-2 Alabama team that already has two wins against top 25 teams — No. 23 Xavier and No. 20 Wichita State.

This will be the last non-conference road test of the season before Oregon opens Pac-12 play with a Civil War matchup in Corvallis on January 3.

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

Midway through December, Oregon (8-2) is slowly starting to look like the team Dana Altman envisioned, before injuries hurt its rotation. With Jordan Bell and Dylan Ennis – two presumed starters – out with foot injuries to begin the season, the pace for this team to reflect its true potential has taken longer than expected.

With Bell back though – he returned against Boise State last Saturday – the Ducks are beginning to tease their true capability just prior to the opening of Pac-12 play. They’re scheduled to play in-state rival Oregon State in Corvallis on January 3^rd.

“We can attack everybody from every different angle (now),” Dillon Brooks said. “It’s a great feeling for everyone to come back.”

What Bell provides for this team is invaluable. From his physicality in the paint to his improved mid-range jump shot that was showcased against UC Irvine Tuesday, Bell has made a visible impact on the floor.

It’s going to take him some more time to get fully up to speed, but there is a newfound confidence in the Oregon locker room since his return.

“He’s obviously our most physical player and so he really gives us a presence in there,” Altman said. “We looked like a different team tonight (against UC Irvine).”

Ball movement has gotten better, turnovers are starting to get cut down and the overall level of comfort on both sides of the ball appears to be increasing.

“We’re just really trying to make plays for our teammates and just get our assist –to-turnover ratio up,” Brooks said. “That just increases our chances of winning.”

Altman still believes “there’s a lot more there” regarding the improvement in ball movement and executing the offense, but was pleased with the progression against UC Irvine.

“I thought we took a big step and we were better.”

Before Ennis went down with an unexpected injury that would sideline him for the entire non-conference schedule, the hype for this team was high. Even after losing reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young to the NBA, there was little doubt that this roster had potential.

This team has rim protectors, veterans, highly touted freshman and most importantly, a coach that’s built a reputation of maximizing talent.

While other NCAA tournament teams are looking to build on their early season successes and failures before heading into conference play, Oregon is patiently waiting to get fully healthy. Ennis may now be the only player that is sidelined on Oregon’s bench, but he’s the one that everyone has been waiting for.

Assuming Ennis returns around his late December, early January target date – recently tweeted out “12-29-15” – there is a lot to be excited about if you’re Oregon. Conference play undoubtedly marks the toughest stretch of games, but for this team, it will be the first time they’ll truly get to find out what they have.

“We haven’t played as well as I think we should have been playing, so it’s important we finish the last three games here before we start conference strong and get better,” Altman said.

Follow Hayden Kim @HayDayKim

On Monday, Dana Altman joked about not having enough guys to practice.

“We didn’t have many guys at practice yesterday,” Altman said.

Currently, Oregon (7-2) has two potential starters out — Dylan Ennis (right foot) and Tyler Dorsey (left knee) — despite recently returning Jordan Bell (foot) in a loss to Boise State where he made all of his 17 minutes count with seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks.

“He really looked like himself,” Dillon Brooks said. “He put in some great minutes. It’s great having him back.”

“He gave us really good minutes,” Altman said. “Didn’t take his minutes for granted, that’s for sure.”

Dorsey is expected to return soon considering his diagnosis ended up being minor, while Ennis, who recently tweeted out, “12-29-15,” is still targeting a late December, early January return date.

“It just brings us positive energy,” Brook said about the team getting closer to being healthy. “Getting ready for conference coming up.”

Starting guard Casey Benson also walked into Matthew Knight Arena the other day with four new stitches around his chin after suffering what could have been a lot worse face plant at Taco Bell Arena. Benson admitted he was lucky to come out of it the way he did and confirmed he’d play tonight against visiting UC Irvine.

Early in the season, injuries have been the focal point of discussion nationally when concerning the Ducks. Going 1-2 in the last three games, once No. 15 ranked Oregon has quickly slipped out of the AP Top 25. Regarding the two losses: Oregon got behind early, coughed up the ball 42 times and shot 43 percent from the floor (combined last three games), forcing them to fight back late.

From a macro level, most of Oregon’s troubles can almost directly be linked to the unlucky mixture of unexpected injuries and tough scheduling that was based on Altman’s assumption that he would be featuring a full, healthy veteran rotation.

“We scheduled up because we thought we were going to have a real veteran team, so we got our hands full.”

Since diverting from this assumption-based plan, Oregon’s managed to stay afloat behind the great play of Brooks, who’s averaging 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds. Brooks, who already has a pair of double-doubles this season against Valparaiso and Fresno State, has filled the temporary void quite nicely, but there’s no doubt this team is ready to be healthy.

Next up on the schedule are two homes games against UC Irvine (7-3) and Long Beach State (6-6).

Against the Ant Eaters, who took the Ducks to overtime and battled tough against Louisville in the NCAA tournament last season, Chris Boucher and Bell are going to need to find a way to minimize 7-foot-6 Mamadou Ndiaye in the paint.

“He’s huge and he creates a lot of problems,” Altman said. “He’s playing much better offensively. He’ll be a handful.”

Against the 49ers, Oregon’s defense is going to need to keep an eye out for senior guard Nick Faust who has put up 16.2 points and 5.3 assists per game.

In the next two games though, this team will be looking to balance snapping its recent losing skid with the temptations of looking past these last three games before conference play.

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

Tyler Dorsey thought his season was over. The five-star recruit, potential one-and-done Oregon freshman awkwardly came down on his left knee after a rebound at the MGM Grand while playing UNLV last Friday.

Anyone who saw the replay – Dana Altman and Dorsey both said one time was more than enough – expected the worst.

“I never want to watch that video again,” Dorsey said. “On the court, I thought it would be worse. I just thank God it’s a mild injury.”

Lying on the floor, Dorsey said he had trouble coming up with words as Altman and trainers immediately rushed to the floor to check on him.

“You know how your stomach turns a bit?” Altman asked. “I did. It was one of those things that looked really bad, looked a lot worse than it ended up being. I watched it (replay) one time and that was enough.”

Dorsey, an early season offensive rock who is averaging 14.4 points and shooting 42 percent from three, ended up returning to the floor despite having a noticeable limp. A lot of it had to with Dorsey talking his way back onto the court and his momentarily heightened adrenaline. However, he sat out the Ducks’ next contest versus Navy.

“I really talked my way (back) because I really wanted to win that game and I thought we were coming back,” Dorsey said. “It felt good, my adrenaline was still going, but after the game, it kind of tightened up.”

Oregon still ended up dropping its first game of the season in an 80-69 finish.

In their first road test of the season, Altman and his banged up roster went 1-1. After dropping to UNLV, Oregon responded with a 67-47 blowout win over Navy on Pearl Harbor Day.

The takeaway?

This team has heart and plays hard, but still has a long ways to go on both ends of the floor. Unforced turnovers need to be cleaned up (31 combined in last two games), ball movement needs to get more consistent, and above all, this team needs to get healthy.

“I feel like we’re just trying to force the issue and make plays for our teammates – those are the good turnovers,” Brooks said. “They’re not selfish turnovers.”

Optimism is very much alive in this locker room though.

Jordan Bell could return for Saturday’s Boise State game and Dorsey, who was seen shooting around with a brace at Wednesday’s practice, confirmed that his left knee injury was minor.

With five non-conference games to go before Pac-12 play, the main storyline has shifted towards the excitement for what this team could do when it gets fully healthy.

While Villanova graduate transfer Dylan Ennis (foot) is still targeting a return for early January, the team has been itching to feature a frontcourt of Bell and Chris Boucher. The two will undoubtedly form a shot blocking force in the paint.

What’s most impressive about Oregon’s performance so far is that they’ve looked good with a nine-man roster that has been without two starters. When Oregon opens its conference season against Oregon State on January 3^rd, this team may look drastically different.

“I’ve been dreaming about it just playing with everybody,” Dillon Brooks said. “We’re going to be a really good team. We’re holding off without Jordan, Dylan and Tyler.”

Sure, Altman is constantly preaching a form of the “Win the Day” mantra to his team, hoping that they will take it one day at a time. Sure, the players and coaches on this team fully acknowledge the large room for growth.

But when looking for silver linings, take this into consideration: this team has a 7-1 record heading into a favorable five-game stretch to close out the non-conference schedule and has devoted much of its attention to limiting personal mistakes.

Next up is a 6-4 Boise State team that has already faced No. 11 ranked Arizona twice and No. 1 Michigan State. And while they didn’t come away with wins, this experienced Broncos rotation has proven it isn’t a pushover by any means.

“They’re a good basketball team,” Altman said. “Really experienced, got a 1500-point scorer which you don’t do by accident. We will have our hands full.”

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

For the first time this season, the No. 15 Oregon men’s basketball team (6-1), which dropped its first game on the road against UNLV (7-1) 80-69 in front of a packed MGM Grand, couldn’t overcome its offensive struggles.

In what was supposed to be a neutral site – National Finals Rodeo were being held at Thomas Mac Center – the Running Rebels, whose fans unsurprisingly had a heavier presence, came out with more energy and dictated the flow for most of the game.

Oregon’s struggles began with a dismal first half on offense that included going 11-for-34 from the field, 2-for-8 from deep and 9-of-16 from the charity stripe. Oregon’s sole bright spot were its 11 points on 10 offensive boards.

Tyler Dorsey and Dillon Brooks both had nine points at the break.

The Ducks put up just 33 points as a team.

On the flip side, Oregon’s defense, that entered this game holding opposing teams under 40 percent shooting, saw the Running Rebels hit eight threes en route to a 47-point first half.

Right from the get-go, UNLV had full control of the game.

Then, in the second half, right around the 16-minute mark, Altman saw a much-needed surge from his offense.

Led by Dwayne Benjamin, who put up a goose egg in the first half, the Ducks pulled to within four with three minutes to go. During this stretch, the Ducks went on a 19-4 run, while the Running Rebels failed to record a field goal for eight straight minutes.

Benjamin ended up posting a game-high 21 points along with five three-pointers that kept Oregon above water until the very end.

Ultimately though, the Ducks missed a few open shots in the final minutes, while the Running Rebels hit late game free throws to complete the upset.

For Altman, this first loss had some silver linings.

First, this team needs to find a go-to scorer that can fill up the stat sheet offensively, day-in-day-out. While Benjamin picked up the slack tonight, this team is going to have trouble winning games when Brooks and Cook shoot a combined 7-of-24 from the floor.

Freshman Tyler Dorsey had another solid outing with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting and five rebounds, but was limited down the stretch after landing awkwardly on his left leg off a rebound. At the time, the injury looked potentially long-term and gruesome, but Dorsey ended up returning to the floor after a quick trip to the locker room. He had a noticeable limp and was virtually ineffective upon his return.

Second, this team needs to start hitting free throws. Oregon went 13-for-21 from the stripe tonight. On the season, the Ducks are shooting a dismal 66 percent. For the first time, this stat really did hurt this team’s chances to win a closely contested game on the road.

Next on the schedule is a game against a 7-2 Navy team in Hawaii. Game time is set for 6:45 start PST and will be aired by Fox Sports 1.

In what was expected to be a challenging first road trip, Oregon will now need to quickly pick up the scraps and head into another hostile environment following its first loss of the year.

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

The next home game for undefeated No. 15 Oregon men’s basketball (6-0) won’t be until Tuesday, December 15.

This Friday, the Ducks will face a 6-1 UNLV team that Dana Altman describes as another “very athletic team,” in what expects to be a packed arena.

“It’s a good venue,” Altman said of the MGM Grand, where UNLV plays its home games. “It will be good for the guys to get there and get a little preview of what’s to come later in the year. It will be tough for us.”

The Pac-12 tournament will take place again at the MGM Grand in mid-March.

That following Monday, Altman and his team will take in Pearl Harbor’s historic grounds before tipping off against 7-2 Navy in front of a sea of passionate, uniformed fans.

Elgin Cook said the team has already met with a University of Oregon professor to go over the basic history of the area.

“It’s obviously a huge part of history,” Casey Benson said. “To have that opportunity to go to Hawaii and experience Pearl Harbor is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s going to be something special.”

“It will be a hostile environment,” Altman said. “For what was supposed to be a neutral game, probably not going to be very neutral. It’s a long trip, but one we need to make. Pearl Harbor day is still a very important day for a lot of people.”

Oregon’s first road trip of the year will tell a lot about the limits of this confident nine-man roster.

It will answer key questions…

Can this team learn to not blow leads?

Does this team deserve a top 15 ranking?

“I have no idea how we stack up,” Altman said. “All I know is that our team has a lot more. We should be playing better than we are.”

Can Dillon Brooks anchor this offense while it patiently waits for Villanova graduate transfer Dylan Ennis and Jordan Bell to get back up to speed from lengthy foot injuries?

According to Altman, Ennis’ timetable for return is roughly set to around Christmas, while Bell, who was seen shuffling threw cone drills before Wednesday’s practice, still has an undetermined target date. The team is being as cautious as possible considering both have the potential to play at the next level.

“Those things are slow and we’ve got to be real cautious,” Altman said. “Those guys have futures in basketball. It’s not just about this year, it’s about their future. We will not play them before they’re ready.”

Last season, Oregon waited until Pac-12 play to hit the road for the first time. They ended up dropping two straight at the Palouse (108-99 OT) and in Seattle (85-77).

You could argue these losses gave the team a wake up call.

Behind Joe Young’s Pac-12 Player of the Year campaign, the Ducks finished on a 16-3 hot streak that winded down to a closely contested 72-65 ending against the runner up Wisconsin Badgers in the Sweet Sixteen.

So far, Altman’s limited rotation has found ways to overcome ranked Baylor and tournament hopeful Valparaiso on national television, giving them a level of legitimacy. It hasn’t been pretty at all times, but they’ve gladly taken the W’s, completing an early season home stand.

Since Altman arrived in 2010, his teams have consistently had an important stretch of road games that led to better long term results, especially in the conference tournament. In those last five seasons, the Ducks have managed two finals appearances, winning one against UCLA in 2013 by a 78-69 final.

This upcoming stretch will provide rare windows of opportunities for freshman start to take on sophomore level responsibility and veterans become leaders under the big lights.

Expectations are high and pressure is starting to boil. It’s time to see what this team is truly made of.

“It’s always a little tougher on the road,” Altman said. “Guys got to make extra plays and their focus has to be sharper. Definitely, the margin of error is smaller on the road and that’s been proven over the years for our team, any team. December, we’re on the road quite a bit, so it will be good for our team to see where we’re at and to play in front of fans that aren’t cheering for us.”

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

– This morning, Scott Frost was the center of attention. The now former offensive coordinator for the Oregon football team, officially took over the head coaching job at the University of Central Florida.

– Oregon’s DeForest Buckner was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year following a dominant 2015 campaign. The senior lineman, who is projected to go in the first round of next year’s NFL draft, finished the regular season with 76 tackles, 9.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.

– Seven Oregon football players were honored with Pac-12 football all-Conference team recognitions Tuesday. The list includes Tyler Johnstone, Royce Freeman, DeForest Buckner, Aidan Schneider, Charles Nelson, Bralon Addison, Darren Carrington. Here’s the full rundown.

– Oregon kicker Aidan Schneider was named the winner of the 2015 Vlade Award, given to college football’s most accurate kicker, on Wednesday. Schneider has converted on 91 percent of his field goal attempts and all 62 PAT attempts. He finished second in the nation in kick scoring with 122 points.

– The 16-13 Oregon volleyball team recently received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Two of its players also rung in All-Pac 12 honors. Standout freshman Lindsey Vander Weide was selected to the all-conference first team, as well as the all-freshman team, while junior libero Amanda Benson earned all-conference honorable mention honors for the third consecutive year.

– Senior Oregon women’s golfer Caroline Inglis capped her impressive fall season with an invitation to practice for the 2016 Curtis Cup. The Curtis Cup is most well known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match. Essentially, it’s eight of the best women’s amateurs from the US taking on eight of the top women’s amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland.

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

Sitting court side for Monday night’s matchup between No. 15 Oregon (6-0) and Fresno State (5-1) were two of the school’s premiere basketball alumni and current Indiana Pacers: Joseph Young and Paul George.

During an intermission, the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year was handed the microphone as all of Matthew Knight Arena erupted in a standing ovation.

It was the highlight of the night.

Unfortunately for Young and George, who were stopping by before their Wednesday game against the Clippers, Monday night’s game between two undefeated teams just wasn’t nearly as entertaining, clean as it was anticipated to be — one Oregon escaped with a 78-73 win.

“Poor decision making,” Dana Altman said. “We made too many bad mistakes.”

Oregon, who was coming off a dominant performance against Arkansas State, coughed up the ball 17 times (season-high) in its sloppiest game of the year, while Fresno State, who was eyeing its first 6-0 start since 2006, failed to have a pulse on offense, shooting 40.6 percent for the game.

In the first half, Oregon held Fresno State to just 25 points.

In the final six minutes though, the Bulldogs stringed together a 21-8 run that kept them in the game.

“Definitely was not a good second half defensively,” Altman said.

Long story short, turnovers dictated lackadaisical outings for both teams.

Lazy passes handcuffed the Ducks, who shot 43.6 percent from the field, while the Bulldogs, who coughed up the ball 18 times struggled to get high percentage looks all game.

Most of the Bulldogs’ buckets came on offensive boards (15) and in transition.

Oregon, who tallied four players in double figures, did just enough to get the job done offensively, but it was largely bailed out by its defense. Through the first six games, it’s been the Ducks’ fallback.

Dillon Brooks (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Elgin Cook (14 points, seven rebounds) who had good outings again, helped lead the Ducks offensively down the stretch.

“You have to have somebody make some plays and he did down the stretch,” Altman said of Brooks.

Through the first six games, Altman’s limited roster has satisfied its bottom line: to win games with defense and rebounding. It’s earned them a top 15 ranking after entering the season as the first team out.

But judging by this game and a few others, complacency and inconsistency on both ends of the floor that have allowed opposing teams to creep back into games late are two main areas that Altman and his team will have to focus on moving forward.

“I’d like to finish games stronger,” Altman said. “(This is) the third time now that we’ve had a double-digit lead and let the game come back.”

While Dylan Ennis (foot) and Jordan Bell (foot) battle back from injury, Altman will need all nine of his scholarship players to play at a much higher level, especially on the road.

“Just so-so,” Altman graded Oregon’s six-game home stand. “Competitively, I thought we did good things, we found some ways to finish some games off. We’ve got a lot of things to work on, but we definitely have made progress.”

Oregon will face 6-1 UNLV this Friday. Coverage starts at 8 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN 2.

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

Before every game, Vernon Adams Jr. tells his starting running back that he’s the best in the country.

Last Friday, in the 119^th Civil War — that finished in an unexpectedly close 52-42 score — Adams was speaking the truth.

Royce Freeman, a Doak Walker semifinalist who eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the eighth straight game (school record), finished with 218 total yards and two touchdowns in Oregon’s (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) sixth consecutive win.

Once again, Freeman played the role of offensive coordinator Scott Frost’s workhorse in the red hot Oregon offense, carrying the ball 27 times with a 6.2 yards per rush average.

“He’s really battled,” head coach Mark Helfrich said. “Tailbacks around the country are banged up. People don’t realize how much pounding those guys take.”

Against the Beavers (2-9, 0-9 Pac-12), Freeman passed Jeremiah Johnson on Oregon’s all-time rushing touchdown list, taking sole possession of the fourth spot.

Freeman didn’t take any time to shine the limelight on himself after the game. Instead, he simply acknowledged the feat and praised his team — specifically the offensive line — on the win.

“As far as the record, I don’t really pay much attention to things like that,” Freeman said. “It is an honor to be a part of that group and I just have to thank the offensive line, past years and this year as well. Without those guys, it wouldn’t be possible.”

Don’t buy it?

Take his teammates’ routine descriptions of him that prove the do-all back is merely doing what is expected of him every game – nothing more, nothing less.

“Royce is just a great guy, great player,” wide receiver Bralon Addison said. “We’re all happy for him. For a guy like him, for him to have those accomplishments, accolades, you can’t do anything but be proud as a teammate, as a friend.”

“He’s a good back. As long as he stays healthy and continues to work hard, he’ll be real good for us,” wide receiver Dwayne Standford said.

This is just the type of player and leader that Freeman, a sophomore from Imperial, California, has been for the past two years.

On the season, Freeman has 1,993 all-purpose yards and 16 scores with a 6.7 yards per carry average. He became the only player in the FBS to record over 100 yards from the scrimmage in all 12 games this season and is now just 99 yards shy of James’ 1,805 single-season rushing mark.

Here’s how the other top-tier backs around the country stack up:

Derrick Henry (Alabama, junior): 1,797 rushing yards, 6.09 yards per rush, 149.78 yards per game, 22 total touchdowns

Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State, junior): 1,672 rushing yards, 6.38 yards per rush, 139.33 yards per game, 19 total touchdowns

Leonard Fournette (LSU, sophomore): 1,741 rushing yards, 6.42 yards per rush, 158.27 yards per game, 18 total touchdowns

Christian McCaffrey (Stanford, sophomore): 1,640 rushing yards, 5.71 yards per rush, 136.67 yards per game, 12 total touchdowns

Compared with potential Heisman finalists, Freeman has been as good a back as there’s been nationally this season.

This isn’t something that Freeman thinks about, but it is a reality that his teammates and coaches have taken notice of.

“We have some special players on this team…Royce Freeman is obviously one of them,” Frost said. “He deserves a lot more accolades than he’s getting. I think our early season losses kind of took him out of the discussion for some things. I don’t know what his stats are compared with everybody else, but I wouldn’t trade him for any back out there.”

For Freeman, last Friday marked nothing more than Senior Day for his teammates and his second Civil War game. He was going to do anything and everything to help his team win, with or without the spotlight. It would be the last time he’d play in Autzen Stadium with players like Tyler Johnstone,  DeForest Buckner and Adams, and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

Without Pac-12 title aspirations, this in-state rivalry game in late November for Freeman really was all about sending off the seniors on a high note and capping the season off with a sixth straight win.

Even though Freeman isn’t a senior, he sure did play and lead like one tonight. While the rest of the country focuses in on McCaffrey and Eliott, who have undoubtedly earned every bit of their praise, Freeman will continue to run without worrying about the glamour.

No one knows how much longer Helfrich and the Ducks will have the luxury of featuring Freeman in the backfield, but they sure aren’t thinking about it now.

Instead, Oregon is appreciating what Freeman has given them game in and game out, knowing well that players like Freeman don’t come around very often.

Said Buckner: “He’s going to be one of those guys that will be playing on Sundays. I’m glad I had the opportunity to play with such a great player like him.”

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

Oregon entered the Civil War Friday as 34.5-point favorites. And it looked like a perfect prediction, as the Ducks raced out to a 24-point lead by halftime. But, Oregon State didn’t let the game snowball into a nightmare.

The first half deficit proved to be too much though. Despite the Beavers outscoring the Ducks in the second half, Vernon Adams Jr. and Oregon held on for a 52-42 win.

Adams went 28-of-38 for 366 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Bralon Addison on all three of the scores. Addison also found the end zone on a rush, finishing his day with eight receptions for 106 yards, two rushes for 24 yards and four touchdowns.

Royce Freeman added 167 yards on the ground and it all translated to 674 total yards offense for the Ducks Friday. But, Oregon State matched the Ducks punch for punch in the second half.

The Beavers cut the deficit to just three after Victor Bolden returned a punt 78 yards to make the score 38-35. They cut it to three again after Ryan Nall rushed 66 yards for a touchdown to make it 45-42.

But, Oregon State could not make a stop when it mattered most, and the Ducks responded on each of those plays with touchdown drives of their own. With the win, Oregon ends its regular season with a 9-3 record.

Key Plays: 

— On its opening drive, Oregon State’s slow and steady tempo led to the first points on the board. The drive was capped off by a three-yard Seth Collins quarterback keeper, giving the Beavers an early 7-0 edge.

— Vernon Adams Jr. and the Oregon offense took little time to even up the score. For his second rushing touchdown of the season, Bralon Addison pivoted and reversed directions from the right side of the field on a pitch, sneaking into the end zone from 13 yards out, capping off Oregon’s opening drive with a score.

— Late in the first quarter, Charles Nelson picked off a telegraphed Marcus McMaryion pass. Despite getting great field position, Oregon failed to convert as Aidan Schneider’s first field goal attempt from 39 yards out was blocked.

— Just before the end of the first quarter, Taj Griffin shimmied his way into the end zone on a 14-yard run, giving Oregon its first lead at 14-7.

— For the last score of the first half and Addison’s second score of the game, Adams found his veteran wideout for a 37-yard touchdown connection. Oregon took a 31-7 lead heading into the break.

Stats

Oregon passing  

Vernon Adams Jr. — 28-for-38, 366 yards, three touchdowns

OSU passing

Marcus McMaryion — 11-for-21, 154 yards, one interception

Oregon rushing

Royce Freeman — 27 carries for 167 yards, two touchdowns

Bralon Addison — Two carries for 24 yards, one touchdown

Taj Griffin — Nine carries, 65 yards, one touchdown

OSU rushing

Ryan Nall — 19 rushes, 174 yards, one touchdown

Oregon receiving 

Bralon Addison — eight catches for 106 yards, three touchdowns

Dwayne Stanford — Five catches for 77 yards

OSU receiving 

Jordan Villamin – four catches, 72 yards

Oregon total offense — 674 yards

OSU total offense — 427 yards

Follow Hayden Kim and Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @HayDayKim @Kennyjacoby