National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Oregon 70, Utah 68
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, January 2, 2014
Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Officials: # Eric Curry, # Gerry Pollard, # Mark Whitehead
Attendance: 13426

No. 9 Oregon 70, Utah 68 (OT): Richard Amardi totaled 14 points and seven rebounds and Damyean Dotson recorded the game's final four points in overtime as the visiting Ducks needed the extra frame to knock off the Utes in the Pac-12 opener for both teams.

Dominic Artis had 12 points and four steals off the bench for Oregon (13-0, 1-0) and Dotson finished with 11 points, securing the win on a dunk with a second remaining after a clutch steal. Elgin Cook and Joseph Young added nine points apiece for the Ducks, who shot 38.7 percent.

Jordan Loveridge had a game-high 21 points to lead Utah (11-2, 0-1), which gave Oregon all it could handle, largely thanks to a staunch interior defense that featured nine blocks. Delon Wright added 14 points and paced the Utes' shot-blocking parade with a season-high four rejections.

Utah used a 10-2 start off the opening tip to build a 32-28 halftime lead as Oregon struggled to find its shooting hand early, connecting on just one of its first 12 attempts. The Ducks upped their physicality in the second half, getting to the line early and often to slowly chip away at Utah's lead as the teams saw four separate ties in the final six minutes on the way to overtime.

The Utes took the lead in the extra period on four straight points from Wright before a Dotson layup knotted the score at 68-68 with 35 seconds remaining. Utah's chance for the final shot went awry when Dotson plucked away an inbounds pass to set up the game-winning score.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Oregon improved to 12-9 all-time against Utah. ... Loveridge had a look at an open 3-pointer as time expired in regulation and heaved a desperation attempt at the end of overtime but neither fell. ... The Ducks are 13-0 for the first time in 2006-07, a season that culminated in a Pac-10 tournament title and an appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight.
Top Game Performances
 
Oregon   Utah
Richard Amardi 14 Scoring Jordan Loveridge 21
Johnathan Loyd 3 Assists Jordan Loveridge 3
Mike Moser 11 Rebounds Dallin Bachynski 12
Damyean Dotson 5 Free Throws Made Jordan Loveridge 4
Dominic Artis 4 Steals Brandon Taylor 4
Richard Amardi 1 Blocks Delon Wright 4
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Oregon 70 38.7 5-16 17-23 7 39 3 11 16
Utah 68 38.1 3-19 17-19 12 36 9 10 14