Oregon Fighting Ducks
Record: 28-6 (14-4 Pac-12)
Head Coach: Dana Altman (6th season)
Season Recap: Many on the East Coast were surprised to see the Fighting Ducks show up as a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday, but Oregon has been carving a dominant path through the seven-bid Pac-12 all season. That effort culminated in the conference tournament when, after surviving a near-monumental collapse against Arizona in the semifinals, the Fighting Ducks blew out Utah 88-57 to add the tournament trophy to their regular-season crown.
After losing Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young to the NBA, Oregon did not miss a beat, with Dillon Brooks emerging as a dangerous stretch-four. The Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, native posted 16.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game during the regular season, teaming with 6-foot-10 Chris Boucher to create an imposing post duo. Elgin Cook and Tyler Dorsey join Brooks and Boucher in double-figures, with Dorsey the top 3-point shooter on the team at 43.1 percent.
The Fighting Ducks' No.1 seed is their first in program history, keeping them close to home in Spokane, Wash., for the opening weekend.
How they make a run: Brooks gives opponents fits with his ability to catch the ball at the foul line and drive to the rim, as Oregon marches on toward its second national title—the Fighting Ducks won the first-ever NCAA tournament back in 1939.
How they falter: Dorsey's 3-point shot disappears late in the game and Boucher falls prone to a mental lapse just like the one that nearly cost Oregon against the Wlidcats in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals.
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