The Ducks will be dancing in Omaha, and Oregon fans will get a chance to see their team participate in the NCAA tournament for the third year straight.
Aside from making school history by earning a third straight bid to the madness that ensues in March, the Ducks will be heading into their regional bracket seeded No. 8.
Joseph Young working on a Utah player.
The bracket this year is looking oddly familiar to those in the past. The Ducks will open the tournament against No. 9 seed Oklahoma State, similar to how they started their 2013 bracket. The only difference you might ask? No. 12 Oregon pulled away with a huge upset against the No. 5 Cowboys, beating them 68-55 in the first round. Even though the teams are ranked evenly this year, we all know that anything can happen in the big dance during March.
The Ducks will be playing with that same belief as they enter the 2015 tournament this year. Oregon hopes to make a similar run, if not better than 2013 by making it to the Sweet 16 once again. That aspiration seems very doable for the Ducks, as they will play with a chip on their shoulders going into the tournament.
If the Ducks are able to top Oklahoma State in the first round again this year, they will likely face another familiar opponent, the Wisconsin Badgers. Unless, the regional No. 1-seed Badgers get stunned in the first round by No. 16 Coastal Carolina, they could potentially meet the Ducks in the second regional round for the second time in two years.
Duck fans celebrate a win against Utah.
Wisconsin denied Oregon of a second straight Sweet 16 appearance last year, defeating the Ducks 85-77. However, Oregon looks to change that this year if everything goes according to plan in the first round against the Cowboys.
As fans, we should all expect the unexpected in this year’s Dance just like all of the other tournaments. Anything can happen in March Madness, and that can very well involve the Ducks improving their legacy, and making it past the Sweet 16 for a chance to compete in the Elite 8.
Buckle up Duck fans, because this year’s madness will begin Friday, March 20th.
Top Photo by Kevin Cline
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Hey there, my name is Ben Salaman and I’m currently a junior at the University of Oregon studying Advertising in the School of Journalism. I was born and raised in the beautiful Bay Area of California. I’ve always been fascinated with the wide world of sports and its stories, and I love sharing my viewpoint on them. You can find me in the gym, on the field, or at a skate park; I’ll play anything. But above all sports, I’m addicted to the Quack. Go Ducks! Follow me on Twitter: @bsalaman15