Jordan Washington

Fresh off losing senior Chris Boucher to a torn ACL, Oregon will be challenged on the interior by Ionas prolific scoring big man Jordan Washington. The ex-JUCO senior averages an outrageous 32 points per-40 minutes, shooting 55% from 2-point range. He is a difficult matchup for college big men due to his ability to isolate out of the high post, create his own shot with excellent body control and footwork, make mid-range jumpers, operate out of dribble hand-offs and finish around the basket with terrific touch and skill. Washington will match up with one of the top defensive big men in college basketball in Oregons Jordan Bell, which should be fascinating. Washingtons average length and athleticism, coupled with his lazy demeanor on defense, has prevented him from getting much traction at the pro level, but this is a great opportunity for him to show that he can handle lengthy big men who can cover ground like Bell effectively.

The 11am tip on the West Coast presents an interesting challenge for Oregon, which could help keep this game close if sweet-shooting Iona (40% for 3 on the season) can get hot from the perimeter.