Friday, March 22
San Jose, CA
1:30 PM
University of Oregon
72
vs
54
Wisconsin
Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Nine Straight: Ducks Beat Badgers To Extend Hot Streak, Advance To Sunday
03/22/19 | Men's Basketball
Oregon ran away from Wisconsin in the second half Friday to beat the Badgers, 72-54, in a first-round NCAA Tournament game.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Like a proud papa Jordan Bell jumped out of his seat, clapping his hands and hollering out admiration every time Kenny Wooten spiked a shot into the floor or slapped one into the front row.
It was only two short years ago Bell was playing that role himself, blocking eight shots in Oregon's most recent NCAA Tournament win, at Kansas in the Elite Eight. Two short years ago on the calendar, at least. For a UO basketball program that missed the Big Dance in 2018, and wasn't in the discussion for a bid this year just a few weeks ago, that Kansas game felt like a distant memory.
The Ducks changed all that Friday, exchanging blows with Wisconsin in an even first half, then blowing out the team that ended their season in both 2014 and 2015 in the second half to win, 72-54, in the SAP Pavilion. Until a three-pointer by the Badgers in the final seconds, Oregon was on track to post the largest ever win by a No. 12 seed over a No. 5 seed; the Ducks settled for a second-round date against No. 13 UC Irvine on Sunday, and their first NCAA Tournament win since the Kansas game in 2017.
"It was definitely dope seeing that," Bell said. "The Kansas game, we took it over with defense, and it felt kind of like a passing of the torch type thing here."
Wooten took the torch that Bell once carried and ran with it. After Oregon opened up a narrow lead early in the second half, Wooten went to work making sure it would hold up, blocking three shots in such emphatic fashion, 14 of Wisconsin's last 24 field-goal attempts were three-pointers.
Yes, the Badgers needed to make up an increasing deficit by shooting more threes. But no, they didn't want any more of the block party Wooten was holding in the paint.
"Whenever I see them start jacking up threes, I get a sense of relief," Wooten said. "Because then I don't have to put so much pressure on myself to block shots. And I know I made an impact on the game."
Did he ever. Wisconsin's star was senior center Ethan Happ, a three-time all-Big Ten player. Happ averaged 17.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and three turnovers prior to the NCAA Tournament. He finished Friday with 12 points, eight rebounds, zero assists and five turnovers.
Happ tried to keep Oregon from pulling away early in the second half. The game was tied 25-25 at halftime and remained knotted early in the second at 31-31 after Paul White pulled the Ducks back even with a three-pointer. Wooten's follow dunk put the UO men back in the lead — for good, it would turn out — at 33-31, and it was 35-31 when Happ scored to make it a two-point game again.
After a Payton Pritchard three-pointer and a Will Richardson free throw capped an 11-2 Oregon run, making it 39-33, Happ banked a hook shot high off the glass. But his next shot was rejected, by White. Wooten blocked him again moments later, and the rout was on. In the front row of the stands, Bell couldn't contain his enthusiasm.
"I didn't feel like a fan today; I felt like I was part of the team," said Bell, who joined the Ducks in their locker room for the postgame celebration. "It reminded me of my college days, being out there."
The victory continued a remarkable run by the Ducks, who closed the regular season with four straight wins, swept their way to the Pac-12 Tournament title with four wins in four games, and now are a game away from the Sweet Sixteen. Nobody has been more key to that run than the junior point guard Pritchard, who continued his stellar run with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists Friday.
As Dana Altman delivered his final remarks in the pregame locker room, Pritchard couldn't sit still, hopping out of his chair and bouncing on the balls of his feet, like a prize fighter preparing to go 12 rounds. Then, he was a one-man show for the Ducks in the opening minutes, scoring their first two baskets.
The team's lone remaining veteran from the 2017 Final Four group, Pritchard gave his teammates time to adjust to the NCAA Tournament stage.
Pritchard pulled up for a jumper that gave Oregon a 15-11 lead, and he completed a three-point play for the Ducks' largest first-half lead, 18-11. Wisconsin fought back into the halftime tie, but Wooten soon took over, and the Ducks used an 18-2 run to extend their lead from 52-47 to 70-49.
"It's a dog fight out there," Pritchard said. "And we're winning it."
Friday's win came six days after the Ducks' Pac-12 Tournament championship game win over Washington. That gave Oregon five days between games to take a deep breath and realize what had happened — the goal they'd been chasing since the depths of an injury ravaged December had been achieved, by the barest of margins.
In their return to practice Monday, White said, the Ducks felt the toll that playing four games in four days had taken on their legs, and their lungs. But importantly, he also didn't get the sense Oregon was going to be happy simply qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
"Nobody was satisfied," White said. "At least, I didn't see it from anyone. People were staying the course. We're just doing a real good job of staying in the moment."
They created a heck of a moment for themselves Friday. And they sound ready to make a few more. Just as a Pac-12 Tournament title didn't satisfy this group, neither, it seems, will a first-round NCAA Tournament win.
"We were pleased with our play, but not satisfied," Pritchard said. "And we're still not satisfied. We're not done yet."
It was only two short years ago Bell was playing that role himself, blocking eight shots in Oregon's most recent NCAA Tournament win, at Kansas in the Elite Eight. Two short years ago on the calendar, at least. For a UO basketball program that missed the Big Dance in 2018, and wasn't in the discussion for a bid this year just a few weeks ago, that Kansas game felt like a distant memory.
The Ducks changed all that Friday, exchanging blows with Wisconsin in an even first half, then blowing out the team that ended their season in both 2014 and 2015 in the second half to win, 72-54, in the SAP Pavilion. Until a three-pointer by the Badgers in the final seconds, Oregon was on track to post the largest ever win by a No. 12 seed over a No. 5 seed; the Ducks settled for a second-round date against No. 13 UC Irvine on Sunday, and their first NCAA Tournament win since the Kansas game in 2017.
"It was definitely dope seeing that," Bell said. "The Kansas game, we took it over with defense, and it felt kind of like a passing of the torch type thing here."
Wooten took the torch that Bell once carried and ran with it. After Oregon opened up a narrow lead early in the second half, Wooten went to work making sure it would hold up, blocking three shots in such emphatic fashion, 14 of Wisconsin's last 24 field-goal attempts were three-pointers.
Yes, the Badgers needed to make up an increasing deficit by shooting more threes. But no, they didn't want any more of the block party Wooten was holding in the paint.
"Whenever I see them start jacking up threes, I get a sense of relief," Wooten said. "Because then I don't have to put so much pressure on myself to block shots. And I know I made an impact on the game."
Did he ever. Wisconsin's star was senior center Ethan Happ, a three-time all-Big Ten player. Happ averaged 17.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and three turnovers prior to the NCAA Tournament. He finished Friday with 12 points, eight rebounds, zero assists and five turnovers.
Happ tried to keep Oregon from pulling away early in the second half. The game was tied 25-25 at halftime and remained knotted early in the second at 31-31 after Paul White pulled the Ducks back even with a three-pointer. Wooten's follow dunk put the UO men back in the lead — for good, it would turn out — at 33-31, and it was 35-31 when Happ scored to make it a two-point game again.
After a Payton Pritchard three-pointer and a Will Richardson free throw capped an 11-2 Oregon run, making it 39-33, Happ banked a hook shot high off the glass. But his next shot was rejected, by White. Wooten blocked him again moments later, and the rout was on. In the front row of the stands, Bell couldn't contain his enthusiasm.
"I didn't feel like a fan today; I felt like I was part of the team," said Bell, who joined the Ducks in their locker room for the postgame celebration. "It reminded me of my college days, being out there."
The victory continued a remarkable run by the Ducks, who closed the regular season with four straight wins, swept their way to the Pac-12 Tournament title with four wins in four games, and now are a game away from the Sweet Sixteen. Nobody has been more key to that run than the junior point guard Pritchard, who continued his stellar run with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists Friday.
As Dana Altman delivered his final remarks in the pregame locker room, Pritchard couldn't sit still, hopping out of his chair and bouncing on the balls of his feet, like a prize fighter preparing to go 12 rounds. Then, he was a one-man show for the Ducks in the opening minutes, scoring their first two baskets.
The team's lone remaining veteran from the 2017 Final Four group, Pritchard gave his teammates time to adjust to the NCAA Tournament stage.
Pritchard pulled up for a jumper that gave Oregon a 15-11 lead, and he completed a three-point play for the Ducks' largest first-half lead, 18-11. Wisconsin fought back into the halftime tie, but Wooten soon took over, and the Ducks used an 18-2 run to extend their lead from 52-47 to 70-49.
"It's a dog fight out there," Pritchard said. "And we're winning it."
Friday's win came six days after the Ducks' Pac-12 Tournament championship game win over Washington. That gave Oregon five days between games to take a deep breath and realize what had happened — the goal they'd been chasing since the depths of an injury ravaged December had been achieved, by the barest of margins.
In their return to practice Monday, White said, the Ducks felt the toll that playing four games in four days had taken on their legs, and their lungs. But importantly, he also didn't get the sense Oregon was going to be happy simply qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
"Nobody was satisfied," White said. "At least, I didn't see it from anyone. People were staying the course. We're just doing a real good job of staying in the moment."
They created a heck of a moment for themselves Friday. And they sound ready to make a few more. Just as a Pac-12 Tournament title didn't satisfy this group, neither, it seems, will a first-round NCAA Tournament win.
"We were pleased with our play, but not satisfied," Pritchard said. "And we're still not satisfied. We're not done yet."
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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