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Watch: Will Richardson, N'Faly Dante discuss Oregon's win over USC

Jarrid Denneyby: Jarrid Denney02/10/23jarrid_denney
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Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Oregon seniors Will Richardson and N’Faly Dante led the way for the Ducks during Thursday’s crucial win over the USC Trojans in Eugene.

Dante finished with 17 points, three blocks, and three steals, and Richardson had 16 points, nine boards, and six assists.

Afterward, the duo met with reporters to discuss the significance of the win. Watch their full press conference below.

Key Quotes

Will Richardson on the Ducks’ well-rounded performance

“Everybody contributed tonight. (Kel’el Ware) came in and gave us big minutes (Quincy Guerrier) was leading us with rebounds at halftime. From the team standpoint, yeah, everybody’s buying into the system. Nobody’s worrying about playing time. Nobody’s worried about how many shots they got. Everybody’s buying into defending and rebounding and I think we did that well tonight.”

N’Faly Dante on what Kel’el Ware can bring to the team

“Like I tell him, he’s got great talent. When he’s in, just show it. I have to deal with him in practice — it’s not easy. I was telling him, when he’s coming in the game, do the same thing. He listened.”

Will Richardson on Kel’el Ware’s effort

“To Kel’el’s credit, he’s young. He’s, like, 18 years old. He’s a kid from Little Rock Arkansas; he didn’t know what he was in for. But to his credit, he’s still fighting. He don’t ever drop his head and sit on the bench and pout. He’s cheering for N’Faly.

“It’s hard. I feel him; it’s hard going against N’Faly in practice. He’s shooting, like, 60% from the field. But he’s learning, though. It’s great to see. He’s coming with energy every day.”

Will Richardson on what it meant to beat Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis after USC topped Oregon in Eugene last season

“They came last year and kind of broke our hearts a little bit. (We) took it a little personal. But I mean I wouldn’t even say too much focus on that; this is just part of our journey. They were just another team on our journey. We’re taking a step every game, getting a little better, coming a little closer.”

Will Richardson on Oregon’s defensive improvement in recent weeks

“We are really buying into the defensive side of the ball. I think in the first 11 minutes they only had like 11 points. As a team on the road, it’s hard to get your head up when you only score 11 points in 11 minutes. We’ve started realizing that we just need to go with what’s working.”

Will Richardson on Oregon’s rivalry with Tyger Campbell and UCLA

“I don’t really look into personal matchups. This is a big game for our program. We need it. We’re on the verge of the postseason. This is a big game for us. It’s a Quad 1 game. They’re on the road. They think they’ve got a good chance to win the Pac-12. But we’re still fighting for a good spot and seeding.

“It’s a big game for us. Our whole team, our whole staff, we know it.”

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