Oregon’s rebuilt roster has some fans so excited you’d think the Ducks were favored to win the NBA title. Let’s just see if they can win the Pac-12 first, okay? Five returning players – Paul White, Payton Pritchard, Kenny Wooten, Abu Kigab, and VJ Bailey – will mesh together with that vaunted third-ranked recruiting class. So, why is White a key to this …
After losing so many key players from last year’s Final Four team, I entered this season with tempered expectations. And after a couple games into the PK80 (Phil Knight Invitational), it was apparent that this team didn’t have ”it.” So, I kicked back and resigned myself to the idea that this was a rebuilding year. That the goal of this season was to develop talent—develop role players—who would complement the …
Coach Dana Altman has done it again. Despite losing eight players last spring, Oregon has enough talent to win 23-24 games and enough talent that they should be a Sweet Sixteen contender. Yes, it is amazing. The Oregon roster includes Payton Pritchard, Keith Smith, Roman Sorkin and players you wouldn’t recognize if you stood next to them in the EMU. Here’s …
FishDuck Note: Oregon received the verbal commitment of Kenny Wooten yesterday, and it is expected he will sign a National Letter of Intent today with Oregon. He is an impact player, and we are fortunate to have Bob Rickert report on him immediately for all us basketball fans of our beloved Ducks. Charles Fischer Kenny Wooten brings a level of …
With at least five key players gone from this year’s team, the Ducks will reload with a bunch of highly touted freshmen and transfers and one ‘Glue Guy’ who may emerge as a star. Keith Smith, the guy who scored the final two points of Oregon’s 2017 season will likely have a huge impact on next year. Smith showed up …
While the Oregon men’s basketball team fell just short of the pinnacle of college basketball this year, there is still a lot to be said of what this destined group did. I seemed to be the only person I knew who had them winning it all in my bracket, and I thought for sure that they would shock the world (and I would …
Just as it did last year, the next few months will determine a lot about how far Oregon’s roster can take the Duck basketball team in 2017-18. Here’s a guide to what we know, rumors we’ve heard and what’s likely to happen. What We Know The departures of Chris Boucher and Dylan Ennis will open up two scholarships. Three more …
Oregon didn’t lose to North Carolina because they didn’t block out at the end. They didn’t lose because they didn’t have Chris Boucher. Oregon lost because Oregon didn’t play as smart as they normally do. Bad shots and more bad shots Carolina goaded them into shooting not just 3’s, but deep 3’s. Very deep 3’s. Look at this shot chart. …
Here we are, Duck fans. This is the stage on which we have all dreamed for years to see our beloved Ducks (78 years for those of you who have been around that long). With four games down and four teams left, here are four keys to Oregon taking home that National Championship trophy. 1. Balanced Scoring Effort While Tyler Dorsey …
With so many physical disadvantages, Oregon’s chances to beat North Carolina come down to a few things. Do Oregon’s guards rebound? Does the team play its tempo? And do the players take it to the basket when they can, draw fouls or hit open shooters? Then, do they knock down those shots? Matchups and Mismatches Mean Everything The Tar Heels have …
The Oregon Ducks are going to the Final Four. They haven’t been this close to a national championship since winning it all in 1939. This is a monumental accomplishment for head coach Dana Altman, who has brought consistency and pride to Eugene. The Ducks have won two consecutive Pac-12 championships and are in the NCAA tournament for the fifth season …
A lot will be written about the Tall Firs of 1939 this week. Years ago, I interviewed guard John Dick who started on that squad. Dick, who grew up in The Dalles, went on to become an Admiral in the Navy and later retired in Eugene, where he lived until his death in 2011. Oregon’s ride back to the Final …