Give them six fouls, three in each half. This is about putting the best players on the floor and giving them a chance. Two fouls, that’s not grounds for a kid to sit out a third of the game because you can’t afford him to get a third foul. – Larry Krystkowiak
EUGENE, Ore. — He said it wasn’t why his team lost the game, but Larry Krystkowiak was frustrated with having his big man Jakob Poeltl having to sit out for nearly half of Sunday’s game because of foul trouble, something that has happened several times this season. And if the Ute coach had his way, he’d change college basketball’s rules to keep players on the floor longer.
Poeltl, the 7-foot center from Austria, was off to a quick start, scoring more points (four) in the first 90 seconds against Oregon than in his entire game on Thursday. However, after getting two quick fouls in a 75-second span, he had to go to the bench for the final 15:31 of the first half and played just 21 minutes all game.
Krystkowiak didn’t dispute the first foul, an obvious over-the-back reach by Poeltl. But the second came on a pick and roll that Krystkowiak felt was actually a foul on a smaller player trying to get through the pick rather than on Poeltl.
“They decided to switch pick and roll and their little guy gets below our big,’’ he said. “Jakob was trying to get to the block — if anything it was a defensive foul.’’
Regardless of who the foul should have been called on, Krystkowiak feels something should be changed about the college foul-out rule of five fouls.
“That’s one of the things I’d like to see changed in college basketball, not just because Jakob’s in foul trouble, but it’s for any team,’’ he said. “To be able to get two quick ones … five is not enough. Give them six fouls, three in each half. This is about putting the best players on the floor and giving them a chance. Two fouls, that’s not grounds for a kid to sit out a third of the game because you can’t afford him to get a third foul.’’
SAD NEWS: All week in Eugene, stories have been in the news about the death of a student who competed for the four-time defending national champion Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team.
On Friday night at Knight Arena in the home opener, the Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team honored Lauren Jones, who died earlier in the week from a sudden case of meningococcemia (meningitis).
Jones had fallen ill after practice Monday and was admitted to the local emergency room the following day, where she passed away.
A moment of silence for Jones was held before the men’s basketball game on Wednesday. At Friday’s meet, special shirts with Jones' No. 51 jersey were made, and the entire team will be wearing patches with her initials this season to honor her.
OREGON TROUBLE: The Ducks expected to have a strong team this year with most of their starters back from last year’s NCAA team that defeated BYU in the first round of the NCAA tournament 87-68.
However, the Ducks lost three scholarship players — two starters — last spring because of sexual assault allegations. The incident in which the players were accused of assault took place before the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments, and coach Dana Altman has received criticism for letting them play in the tourneys, with some local columnists calling for his dismissal.
Then in mid-October, two current starters on the team were arrested for shoplifting and disciplined by the team, although they have been allowed to play this year.
GAME NOTES: The crowd of 10,725 was a season best and well above the season average of 6,682. However it was fairly quiet for the most part until the final minutes. Perhaps the loudest cheers came at halftime when the 2014 Oregon football team was honored. … The Heisman Trophy presented to Marcus Mariota was on display in the auxiliary gym on the east side of the arena. The line inside looked like Disneyland, and the line snaked out onto the concourse, likely causing many Duck fans to miss the opening tip if not most of the first half. … Looking for someone to step up, Krystkowiak used 11 players in the first 15 minutes of the game. … The Utes were outrebounded 23-14 in the second half and 35-31 for the game. … The Utes are now 1-6 against Oregon since joining the Pac-12. Utah suffered its worst defeat in program history here three years ago when the Ducks crushed the Utes by 46 points, 94-48. The following year, Oregon took a 73-64 decision. Utah’s only win was a 72-62 win at home in 2013.