Oregon defeated Kansas in the Elite Eight to reach the Final Four.
For the first time since 1939, the Oregon Ducks are headed to the Final Four.
Let’s see how they did it.
NCAA tournament path
Defeated No. 14 Iona, 93-77
Tyler Dorsey, Dillon Brooks and Jordan Bell combined to score 59 points. Oregon put up 55 in the first half.
Defeated No. 11 Rhode Island, 75-72
Dorsey hit one of the most memorable shots of the tournament – a go-ahead 3 with less than a minute remaining. The sophomore was nearly perfect on the evening – he went 9-for-10 and scored 27 points.
Defeated No. 7 Michigan, 69-68
The Ducks stifled what many believed was the hottest team in the country. Bell shut down star big man Moritz Wagner and posted a double-double.
Defeated No. 1 Kansas, 74-60
Bell was a monster, blocking eight Jayhawk shots and collecting 13 rebounds, while Dorsey delivered dagger after dagger en route to 27 points.
Key Players
C Jordan Bell
When Chris Boucher tore his ACL, Bell inherited a ton of responsibility. It’s safe to say he’s responded; at this point, he might be the most important player on the team. Bell has collected 12 rebounds or more in four tournament games, posting three double-doubles.
G Tyler Dorsey
How’s this for an NCAA tournament? Dorsey is averaging 24.5 points on 66.7 percent shooting in the Big Dance; he’s 17-of-26 from the 3. The guy has just been unconscious during this stretch.
F Dillon Brooks
The Pac-12 Player of the Year has been overshadowed a bit in the tournament by Bell and Dorsey, but he’s been steady as usual. Brooks is averaging 26 points per 40 minutes.
Coach: Dana Altman
Altman is in his seventh season in Eugene; this is the fifth straight year he’s reached the NCAA tournament. Altman had never reached the Final Four previously.
He has an overall record of 187-69 at Oregon. Before joining the Ducks, Altman was a head coach at Creighton, Kansas State and Marshall.
Best wins this season
Dec. 28 – vs. UCLA, 89-87
Deb. 4 – vs. Arizona, 85-58
Feb. 11 – at USC, 81-70
