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When you are #5 in the Country, you should probably be #1 in your Conference, especially if you're in the Pac-10. So the Bruins went out and made sure that they are on top, by knocking off the #9 Oregon Ducks in surprisingly easy fashion, 69-57.
The win avenged the Bruins' first loss of the year, which came on a last-minute shot in Eugene last month. The Bruins still have to beat Stanford in order to have avenged both of their losses this year.
The Bruins led throughout, getting hot early and never letting up. While they blew a 17-point lead at Stanford, they were able to hold on to most of their 19-point lead against Oregon. The Ducks did make one run, cutting the Bruin lead to 9, but they never crossed the pointspread, which happened to be 8.5.
The reason why the Bruins cruised: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute was a Prince of all Trades. Not only did he get a double-double with 15 points and 12 Rebounds, but he also snatched 4 Steals, and put up 4 Blocked Shots, not to mention 2 Assists. Talk about an "all-around" game!
Every time Oregon tried to make a run, Luc would come up with a momentum-changing loose ball or Rebound. He was everywhere, just like he used to be (before his recent injury). The Bruins really DO belong in the Nation's Top 5 when Luc and all his teammates are healthy (and not on the bench in foul trouble).
On Thursday, Luc did it all, but he did NOT do it alone. Arron Afflalo led all scorers with 17. He set the tone early, draining some jumpers, and he shut down the Ducks' Star Aaron Brooks while the Bruins built their lead. Darren Collison kept the pace going, and Josh Shipp cleaned up all the garbage that Luc didn't get.
The Bruins absolutely dominated the "Points in the Paint" category, as Lorenzo Mata and Alfred Aboya refused to allow the Ducks an inside game. This dominance assured the Bruins that they would get their vengeance, and a one-game lead in the Conference.
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