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ins over Arkansas-Little Rock and Marist were important for UMass in a get-acquainted kind of way.
The Minutemen's collective temperature is going to rise tonight in the Springfield Civic Center against Oregon, a borderline Top 25 team that most recently whipped Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals, 90-63.
The real season is at hand.
``They're a tremendous transition team,'' UMass coach Steve Lappas said yesterday of the Ducks (4-0). ``They shot a lot of (3-pointers) in transition. That's our primary focus on defense, getting back.
``Offensively, we have to control the pace of the game, which isn't an easy thing to do against that team.''
Beyond Shannon Crooks, the senior guard who has stepped up not only with a solid early performance, but also as a legitimate leader since the start of camp, UMass (2-0) is perilously inexperienced in the area of the Ducks' greatest strength.
Sophomore Anthony Anderson and freshman Kyle Wilson give the Minutemen enviable talent at point guard, though both also are playing their first year of college basketball. Crooks may be one of the finest backcourt defenders in the country, but he will need optimum support from both youngsters.
And the reasons are clearly illustrated in Oregon's numbers.
The Ducks have not simply averaged 93.3 points per game. They have yet to score less than 90, with seven players averaging 10 points or more per game, and shooting a collective 48 percent (31-of-64) from 3-point range, in addition to 55 percent (98-of-178) overall.
Oregon outscored Louisville, Alabama State, Long Beach State and Western Michigan by an average of 37.7 points per game, outrebounded them by an average of 11 boards and forced them into an average of 20.3 turnovers.
``Our kids are probably feeling good, though hopefully not too good, about their start right now,'' Lappas said.
UMass notes
With last week's announcement of a commitment from Rashaun Freeman, a 6-foot-8 forward from Schenectady, N.Y., Lappas has wrapped up his recruiting for the 2002-03 season.
Freeman joins a list already including New Jersey's Mike Lasme - a top-30, 6-1 guard who initially balked at signing a letter to attend UMass - Stephen Briggs, a 6-9 forward from Houston, and Alassane Kouyathe, a 6-9 forward who was born in Mali.
``We have some good ones,'' Lappas said. ``The nice thing is that we're done, though we'll be keeping an eye on some other guys.''
he Oregon men's basketball locomotive keeps on chugging through the preseason.
The latest victim? Louisville. Tonight's candidate for steamrolling is Massachusetts.
The Ducks already ran over the Minutemen once, last season at the Pap� Jam, 91-76, the same tournament where Oregon (4-0 overall) toppled Louisville on Saturday, 90-63.
The most important part of the Ducks' trip to Massachusetts may be the trip itself.
"It's good to get out by ourselves," Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said. "Typically, my teams have really grown together when they can just be the guys out there."
The Ducks flew out to the East Coast on Sunday after their game Saturday night, and have spent their time touring the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., among other things.
"It's a good chance for them to go back there and get a little sense of history," Kent said. "Hopefully they'll learn a new respect for the game and how it all started."
On the court, the game should be hard-fought. The Ducks embarrassed the Minutemen last year in Portland, and UMass will be looking to avenge that loss.
Even without the revenge factor, tonight's game could be gritty. The Minutemen play tough defense, and have given up just 59.5 points per game this season. Oregon has also found defensive intensity this season, as the Ducks allow 57.5 points per game. That number is drastically reduced from last season's four-game average of 71.5.
"We feel like we've come a long way since last year, especially defensively," Oregon guard Luke Ridnour said. "This is a whole different team this year."
On offense, the Minutemen get their scoring from two main sources, while the Ducks have spread the ball around. Massachusetts guard Shannon Crooks averages 15 points per game, while 6-foot-11 forward Micah Brand averages 16.5 points per game.
Oregon, conversely, has five players averaging double figures, and seven players are averaging more than nine points per game. Guard Freddie Jones leads the Ducks with 14 points per game.
One reason for Oregon's offensive surge has been the play of guards Jones, Ridnour and Luke Jackson. The players have used a full-court, run-and-gun mentality that has produced spectacular baskets and loads of points.
"We feel like we're in as good shape as anyone in the country," Jones said. "We can keep running the whole game. That's something we pride ourselves on."
The Ducks think that their offensive output and defensive intensity could lead them to their second NCAA Tournament in three years.
"Everybody on our team thinks we're an NCAA team," Jones said. "And we're not just going for the first round of the NCAAs. We're looking to make some noise nationally."
Oregon's road to the 2002 NCAA Tournament will have to go through Massachusetts. The Ducks will take on the Minutemen in Springfield, not UMass' normal home of Amherst.
Tonight's game will be broadcast in Oregon on the Oregon Sports Network. It is the third broadcast game for the Ducks this season. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. today.
PRINGFIELD - University of Massachusetts coach Steve Lappas didn't even pretend that tonight's game against Oregon (7, Springfield Civic Center) was the same level of competition as his team's first two opponents.
"Every game is important. You have games that you play that keep you in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament and you have games that are going to get you into the NCAA Tournament," Lappas explained. "This is one of those games that can get you in. Beating Marist and Arkansas Little Rock are important to keep us in the hunt, but this is the kind of game that you want to win because it can get you in."
UMass is 2-0, while the Ducks arrived in the birthplace of basketball with a 4-0 record. The first three came against Long Beach State, Alabama State and Western Michigan, a trio that most major conference teams would post three victories against.
But when the Ducks hung a 27-point hammering on Louisville, 90-63, people took notice immediately.
"They had my attention before that, but that really grabbed my attention, to beat them so handily from beginning to end," Lappas said.
Oregon coach Ernie Kent is excited about his team's prospects this season.
"Maybe this is one of those teams that can be special and really comes together," he said. "So far every practice has looked the same and every game has looked the same. Everything has been consistent when they can stay that focused."
The Ducks and the Minutemen squared off in Portland, Ore., a year ago, with the home team prevailing, 91-76. Kent said he could only use that game to a limited degree to prepare for this one.
"It is different. He's a different coach. I coached against him once when he was at Villanova and I was at St. Mary's College," Kent said of Lappas. "He's a very good coach. You can already look on tape and see so much more movement on their offense, high-low action. Their big guys are much more active.
"We had problems with their big guys even last year until they had some foul problems," continued Kent, whose team is playing its first game away from the Emerald State. "We know it's going to be a tough game."
One of the biggest improvements for the Ducks this year has been the play of one of their own big guys, senior center Chris Christoffersen. The 7-foot-2, 300-pound Danish man's production went from 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last year to 12.5 points and 4.5 boards so far this year. The Minutemen will likely counter with Kitwana Rhymer and Eric Williams guarding him man-to-man.
"He's obviously a lot better," Lappas said. "He's really big at 7-2, 300 pounds. He's averaging 12 points, so he's doing a lot of great things."
Still, Lappas is more concerned with Oregon's outside game including senior Freddie Jones who leads the team at 14.0 points per game.
"Our priority has to be on the perimeter," he said. "That's not to say (Christoffersen) can't hurt us. He can, but it's hard to stop everybody."
On that perimeter, the game features an interesting battle of young point guards. Oregon sophomore Luke Ridnour will be involved in an interesting point guard match-up with UMass rookie Anthony Anderson.
Ridnour, a former McDonald's All-American, is averaging 13.3 points and 5.3 assists, this season, but Kent said his leadership has increased.
"Ridnour has been in the program a year now. He's matured. He knows what to expect," Kent said. "He's playing with a lot of confidence It definitely takes a year. Everybody is going through a transition period. You talk about the point guard spot, it's going to take some time and I knew that. He's a very special talent because he's a pure point guard that really understands the game."
Ridnour has seen the improvement in his own game.
"I feel I'm a lot better," he said. "I know how to score, when to score, how to run this team. I think every freshman point guard that starts and plays a lot is going to have their ups and downs. Once you get that year under your belt and understand everything, it makes it a whole lot easier."
Lappas has been impressed by Ridnour.
"He was freshman of the year in the Pac 10. He's a very good player," Lappas said. "There's a big difference between Ridnour last year and this year and there is no doubt in my mind that Anthony (Anderson) is going to be a better player next year than this year."
Anderson, who has been steady for the Minutemen so far, hopes his own transition doesn't require that much time.
"I feel comfortable, but I'm still adjusting, still getting used to the motion a little bit," he said. "A couple more games and I'll be real into it and ready to go."
He's looking forward to facing Ridnour.
"He made his name mean something," Anderson said, "so I'll be up a little more than I would against somebody that they weren't really talking about."