NCAA Tournament: Ducks battle, but fall in double overtime vs Creighton
Jermaine Couisnard had 28 points in the loss.
Oregon ran out of gas at the end of a double overtime thriller against Creighton. The Bluejays and Ducks played it close for sixty minutes, but Dana Altman’s team fell in two five-minute overtime periods. Creighton pulled away in the end for the 86-73 win.
One thing I have learned is that Altman always has his teams ready to play. This was the case again on Saturday night in Pittsburgh. The lead changed 14 times and the game was tied 9 times throughout.
Early on, the Ducks had an advantage as Creighton missed multiple three-point shots that could have easily put the game out of reach at halftime.
Two players led the Ducks in the NCAA Tournament. N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard. Couisnard, coming off a 40-point game earlier in the week against South Carolina, added 32 against Creighton.
Dante finished the game vs the Blue Jays with a triple-double and 28 points to go with 20 rebounds and three assists.
For a team that played the better part of the season with just eight scholarship players, it was quite the game vs Creighton. The Ducks had their chance in regulation to go for the win, but the shot from Couisnard missed and there was not an opportunity for a rebound basket as time expired sending the game to the first overtime period.
Oregon will likely look to the transfer portal and add a few pieces as the Ducks leave the Pac-12 and enter a new world of facing Big Ten competition next season. Both Dante and Couisnard have played their final games as Ducks and certainly went out on a high note.
The fight through adversity this season is what will be remembered. The team could have easily given up midway through the Pac-12 season, but they decided to fight.
Altman found a way to work with eight players and get this team into the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. They had a puncher's chance in every game but were not able to finish against the Blue Jays, but man was it fun to watch.
Altman and the Oregon Ducks finish the season at a very respectable 24-12.