Jan. 12, 2002
By LANDON HALL
AP Sports Writer
EUGENE, Ore. - During his five years as Oregon's coach, Ernie Kent hastried to model the program after Arizona's, and especially after the one run byhis ex-boss, Stanford's Mike Montgomery.
The Ducks trounced Arizona twice this season, but Kent's team had neverquite solved the Cardinal. Until Saturday.
Luke Jackson scored 27 points and Chris Christoffersen had 16 as Oregondefeated No. 14 Stanford 87-79 to end a 10-game losing streak against theCardinal.
"They gave us a blueprint," Kent, who was an assistant to Montgomeryduring the 1990-91 season, said of Arizona and Stanford. "For us to get to thelevel where we can play Stanford and Arizona like we did this year, that showsthe growth and development of our program,"
Frederick Jones added 12 points for the Ducks (12-4, 5-1 Pac-10), whoimproved to 10-0 - including 4-0 in the conference - at home. Oregon was 3-6against Pac-10 teams at McArthur Court last year.
Casey Jacobsen scored a career-high 32 points to lead Stanford (9-4, 2-2),but he made some key mistakes late in the game.
"I just felt good today, but it doesn't matter," Jacobsen said. "I couldcare less how many points I scored."
Jacobsen's previous high was 28 points last Dec. 22, in an 81-76 loss toBrigham Young.
Center Curtis Borchardt, who had a career-high 29 points, cut Stanford'sdeficit from 10 to one with some rare long-range shooting proficiency. But withthe Cardinal trailing 78-75, Jacobsen missed two free throws. Then, with undera minute left and the lead at five, Jacobsen fumbled the ball out of bounds inthe frontcourt.
At the other end, Oregon's Luke Ridnour was fouled and made both free throwsto ice it at 85-78 with 38 seconds left.
Stanford actually shot better from the field than Oregon, but the Duckscommitted a season-low five turnovers.
Oregon beat Stanford for the first time since Feb. 17, 1996, when KenyaWilkins made a jumper at the buzzer to win 64-62. The margin was the Ducks'largest over Stanford since an 84-73 win in March 1993.
"It's been a long time," Christoffersen said. "It's definitely a big winfor us, and proves to the Pac-10 that we're here to stay."
Borchardt added nine rebounds, half his total in Thursday night's win atOregon State.
"We viewed sweeping the state of Oregon as important, in that it isextremely difficult to do," said Montgomery, whose teams had won 18 of theirlast 19 against the Oregon schools. "Winning here would have put us in goodposition for another title run."
Jackson's point total was one shy of his career best, set against Portlandlast month.
Jacobsen scored 22 in the first half and hit all four of his 3-point shots,but the only help he got early in the game was from Borchardt, the conference'sleading rebounder and shotblocker.
Jacobsen and Borchardt combined for 31 of Stanford's 36 first-half points,as their teammates shot just 2-for-12.
Jacobsen was 9-of-14 from the field in the first half, but he got off justfive shots in the second half - none from 3-point range - and made three.
"We just forced ourselves to keep working on him and not let him touch theball as much," Jones said. "We still didn't do a great job on him."
Oregon's lead grew to nine after Jacobsen and Borchardt came out for abreather, but when they returned the Ducks pushed it to double digits. RobertJohnson followed Ridnour's miss with a layup to make it 73-63 with 8:37 left.
Borchardt hit a 3-pointer, his first since Dec. 18 against Belmont, thenadded a long jumper with a foot just inside the line. He made another 3 to pullStanford to 74-73 with 5:17 to go.
"I was warned about it, but I didn't quite believe it," Christoffersensaid about Borchardt's outside range.
Stanford got within 76-75 on a basket by Teyo Johnson with 4:20 left, butthe Cardinal didn't get close again.