Oregon head coach Dana Altman took over the Duck program in 2010 and has been a steadfast leader since. Throughout his tenure, the Ducks have consistently been near the top of the Pac-12 conference standings and have had multiple appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Over Altman’s nearly 15-year span with the team, just how well has Oregon performed in the postseason?
The first five years
The Ducks didn’t see an NCAA Tournament bid under Altman until the 2012-13 season. Oregon had won the Pac-12 Tournament and the team would make it to the round of 16 before their March Madness run would end.
The next season saw another ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the Ducks but their run sadly ended in the round of 32. Entering the next season, Oregon fans had a new-found hope: Jordan Bell.
In Oregon’s third consecutive tournament bid, Bell and the Ducks would get eliminated in the round of 32 but the tide had turned for Altman’s team.
2015 season
Altman led the Ducks to both a regular season and conference tournament title in the Pac-12 and Oregon entered the NCAA Tournament with its first-ever No. 1 seed.
The Ducks made it all the way to the Elite Eight before they were devastated by the No. 2-seed Oklahoma Sooners and Buddy Hield.
2016 season
Holding on to their previous season’s success, the Ducks would upset the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks to make their way to the Final Four. Altman had finally brought Oregon back. It was the team’s first Final Four appearance in nearly eight decades.
The 2016-17 season is still considered one of the most successful runs ever completed by the Ducks and is a highlight in Altman’s coaching career to this day.
2017 season
In an absolute blowout for Oregon, Altman earned his 600th career win as a head coach. The Ducks demolished Alabama State 114-56 for their coach’s milestone.
While only making it to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, the Ducks were invited to the NIT Tournament. Oregon was unfortunately eliminated in the second round of the NIT by Marquette. It was the team’s worst postseason performance under Altman.
2018 season
Upsetting the No. 1-seeded Washington Huskies in the conference tournament, Oregon earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Ducks would return to the Sweet Sixteen in a more unusual manner than they had in the past. As a No. 12 seed, Oregon would upset the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers and defeat UC Irvine to make their way back to the final 16 teams.
Oregon lost to Virginia in the Sweet Sixteen but Altman’s coaching momentum was back. The following year, the Ducks were poised to make a deep run in March but the season ended early due to COVID-19.
The shortened season broke the hearts of many fans, especially the Ducks, who could have had it all in 2020.
2020 season
Oregon would once again make it to the Sweet Sixteen during the 2020-21 season. Altman would lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 regular season title but the team would be upset by Oregon State in the conference tournament.
Receiving an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament, Oregon lucked out and advanced to the second round without playing. The team they were supposed to play in the opening round, VCU, had to forfeit due to COVID regulations.
The Ducks defeated Iowa to advance to the Sweet Sixteen where they were defeated by conference foe USC.
2021 season
Altman led the Ducks to a relatively disappointing finish for the 2021-22 season. In somewhat of a rebuilding phase, Oregon failed to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament and instead returned to the NIT.
The Ducks finished fifth in the Pac-12 with a 20-15 overall record. In Altman’s 12th season with Oregon, his team would advance to the second round of the NIT Tournament before being knocked out.
2022 season
The most recent season saw similar results to the one before that. However, Oregon made a deeper run in the NIT Tournament.
Once again falling short of the main March Madness event, the Ducks played in the NIT where they defeated UC Irvine and UCF in the first two rounds.
Sadly, Oregon would lose to the Wisconsin Badgers in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Altman has had some truly historic runs with the Ducks in the postseason tournaments. During his 14th year in Eugene, his team has had to evolve through injuries and illnesses.
The phrase “Dana Altman aligns Rubick’s cubes” has become popularized to point out the head coach’s ability to lead his team to victory despite not having a consistent roster at hand.
As the postseason rapidly approaches, the Ducks are on the bubble watch for an NCAA Tournament bid and can hopefully make another history run under Altman’s guise.