James Wiseman Quiet, Boogie Ellis Struggles as Memphis Loses to Oregon

Oregon proved it will be a top team in men's basketball this season with an 82-74 win over Memphis at Tuesday's Phil Knight Invitational.

Both teams entered the day with high expectations and a 2-0 record, although neither had faced high-level competition through the first week of the 2019-20 campaign. The 14th-ranked Ducks were the ones who showed what they could do with a complete performance at the Moda Center in Portland, led by Payton Pritchard and Shakur Juiston.

The No. 13 Tigers kept things close despite star freshman James Wiseman dealing with foul trouble, but they couldn't get over the hump in their first big test.

Notable Stats

• James Wiseman, C, Memphis: 14 points, 12 rebounds
• Lester Quinones, G, Memphis: 16 points, 4 assists
• Boogie Ellis, G, Memphis: 6 points, 2-11 FG
• Shakur Juiston, F, Oregon: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals
• Payton Pritchard, G, Oregon: 14 points, 6 assists
• Anthony Mathis, G, Oregon: 12 points, 4-5 3PT

Memphis Flashes Talent Outside of James Wiseman

Everyone came into the game expecting big things out of highly touted prospect James Wiseman, but many were left wanting more. The center was limited by foul trouble throughout the game, especially missing time in the first half when he picked up his second foul in the first five minutes and didn't return.

The Tigers quickly fell behind by double digits and didn't show a lot of life on either end of the court:

However, the remaining players finally settled down and forced their way back into the game with excellent defense. The squad briefly took over the lead in the second half and remained competitive throughout the night with other players stepping up.

Lester Quinones and D.J. Jeffries were especially valuable with production on both ends.

Wiseman eventually came back and got his first field goal with 11:16 left in the game. Down the stretch, he showcased his skill set with some dunks and jump shots to end up with 12 rebounds and 14 points, the latter all in the second half.

The freshman was ruled ineligible by the NCAA because of possible illegal benefits, but Memphis announced he will continue to play. This is clearly a much better team when Wiseman is on the court, although the squad showed it can remain competitive even without him.

Oregon Thrives Despite Sloppy Offensive Play

The Ducks seemed dominant at times, but the 18 turnovers prevented them from pulling away against Memphis.

The Pac-12 squad had built a solid early lead in the first half, but Memphis scored 20 points off 11 first-half turnovers to keep the halftime deficit at six.

The Tigers' press was especially damaging throughout the night.

However, Oregon showed there was a lot to like while pulling out an impressive victory.

Transfers Anthony Mathis and Juiston came through with big performances:

Juiston earned his first double-double of the season, while Mathis shot 4-of-5 from three after knocking down 9-of-11 from deep last game.

Pritchard struggled as a shooter but had solid control of the action when he was on the floor:

If the Ducks can cut down on the turnovers and make smarter decisions offensively, this should be one of the top teams in college basketball this year.

What's Next?

Both teams will return home for what should be winnable matchups in their next games. Memphis will take on Alcorn State on Saturday, while Oregon will host Texas-Arlington on Sunday.