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Oregon Ducks Basketball Season Recap: 2016 Was A Season To Build On

By Justin Phillips

Mar 26, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Chris Boucher (25) celebrates after dunking the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during a West Regional final in the NCAA Tournament at the Honda Center.Oklahoma defeated Oregon 80-68. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Chris Boucher (25) celebrates after dunking the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during a West Regional final in the NCAA Tournament at the Honda Center.Oklahoma defeated Oregon 80-68. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oregon Men’s Basketball had more to give in 2016, but costly turnovers and a hot shooting Oklahoma team snuffed out their Final Four Dreams.

The Oregon Ducks Men’s Basketball team had one of the best seasons in the team’s history taking the Pac-12 by storm, making their home court of Matthew Knight Arena a fortress where they have now won 26 straight games and also winning the Pac-12 Tournament. The NCAA Tournament thought the Oregon Ducks were deserving as a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament as the Ducks proved them right to get farther along than any other Pac-12 team. Most of the Conference bowed out in the first weekend including Pac-12 Favorite Arizona, leaving Oregon the last Pac-12 team standing.

As a team, Oregon grew throughout the season the way that Head Coach Dana Altman has hoped. Every Press Conference they weren’t ‘quite’ where they wanted to be and he has said more than once, ‘we’ll go out and see what we have as a team.’ Going out this season with a bang in the Elite 8. Altman has become one of the top coaches in the Pac-12 having taken Oregon to the NCAA Tournament every year for the last six seasons. Recruiting is beginning to payoff once again as high school players from around the country are taking notice.

If Dillon Brooks was the impact player in 2016 and Dwayne Benjamin was the ‘sixth man’, then Elgin Cook was certainly the clue that made it all come together. Freshman Tyler Dorsey was the trigger man down the stretch and will have an even bigger impact next season. Defensively fans will have another season to rave about the blocks and points put up by Chris Boucher and Jordan Bell. We may also have the opportunity to see Dylan Ennis on the floor – a decision on his waiver for next season will be made at the end of the season.


The goal for this season was not to see it come to an end in the Elite 8, but to get to the Final Four. To the disappointment of many it was not to be as Buddy Hield was unstoppable for Oklahoma in a 37 point performance last weekend. Now, Oregon looks to next season. There is something to play for, a goal to be reached and coming up short will not be an option. Once again, the Oregon Ducks will have to face everyone’s best effort to beat them and as the home team they will certainly look to defend Matthew Knight Arena.

Next: Oregon Softball Overpowered by UCLA

Oregon finished the season at 31-7 averaging 79 points per game.

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