Saint Mary's Defeats Oregon

[gw67]

Saint Mary’s beat Oregon last night behind the 37 points from freshmen point guard, Patty Mills. Mills is a young Aussie who Oregon coach, Ernie Kent, compared to a young Tony Parker. I don’t know if that is a good comparison or not but I had never heard of Mills so I googled his name and read a few articles about him. He just turned 19 and he comes across as a delightful young man. I particularly liked his nice references to his mum and dad. I gather from one article that he is either aborigine or has aboriginal ancestry. Gonzaga is strong this year but Saint Mary’s with Mills may give them a run.

gw67

[Olympic Fan]

After the end of the Duke game, I switched over and watched the end of this game (bouncing back and forth with the end of the UCLA-Michigan State game).

St. Mary's had a double-digit lead when I checked in and all I got to saw was the endgame with Oregon fouling like crazy to try and stage a comeback. It didn't work as St. Mary's made every single free throw down the stretch.

I've been as critical as anyone about the claims that the Pac 10 is the best conference (you can imagine how I was chortling when it looked like Mich State would also take down UCLA), but I can't see this as a terrible loss.

Oregon was playing without Bryce Taylor, one of their two best players, plus St. Mary's is a good mid-major -- picked a strong second to Gonzaga in the WCC. And it was on their homecourt.

Best part to me was listening to the St. Mary's crowd sing the "Vegamite Sandwich" song during a timeout -- Mills is one of two Aussies on the team.

[Twigmas]

Best part to me was listening to the St. Mary's crowd sing the "Vegamite Sandwich" song during a timeout -- Mills is one of two Aussies on the team.

Actually, Mills is one of four Aussies. One is sitting out this year having transferred from Indiana.

Go Gaels!

[YmoBeThere]

Haha, more great basketball from the Pac-10...

I may eat those words later, but I continue to practice my Northeasterner rants.

[Olympic Fan]

In defense of the Pac 10, I should point out that Arizona State just beat LSU in OT to finish fifth in Maui (they beat Princeton Tuesday).

LSU comes out of the Maui tournament 1-2 ... but effectively 0-2, since their one win was over Chaminade ... and since Chaminade is a Division II school, that win doesn't count as far as the NCAA selection committee is concerned.

[Classof06]

After the end of the Duke game, I switched over and watched the end of this game (bouncing back and forth with the end of the UCLA-Michigan State game).

St. Mary's had a double-digit lead when I checked in and all I got to saw was the endgame with Oregon fouling like crazy to try and stage a comeback. It didn't work as St. Mary's made every single free throw down the stretch.

I've been as critical as anyone about the claims that the Pac 10 is the best conference (you can imagine how I was chortling when it looked like Mich State would also take down UCLA), but I can't see this as a terrible loss.

Oregon was playing without Bryce Taylor, one of their two best players, plus St. Mary's is a good mid-major -- picked a strong second to Gonzaga in the WCC. And it was on their homecourt.

Best part to me was listening to the St. Mary's crowd sing the "Vegamite Sandwich" song during a timeout -- Mills is one of two Aussies on the team.

Missing Taylor and playing at St. Mary's are tough things to overcome, but this is still a game Oregon should win.

[duke98]

Anyone know why Bryce Taylor didn't play? I was in the Eugene airport Monday night and watched him get on the plane to CA, so I know he was there. He's a great player and would have helped the Ducks considerably.

This is a big disappointment for the Ducks, but hopefully (if Taylor's not seriously injured or something) they'll bounce back. They've got a pretty solid team this year and their sophomore point guard, 5'6" Tajuan Porter, is a heckuva lot of fun to watch.

And of course, as a grad student at the U of O, I'm desperately hoping that Coach K schedules a game against the Ducks sometime in the next few years so Kyle Singler gets his "homecoming game". (Singler's from south Oregon, but hey, whatever works.)

[jimsumner]

Dunleavy got a homecoming game. Against Portland.