Mar 5, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dwayne Benjamin (0) goes up for a dunk against Southern California Trojans forward Chimezie Metu (4) during the game at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Could The Oregon Ducks Earn A Number One Seed In The NCAA Tournament?
The Oregon Ducks still have work to do to land a top seed for the NCAA Tournament, but they are off to a good start entering the Pac-12 Tournament.
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On Saturday afternoon the Oregon Ducks won their first Pac-12 Regular Season Title since 2002 and are heading into the Pac-12 Tournament this week as the top seed, but do they have a chance at a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament next month? This past week has seen some upsets and there will likely be a few more this week as the Pac-12 Tournament begins in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
As far as the experts are concerned the Oregon Ducks are on the right track heading into the Pac-12 Tournament. Joe Lunardi from ESPN and Jerry Palm from CBS Sports both agree that Dana Altman’s team will play close to home in Spokane. Lundardi has the Oregon Ducks as a three seed, Palm a three seed. With the two wins this week Oregon added to an already impressive resume and evened their Pac-12 Road record in their last ten home and away games to to 5-5 and an even .500 mark.
Bracketology Breakdown: ESPN’s Joe Lunardi
- Oregon is a 2 Seed, Will play first two rounds in Spokane, Washington
- 1st Round vs 14 Seed UAB, Other schools in Spokane: 6 Seed Baylor, 11 Seed Monmouth
Thoughts: What is interesting here, aside from the sunglasses that may need to be worn of Baylor meets Oregon is that the Ducks have a win against the Bears earlier this season and could be a big advantage for Oregon.
Bracketology Breakdown: CBS and Jerry Palm
- Oregon is a 2 Seed, again, playing in Spokane, Washington
- The Ducks face 15 Seed New Mexico State in Round 1
- Temple and Seton Hall await in Round 2, the top seed is North Carolina in the West Bracket and would be the likely Round 3 matchup for Oregon
Thoughts: The Oregon matchup with Temple could be fun to watch, for just the storyline of a historic program going against a Pac-12 team who is still working toward getting there. If Oregon gets past the Spokane bracket they would face a second historic program in North Carolina.
The 2016 #Pac12Hoops Tournament bracket is officially set! See you in Las Vegas! https://t.co/kL3egk5X4M pic.twitter.com/b1n5Ks5zip
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) March 6, 2016
If the Oregon Ducks can continue their run and take the Pac-12 Championship, they would have a shot at a number one seed, but it would likely take a top team falling in their respective Conference Tournament for Oregon to move up. If the Ducks fall out early in the Pac-12 Tournament I don’t see them falling very far, maybe a seed or two but no lower than a 4 seed.
The Pac-12 Tournament begins this week in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Oregon will get a first round bye and play either the 8 seed Washington or 9 seed Stanford on Thursday.
