EUGENE (Interstat) — Malique Ewin had eight points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, and Oregon used a decisive first-half surge to beat Mississippi Valley State 100-66 on Wednesday at Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks improved to 3-0, while the Delta Devils fell to 0-3. Oregon led 50-28 at halftime after turning an early 6-2 lead into a runaway with a series of inside finishes and 3-pointers. Mississippi Valley State never recovered.

Jasper Johnson scored 17 points in 21 minutes for Oregon, and Taylor Bol Bowen added 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in 16 minutes. Wei Lin had eight points and eight assists in 17 minutes, Sean Stewart had eight points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, and Pharaoh Compton had eight points, two rebounds, one assist and four blocks in 19 minutes. Fred Payne added nine points and five assists in 18 minutes. Oregon shot 39 of 64 from the floor, 16 of 33 from 3-point range and 6 of 7 from the free throw line. The Ducks finished with 100 points on 66 possessions and an offensive rating of 150.8.

Mississippi Valley State shot 24 of 61 from the floor, 8 of 17 from 3-point range and 10 of 19 from the free throw line. The Delta Devils had 66 points on 72 possessions and an offensive rating of 91.6. Tymias Williams had six points, eight rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes. Gabriel Martinez scored 14 points in 28 minutes, and Caleb Cameron had 12 points, six rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes. Mississippi Valley State had 8 offensive rebounds, 8 assists, 10 turnovers and 10 fouls. Oregon had 10 offensive rebounds, 8 assists, 7 blocks, 9 turnovers and 17 fouls.

Oregon set the tone early from beyond the arc and at the rim. Jasper Johnson made a 3-point jump shot on the game’s first possession, and after Matt Anglo scored for Mississippi Valley State, Johnson hit another 3 to make it 6-2. Ewin followed with a dunk and a tip-in layup, Taylor Bol Bowen added a tip-in, and Sean Stewart and Pharaoh Compton finished inside as the Ducks built a 25-9 lead. The Delta Devils got a 3-pointer from Anglo and a layup from Aj Abrams, but Oregon answered with a Wei Lin 3-pointer and kept the pressure on. Payne made a floating jump shot, Cameron made a tip-in for Mississippi Valley State, and Stewart and Compton each dunked as Oregon’s lead swelled. Dwayne Aristode also made a 3-pointer for the Ducks, and Abrams added another layup for the Delta Devils before Oregon pulled away.

The Ducks closed the first half with another burst. After Gabriel Martinez converted a three-point play to pull Mississippi Valley State to 24-39, Andrew Meadow made three 3-pointers, Johnson added a floater and Caleb Cameron scored a turnaround jumper for the Delta Devils. Oregon took a 50-28 lead into the break. The run was the most important stretch of the game, as it turned a 15-point game into a 22-point halftime cushion and put the Ducks in control. Earlier in the half, Johnson made four 3-pointers, Ewin scored twice inside and Bol Bowen hit a 3-pointer. Mississippi Valley State stayed within reach briefly behind Anglo, Abrams and Martinez, but Oregon’s depth and shooting proved too much.

Oregon kept pulling away after halftime. Fred Payne opened the second half with a layup and a dunk, Bol Bowen made a 3-pointer, Johnson made a 3 and Payne added another 3 to push the lead to 63-30 with 16:12 remaining. Mississippi Valley State found some scoring from Tory James, who made three 3-pointers in the second half, and Caleb Cameron, who made a 3-pointer and scored inside. But the Delta Devils could not mount a sustained run against Oregon’s defense. Compton had four blocks, Ewin controlled the glass and Oregon protected the ball well enough to keep the margin comfortable.

Compton’s four blocks were part of Oregon’s seven-block night. The Ducks also held a 10-8 edge in offensive rebounds and committed nine turnovers to Mississippi Valley State’s 10. Oregon shot 6 of 7 from the free throw line, while the Delta Devils shot 10 of 19. Oregon’s lead reached 33 points in the second half before Mississippi Valley State closed the scoring with Eli Pippins’ layup. Wei Lin made a jump shot in the final minute to cap the scoring. The Ducks led by at least 20 points for the entire second half.

Mississippi Valley State had lost at Washington and at Oklahoma before the trip to Eugene. Oregon had beaten Eastern Washington and Montana. Ewin entered the game after 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against Eastern Washington and 14 points and 13 rebounds against Montana. The Ducks’ home victory came before 4,307 at Matthew Knight Arena. Oregon’s next game is against Pepperdine, while Mississippi Valley State next visits Oregon State.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Oregon 71, Mississippi Valley State 64. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Oregon with a 99.9 percent probability to win. Oregon had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -35.5. The total of 166 and the over/under line of 149.5 were part of the pregame numbers.