By Kent Williams

On a Tuesday evening at Matthew Knight Arena, the Oregon Ducks(1-0) took the court against the reigning SWAC conference champions Texas Southern Tigers(0-1) for the season opener, and took the victory 83-66, led by senior guard Will Richardson’s 20 points.

The game was the debut for a lot of players in front of the Matthew Knight crowd, including transfer guard Jacob Young, who finished the game with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal to cap off an impressive start for the brother of Duck basketball alumni Joe Young. He rode a hot first half, where he shot 5-7 to go with 2 buckets from beyond the arc. Other young players making their debuts in a Ducks uniform included freshman centers Nate Bittle and Issac Johnson, who both stood above the rest as the tallest players on the court. Bittle received a mini ovation when he first took the court and rewarded the crowd by blocking a shot on the next possession.

Next up for the Ducks is another battle with a Texas team, this time against the SMU Mustangs at home on November 12th at 8 pm.

Audio story: