Oregon Ducks Basketball Season Ending Analysis

With 5:27 left in the second half, the Wisconsin Badgers looked to be in trouble.  One number one seed had already fallen on the weekend, and the Oregon Ducks had tied the game for the first time in the half on a three by Dwayne Benjamin.  The three point barrage by Benjamin and Jalil Abdul-Bassit had kept the Badgers from closing out the game.

After a free throw by Bronson Koenig gave Wisconsin a one point lead, All-American forward Frank Kaminsky got the ball from Dillon Brooks of the Ducks and fed the ball to Sam Dekker for a fast break layup.  After an exchange of shots, Elgin Cook turned it over for Oregon, and Dekker hit a three.  The Ducks would never again get within less than four.

Considering the nation was firmly predicting a Wisconsin blowout (82% of NCAA Tournament brackets on ESPN had Wisconsin winning), Oregon keeping the game close was an accomplishment in of itself.  Joseph Young did everything to keep his senior season going, scoring 30 points on 12-of-25 shooting.  Abdul-Bassit was 4-of-5 from beyond the three point arc.  Oregon had more assists, more rebounds, and Jordan Bell was dominant at defending the paint with four blocks.

The Ducks, however, were outmatched offensively at the forward position.  Cook, Brooks, and Bell combined to shoot 7-of-20 for just 14 points.  The Wisconsin forwards of Kaminsky, Dekker, and Nigel Hayes combined for 47 of Wisconsin’s 72 points.  With their aggressive strategy of getting to the foul line, Wisconsin took 29 free throws to Oregon’s 7.  That was the difference in the game.

Now the question is what happens next.  Young and Abdul-Bassit will graduate, though it is unlikely Cook, a junior, will declare for the draft.  Oregon has three four-star recruits coming in with guards Tyler Dorsey and Kendall Small and forward Trevor Manual.  Only Small has officially signed his letter.  Dorsey is a top 25 recruit with tremendous scoring potential.

It was a strong run by the Ducks to comeback from early struggles in the Pac-12 regular season.  Seven games into the Pac-12, few would have predicted Oregon would make the tournament, let alone advance into the Round of 32.  Every player should be proud, and ready to return to the tournament next year.