For just a moment, it seemed like everything was back to normal. Sure, coaches and players on the bench were wearing masks, there was no band or cheerleaders, and the raucous crowd of years past was much less inspiring in limited form. But none of that mattered once the brackets locked and the action got underway. Even though it looked …
Winning the Pac-12 Tournament as a sixth seed was improbable. Upsetting fifth-seeded Wisconsin was spectacular. And advancing to the Sweet 16 was euphoric, given the Ducks’ struggles during the regular season. But all of those achievements pale in comparison to the task that the Ducks have ahead of them. The Virginia Cavaliers have become the gold standard for regular-season dominance, …
Friday night, as the Ducks waited for the final seconds to expire on a dominating 72-54 victory over the fifth-seeded Badgers, one thing became exceedingly clear. This team is dangerous — very dangerous. It’s time to put the “underdog,” “feel-good,” “ragtag” narrative to rest. The Ducks are a talented, hungry and skilled group of players, with a coach who is …