Oregon’s 2018 recruiting class looks like it might be the best in Duck history. With a little luck it might be the best in the nation as well. The Ducks have three players who’ll be leaving the program after this year: Roman Sorkin, MiKyle McIntosh and Elijah Brown. High 4-star Miles Norris and 5-star Louis King are already committed. The list of …
The Altman Era – Looking Ahead
Yes, Oregon is playing Michigan for a spot in the Elite 8. But for a couple moments let’s look at the trajectory of Oregon’s program under Dana Altman. Altman is on his way to being a Hall-of-Fame coach. One Final Four or one national title and he’s almost assured of it. At the pace he’s on, if he coaches another …
Ducks Basketball Falling Short of Expectations But Potential Still There
The expectations and excitement around the Oregon basketball team coming into the season was a welcome reprieve from the disaster of a football season that unfolded this fall. Many media experts picked Oregon to make a Final Four run and even win a national title. Pollsters also put Oregon in the top five of the preseason poll for the first time ever. …
Ducks Pull off Rare Double-Basketball Championship (Video Highlights!)
I do not believe anyone who said they saw that Oregon’s 88-57 dismantling of Utah coming in advance. Most of us were concerned about the opposite, as it is very hard to beat a team for a third time, especially when the differences between teams is so close. The trip to the Bay Area (losing both games) is what came to …
Ducks Face Tough Test at Boise Saturday
Just looking at their current win-loss records, one would think the No. 24-ranked Oregon Ducks (7-1) should not have too big a problem taking on the unranked Boise State Broncos (6-4) Saturday in Boise (5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network). Taking a closer look, one sees that three of the Broncos’ losses came at the hands of No. 1 Michigan State and …
Rule Changes and Recruitment Will Help Move Oregon into Basketball’s Elite
After the 2013-2014 basketball season, everything was looking rosy for Dana Altman and Oregon basketball. They just finished a season which saw them win the Pac-12 tournament and the team had a strong showing in the NCAA tournament, narrowly losing to an eventual Final Four team, Wisconsin Badgers, in the round of 32. With a plethora of young and talented players returning, the Ducks were …
Recruiting Update: Dylan Ennis Gets Oregon Into Championship Conversation
Basketball Recruiting Transfers A little less than a week ago, head coach Dana Altman worked his transfer magic yet again with the addition of former Villanova point guard, Dylan Ennis (Transfer/Brampton, Ontario). “The visit went really great,” said Ennis. “It was great to see the campus and the program.” While certainly heralded, Ennis may provide the greatest asset a young Oregon team needs …
Breaking Down the 2015 Starting Five
The 2014-15 Duck basketball team surprised everyone (me included) with its round of 32 tournament run this past season. The Ducks overcame substantial adversity after losing key starters and role players from the 2013-14 season in Jonathan Lloyd, Mike Moser, and Jason Calliste via graduation and sophomores Dominic Artis and Damyean Dotson via dismissal from the program. What Coach Altman …
Looking Forward to Next Year’s Basketball Squad
Despite the fact that the Ducks didn’t make it far into the 2015 NCAA Tournament it’s still important to recognize the fact that they had one amazing run this year. Redshirt senior G Joseph Young had a legendary impact serving as Oregon’s “go-to-guy” during tough stretches at the end of games. However, next season is the beginning of a new …
A Bright Future for Elgin Cook
The Ducks have wrapped up their 2015 NCAA tournament campaign after a 72-65 loss to Wisconsin, but things are still looking bright after this season. With Joseph Young leaving, the Ducks will be looking for new players to feed the ball to next season. The 6-6 forward Elgin Cook may be one of the answers for the Ducks as they …
Ducks Play Their Game to Outlast Cowboys
I wrote this past Thursday that Oklahoma State would be a tough matchup for the men of Oregon in the NCAA Tournament round of sixty-four. The Ducks would need to play the game at their pace, limit turnovers, and limit Cowboy sharpshooter Phil Forte to ensure victory. After a hard-fought 79-73 victory, it is time to examine whether these predictions …
Dana Altman and His Band of Unsung Heroes
Surrounded by three beefy Cowboys, Casey Benson leaped for the rebound and popped from the scrum with the basketball. Midway through the first half with Oklahoma State, Benson had provided an essential stop in the game. His stat line for the contest wasn’t impressive—two rebounds and a steal, no points, but Benson was an unsung hero in the game. He …