Oregon Ducks: 29-5,16-2 in the Pac-12 conference
Head coach: Dana Altman (7th season)
Players to watch: Dillon Brooks (16.0 PPG, 41.3 3PT%); Tyler Dorsey (13.3 PPG, 38.9 3PT%); Jordan Bell (10.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG)
Season recap: With star forward Dillon Brooks sidelined by a foot injury to start the season, Oregon dropped two of its first five contests, spurring questions about the Ducks’ national title chances. But Oregon quelled all worries in conference play with wins against top-10 sides UCLA and Arizona—the latter by 27 points.
But now the Ducks have a new injury to worry about with senior Chris Boucher out for the season with a torn ACL. In its first game without the senior, the team struggled down low and lost to the Wildcats 83-80 in the championship game of the Pac-12 tournament. Boucher was one of only seven players averaging at least 20 minutes for Oregon, and his loss will put an extra burden on Bell in the frontcourt on both ends of the floor. The senior was one of the best shot blockers in the country and as a team, the Ducks finished second in the nation with 6.6 rejections per contest.
On offense, Brooks—who leads the team in scoring—is surrounded by a variety of playmakers, those who can shoot the ball and others that can pound the ball inside. Oregon is one of the most efficient shooting teams in the nation and has multiple scoring threats capable of heating up from beyond the arc. Although the Ducks will have to make due without Boucher, the team still has the pieces to advance deep into March.
How they make a run: Oregon comes together around a group of veterans, and Brooks makes timely shots as he has all season, helping Altman cut down the nets for the first time in his career.
How they falter: The Ducks cannot recover from Boucher's absence and Brooks goes cold as Oregon struggles to survive with its limited depth.
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