Jon Rothstein Says that Oregon is a Four Seed (At Least)

And I believe him.

As College Basketball’s Hungriest Insider himself would put it: “it spreads.”

And that “it” would be the annual late-February breeze that rolls through Eugene, bringing with it a Dana Altman basketball team that is ready to win some big friggin’ basketball games.

I feel like I haven’t written about the Men’s team in forever, but I’ve only missed five games in all that time—and that’s been half the problem.

With all the postponements and all the protocols, Oregon has kept itself a secret from everyone in the country—including themselves—for the last month and a half.

When the Ducks did come back, they started with two BAD losses to OSU and The Tinklemen, and then to Wazzu’s newest discount-Elleby. 

But those losses just might’ve been a turning point. Think of them as this year’s version of “The 2019 LA Breakdown.” Because Oregon has only gotten healthier since then, and they’re just starting to turn it on. 

I don’t want to say they’ve fully rebounded, but whooping UDub and then sweeping down in the desert sure sounds like a damn rebound to me—dare I say, an upswing?

Yeah, we came into the year favored in the Pac, and we always expected a full-strength Duarte and Richardson to lead us to a high seed. But after such a bleak start to the calendar year, the loss of N’Faly Dante, and just a zillion questions throughout all of college basketball, it feels like we’re setting up for a March where we get to be surprised by an “upstart Ducks team” all over again.

I don’t envy the position of an NCAA selection committee that has to compare teams with anywhere from a five-to-ten game difference in their records, and some (like Oregon) that may miss out on playing some of the strongest teams in their conference (like USC, and UCLA).

This team has been a mystery to me all season, sometimes I have my green and yellow glasses on tight, and other times it’s all I can do to simply be thankful to watch them play at all.

But hey, if CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein says he thinks we’re a Four Seed (at least), then dammit, we’re a Four Seed (at least).

Of course, the Ducks have to go out and prove me and Rothstein right—with whatever’s left of their schedule. 

And then it wouldn’t hurt to add an LA school in the last week. And then ideally draw the other LA school in the conference Tourney. And then ideally win out.

But other than all that, I think the path to a Four Seed is laid out clearly in front of us. 

Just need Eric Williams and his defense to get healthy again. Eugene needs to keep trusting his post game with so much renewed scoring from Will, LJ, and Chris. And it also wouldn’t hurt for Duarte to keep playing like the Pac-12 Player of the Year.

It just-so-happens that McKinley Wright—the other frontrunner for that crown—comes to Eugene tonight at 8 PM pst.

It’s Mountain week again, Ducks fans. Let’s beat some Buffs, and yeet some Utes.

Go Ducks.