Can Ducks reach Final Four?

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The field has been set for the men’s NCAA Tournament, so let the March Madness begin.

Things will kick off on Tuesday night with play-in games between St. Francis PA and Alabama State, followed by North Carolina vs. San Diego State. However, the tournament will officially start for the No. 5 seed Oregon Ducks on Friday night with a game against the No. 12 seed Liberty Flames. That game will be the last of the day, tipping off at 7:10 p.m. PT from Seattle, WA.

It’s an advantageous draw for Dana Altman and his team, who only have to travel a couple hundred miles up north for their game, while the Flames must fly across the country from Virginia. The early betting lines reflect this for Oregon, which has opened up as a 6.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

But what does the rest of the March Madness path look like beyond just the first game of the tournament for the Ducks? If we’re being honest, there are reasons for Oregon fans to be optimistic that this team can make a deep run in the tournament, thanks to the draw they got and the recent form we’ve seen from the roster. Let’s break it down.

Get your Brackets for 2025 NCAA men’s basketball tournament

Why Oregon Can Reach the Final Four — Recent Play

Aside from their most recent game, a 74-64 loss to No. 1 seed Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament, the Ducks have been incredibly hot lately. They won the previous eight games on their schedule, led by some stellar play from Nate Bittle, Jackson Shelstad, TJ Bamba, and Keeshawn Barthelemy.

A deep run from the Ducks revolves around Bittle and Shelstad’s production. I encourage you to read a recent piece from The I-5 Corridor’s Tyson Alger: ‘Nate Bittle has turned into one of those guys for the Oregon Ducks.’ Bittle may only be averaging 14 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks per game this season, but over the past eight games, he’s been putting up 20 points and nine rebounds per night, highlighted by a career game of 36p/12r/2b in the season finale against…

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Publish date : 2025-03-17 13:01:00

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