History points to Oregon’s Pritchard
Payton Pritchard’s most recent game raised a serious question.
In case you missed it. Pritchard led Oregon back from a 16-point deficit midway through the second half Saturday at Washington, then hit the game-winner with 3.4 seconds left in overtime.
But it wasn’t a typical game winner. It wasn’t a lay-up or put-back. It wasn’t a floater or corner 3.
It was a Stephen Curry. Pritchard hit a closelyguarded, step-back, 30-footer from the right wing to cap another stellar performance.
All he did was score 22 of Oregon’s 64 points, hit 6 of 12 from 3-point range and contribute a few rebounds and assists — while playing the full 45 minutes.
The whole shebang ... the comeback and the shot and the win ... got the Hotline wondering: Pritchard is having the best season for a Pac-12 point guard since … ?
We went a long way back, to the turn of the century, and Pritchard’s play thus far stands with the best we’ve seen.
He’s averaging 19.4 points per game (fourth in the conference), but that figure doesn’t rise and fall with the competition. Against Memphis (with James Wiseman), Seton Hall (with Myles Powell), Gonzaga, North Carolina (with Cole Anthony),
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Michigan, Colorado and Arizona, Pritchard averaged 18.2 points.
He has been terrific against the bad and against the good — a season worthy of first-team All-American honors.
Overall, he’s shooting 49 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from 3-point range and 75.9 percent from the line. (You’re almost better off fouling him.) He’s also averaging 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 35.4 minutes (tops in the conference). He plays stellar defense, scores from everywhere — good luck keeping him out of the lane — and makes his teammates better while hauling them to
victory at the same time.
Did we mention he’s 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds?
The crack Hotline research staff compiled a list of 12 point guards who produced elite seasons this century.
Again, this isn’t a discussion of the most talented lead guard to come through the conference in the past two decades. Pritchard isn’t even the most talented this season. That would be Arizona’s Nico Mannion.
It’s about which point guard has produced the best season.
These 12 were terrific for at least one year in college:
Washington’s Markelle Fultz; UCLA’s Aaron Holiday; UCLA’s Lonzo Ball; Oregon’s Joseph Young; Cal’s Jorge Gutierrez; Arizona State’s Jahii Carson; Washington’s
Isaiah Thomas; Cal’s Jerome Randle; UCLA’s Darren Collison; Oregon’s
Aaron Brooks; Arizona’s Jason Gardner; Oregon’s Luke Ridnour.
We could go on with flattering stats or facts about all the guards mentioned above, but we’ll spare you.
Our conclusion: With a strong finish, Pritchard’s season will be the best for a Pac-12 point guard since Ridnour and comparable to what we saw from the top players of the 1980s and 90s. STANFORD » So close. Now, how far?
Stanford was this close to taking early control of the conference race. After home wins over Cal and the Washington schools and then whacking UCLA around at Pauley Pavilion, the Cardinal had a fivepoint on USC with 13 seconds left.
And then came an epic meltdown: Stanford turnover; USC basket; Stanford turnover; USC 3-pointer;
Overtime; USC victory. Yep, the Cardinal committed two turnovers in the final 13 seconds of regulation, and the Trojans converted both.
Stanford played well enough for 79 minutes and 45 seconds to leave LA with a (rare) road sweep and a (stunning) two-game lead in the loss column over USC, Oregon, Arizona and Colorado.
Instead, the Cardinal heads home with a crushing loss and the toughest portion of its schedule still to play. It includes five games against Oregon, Arizona and Colorado.
How long this loss sticks ... how quickly the Cardinal recovers ... will define the season. And it’s a crucial season for coach Jerod Haase.