EUGENE, Ore. – Sophomore guard Alex Roth netted a team-high 13 points while senior guard Jordan Wiley and senior forward Andy Avgi each added 11 points, but the Western Oregon Wolves were handed their first loss of the season at Division-I Oregon on Tuesday, 88-60.
 
The Wolves (9-1) tied the game early in the second half with an Avgi jumper and a lay-in from senior guard Devon Alexander, but the Ducks responded with a 6-0 spurt that helped extend the lead back to double figures at the 13-minute mark, 55-45. Foul trouble successively hit Avgi, Alexander and Roth as the Ducks' rally crested with a 20-5 UO advantage that ultimately allowed the home team to cruise to the victory.
 
Oregon's defense held the WOU offense to 9 of 38 shooting (23.7 percent) in the fateful second half. A 31 to 10 advantage at the free-throw line facilitated outscoring Western Oregon 21-4 at the stripe for the game. The Ducks were led by Tyler Dorsey with 25 points and eight rebounds.
 
A sluggish Wolves start coupled with the Ducks hitting on seven of their first eight shots forced WOU into an early timeout trailing 18-4 in the first half.
 
Sophomore forward Tanner Omlid and junior guard Janvier Alaby scored nine points off the bench to quell the early UO momentum in cutting the lead to eight, 21-13.
 
The Wolves came alive with a 16-5 run aided by a pair of Omlid steals and consecutive 3-pointers from Wiley. The McKenzie River native continued his hot shooting with a transition triple and hit two of three foul shots after being fouled with 0.3 on the clock to put the Wolves down four at the break, 40-36. Western Oregon responded with a 23-8 closing run over the final 8:23 to counteract the slow start.
 
Western Oregon connected on 31.1 percent from the floor (23 of 74) and made 10 shots from distance. Omlid and Alexander each had seven points and combined for half of the Wolves' 12 steals.
 
WOU continues a busy week of post-holiday on Thursday in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at Central Washington. Tip time on New Year's Eve is set for 4:30 p.m. in Ellensburg, Wash.