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Oregon hopes to show it deserves to be ranked

Dec 15, 2006 - 2:39 PM Eastern Wash (5-5) at No. 24 Oregon (8-0) 10:00 pm EST

EUGENE, Oregon (Ticker) -- Oregon's first game as a ranked team left a lot to be desired.

Tajuan Porter and the 24th-ranked Ducks look for a better effort when they face Eastern Washington on Friday.

Receiving a spot in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll for the first time in four years on Monday, Oregon (8-0) failed to shake lowly Bethune-Cookman later that day until midway through the second half of a 92-64 victory.

It was the eighth straight win to begin the season for the Ducks, who are off to their best start since a 10-0 mark in 1996-97.

The team's leading scorer at 19.3 points per game, Porter made just 4-of-12 shots and finished with 13 points. The freshman guard was picked up by backcourt mate Bryce Taylor, who sank four 3-pointers en route to a season-high 21 points.

Oregon will now turn its sights on Eastern Washington as it continues a five-game homestand that leads up to the start of Pac-10 Conference play.

Despite their 1-11 all-time record against ranked opponents, the Eagles (5-5) should not be overlooked by the Ducks.

Eastern Washington has played Northwest opponents tough, dropping a 90-75 decision at Gonzaga on November 10 and led at then-No. 13 Washington with five minutes left before absorbing a 90-83 setback on November 24.

The Eagles are averaging 88.1 points on 49 percent shooting.

Guard Rodney Stuckey - the reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Year - leads the way, ranking fifth in Division I in scoring with a 25.2 scoring average.

The sophomore guard, however, managed a career-low 12 points in a 91-68 loss at Santa Clara on Monday.

This will be the first meeting between Oregon and Eastern Washington, which is 12-63 all-time against current members of the Pac-10.