Oregon Basketball: Ducks Outlast Sun Devils with 68-67 Overtime Win

Tempe, Ariz.— Joseph Young's game-winning jump shot in overtime helped Oregon get past Arizona State 68-67 Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena. 

The Ducks found a way to bounce back after getting throttled by Arizona 90-56 on Thursday in Tucson and keep themselves in contention for a third straight NCAA tournament appearance.   

Elgin Cook and Young again made critical plays when Oregon needed it most and eventually led their team in scoring for a second consecutive game. Cook’s 10 points helped give the Ducks a 34-29 lead heading into halftime, while Young had another slow start with just four points.

In the second half, Oregon and Arizona State would go back and forth by exchanging eight different lead changes. 

The Sun Devils, who entered Friday's contest after a convincing 73-55 victory over Oregon State on Wednesday night, had their chances to extend leads with Shaquielle McKissic, as well as Tra Holder, knocking down shots and being tough as a team on the offensive board, but they struggled from the free-throw line.

Arizona State was just 4-of-11 from the charity stripe in the second half.

On the other hand, Cook and Young combined for a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, but the lone miss from the line by freshman point guard Ahmaad Rorie with 13 seconds remaining in regulation is what gave the Sun Devils an opportunity to push the game into overtime.

Oregon led 60-57 with Rorie at the line in a one-and-one free-throw situation that could've potentially iced the game. Rorie’s missed free throw was rebounded by Arizona State forward Jonathan Gilling and helped give the Sun Devils one last chance to tie the game up. 

McKissic, who finished the game with a career-high 24 points, eventually threw up a deep three-pointer as time was about to expire and drained it to knot things up at 60 forcing overtime.

Overtime proved to be just as entertaining, as Cook and Joseph converted a combined six free throws to give the Ducks a 66-62 lead with 1:45 left, but a three-point shot by Gilling, followed up by a McKissic layup, gave Arizona State a 67-66 lead again with 31 seconds remaining.

With the game on the line, Young would make the go-ahead 17-foot jumper on the ensuing possession to help reclaim the lead with 25 seconds left in overtime. Arizona State would get one final possession, but it was unable to convert on a Bo Barnes prayer from beyond the arc as time expired.

Cook finished the game with an impressive 23 points and six rebounds, while Young scored 14 points and recorded seven assists.

Dana Altman’s squad managed to sweep the Sun Devils this season by a combined total of four points. The two last met in Eugene on Jan. 10, where the Ducks won in a low-scoring 59-56 affair.

After splitting games in the desert this week, Oregon (15-7, 5-4) will host both Washington schools next week in Eugene. The Ducks failed to come up with wins on the road against both teams back in mid-January.

Follow Josh Sachnoff on Twitter at @JSachnov17.