Oregon Among "Next Four Out" in Latest NCAA Tournament Projections
The Oregon Ducks have their work cut out for them to find a path into the NCAA tournament. ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi has the Ducks as one of the "Next Four Out" in his latest "Bracketology" projections.
Last week, the Ducks were the last team included in the 68-team field predicted by Lunardi, but after getting swept in the desert over the weekend, they're scrambling to find a way into March Madness.
It's a rare occurrence for Dana Altman-led teams to find themselves on the outside looking in as the regular season enters its final two weeks. Falling to California by double digits at home on Feb. 12 put their at-large bid hopes in danger but didn't completely dash them.
De'Vion Harmon vs. Cal
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
The beatdown in Tempe by the deteriorating Arizona State Sun Devils essentially means the Ducks will need to win the Pac-12 Tournament to secure a spot in the madness.
It's a road that isn't completely new to the Oregon Ducks, however. In 2018-19, the Ducks finished the regular season with a 19-12 record (10-8 in Pac-12) and entered the Pac-12 Tournament with the sixth seed. If not for a four-game win streak to cap off the season, the Ducks would have been one of the teams at the bottom of the conference.
The Ducks set aside their injuries, struggles, and adversity in Las Vegas and proceeded to run through the Pac-12 Tournament to clinch their spot in March Madness, defeating the top three seeds in the field in the process. Oregon's run continued in the NCAA tournament as a 12 seed, upsetting fifth-seed Wisconsin and blasting 13th-seed UC Irvine to advance to the Sweet 16 before falling in a tight game to eventual national champion Virginia.
Jumping ahead to this season, the Ducks have proven that they can compete with the top teams in the country, knocking off No. 3 UCLA and No. 5 USC on the road, while coming up just short against No. 1 Baylor and No. 3 Arizona. The consistency of this team is a big question mark as they've been rocked by teams like Arizona State and Cal despite those impressive performances.
If the Ducks can finish the regular season strong, expect them to be a tough out in the Pac-12 Tournament and beyond if they get the opportunity.
Join the Community
Follow Dylan on Twitter: @drksportsnews
Subscribe to our free newsletter to get the latest Oregon Ducks news sent to your inbox
