Oregon Ducks
Head coach: Dana Altman (5th season)
Record: 25-9, 13-5 Pac-12
Season summary: Luckily for the Ducks, they won't have to play Arizona unless they make a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight—the Wildcats routed Oregon three times this season, the only times the Ducks were truly overmatched this season. Oregon relies on explosive scorer and Pac-12 Player of the Year Joseph Young—who averages 20.2 points per game—to do it all, and more often than not, the strategy pans out for Altman's club. The Ducks suspended three players before the season started, but still put up more than 75 points per game and rank 16th in basketball statistician Ken Pomeroy's offensive efficiency metric thanks to a up-tempo style of play.
Oregon struggles defensively and often lacks bench production, but if the Ducks stay close, they have one of the best closers in the game in Young. Just ask fifth-seeded Utah, which fell twice to Oregon, including in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals on a 30-foot Young buzzer-beater.
How they make a run: Young continues carrying the Ducks, getting in a rhythm from the perimeter early and staying hot to help Oregon avenge last season's thrilling 85-77 second-round loss to Wisconsin in which the Houston native torched the Badgers for 29 points.
How they falter: The Ducks struggle to find consistent scoring from their role players and fail to contain Oklahoma State stars Le'Bryan Nash and Phil Forte, falling in an opening-round shootout.
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