Ducks’ run at tourney a sign of things to come

Whether you’re big on football or basketball, 2013 has been a good year to be an Oregon Duck fan.

On top of the Ducks’ 2013 Fiesta Bowl win against Kansas State, which was one of the best ways to start the 2013 year, in my opinion, the Oregon men’s basketball team surprised just about everyone this year as well, going 28-9 on the season after going on a tear in the NCAA tournament.

Though I, like many other Oregon fans, I’m sure, was disappointed when the Ducks were unable to come back to win against Louisville last Friday (and honestly, falling into a 24-8 deficit against a team like Louisville is a hole you really can’t make up), I couldn’t help but look back on this season with satisfaction.

With a win over then-No. 4 Arizona and post-season victories over Oklahoma State and Saint Louis, not to mention not dropping a single game to the Beavers, how can you not be satisfied?

After numerous seasons in recent years being a Pac-12 bottom-feeder, this season was the very best you could hope for, and then some.

In fact, this season was topped this century by probably only the 2007 Oregon team, back in the days of Aaron Brooks and Tajuan Porter (when he was still capable of making long range shots that’d make you do a double-take).

If you recall that season, the Ducks made it to the Elite Eight before dropping the regional final to Florida, who went on to become the national champions that year. And, just like that year, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Louisville took this year’s title.

After firing Ernie Kent in 2010, Oregon hired Dana Altman as its new coach, starting in the 2010-11 season. From the looks of it so far, the move has been one of the school’s better decisions since it hired Chip Kelly, despite Kent’s prior successes.

Though Altman’s first season with the Ducks had a humble 21-18 finish, the following year the Ducks went 24-10, making their way to the NIT quarterfinals, and now finished this season with only nine losses.

At that rate, Altman may bring home a national title for the U of O, maybe even before the football team can finally pull it off on the big stage.

Though Kelly has since left Oregon (which has left many a Duck fan in a panicked state) to pursue a career in the NFL, Duck supporters can rest assured that the basketball team is in good hands and has its best years still ahead of it.

Advocate Staff