Cowboys Battle Ducks on McArthur Court in 2nd Round of Mythical March Madness

Oklahoma State upset Michigan in round one of Mythical March Madness and McArthur Court was already the home of Saturday upsets. Could Boynton and the Pokes do it again?

Pat Kinnison - Pokes Report chief photographer

Publisher's Note: This is our go at Mythical March Madness and now it enters the second round. The tournament and results are determined using all-time odds for each seed in NCAA Division I Men's Tournament history for advancement in each round. The roll of dice with rolls of six or below representing the higher-seeded team and rolls of seven or greater representing the lower-seeded team determine the results. If the game is written up as close then the roll of the dice went to the eighth, ninth, or tenth roll. If it is written up as a blowout then it was decided with few rolls needed.

Other action from Saturday can be found here. 

No fans in the bleachers, even the rafters. The crew at the scorer's table weren't familiar faces, not in Eugene as they were flown in from Boise, Idaho. The three officials for the game Larry Scirotto of the Big Ten, Paul Driscoll from back East, and Verne Harris, who does work West Coast basketball. It was a neutral court in every way except McArthur Court sits on the Oregon campus. 

Oregon was at home and they've shot on this court and at these baskets. newly named All-American Payton Pritchard, Will Richardson, and Shakur Juiston took the first three shot for the Ducks and it looked like the ball knew where to go as they all sailed in. It led to a quick 8-2 lead for Oregon. 

Oklahoma State has had such an up and down season. The 7-0 start that culminated with a sweep of Syracuse and Ole Miss in Brooklyn's Barclay Center put the Pokes in the poll. Then Issac Likekele's illness put the Cowboys in sick bay. Finally, at the end Likekele back to his old self and the seniors feeling the end and head coach Mike Boynton had kept it all together. Some of the freshman began feeling more comfortable, especially Kalib Boone and Oklahoma State was potent.

The Cowboys fought back, played with grit, and Oregon realized the opponent was as comfortable as they were. At halftime Richardson, the Oak Hill Academy product had a team high 12 points and matched by Cameron McGriff. The two players also had an identical four rebounds and each had a steal. The score was 35-34 Oregon.

The second half was a series of runs with Oklahoma State on a 10-2 start of the second half, but then Oregon countered with two three-pointers by Pritchard and a 14-4 run to take the lead. 

The Ducks and Cowboys traded another set of smaller runs before it all got much more serious in the final minutes and when Pritchard faked a jumper and dribbled by Likekele only to score and be fouled as he launched for the lay in. Pritchard made the free throw and Oregon had breathing room at 69-63 with a little over a minute left. The Cowboys tried but Oregon made their free throws and the Cowboys missed on one trip down the floor on offense. That was the difference as Oregon won 75-68. 

Oregon's first-team All-American Pritchard led the Ducks with 21 points as McGriff played his final game and scored 22 to lead all scorers. Oregon advances with a 26-7 record as Oklahoma State finishes at 19-14.