Wrapping up the 2003-04 Season, Ducks Run to the NIT Final Four
THAT’S A WRAP . . . Oregon’s postseason run finally ran out of gas but not before the Ducks got all the way to the NIT Final Four in New York City. Oregon recorded impressive wins over Colorado and Notre Dame to get to the Big Apple and finished the year 18-13 overall (9-9 Pac-10).
OREGON IN THE NIT . . . 2004 marked Oregon’s ninth all-time appearance in the National Invitation Tournament, which leads all Pac-10 teams. Oregon is now 11-10 in 21 NIT games. The Ducks last appeared in the NIT in 1999, when they defeated Georgia Tech (67-64), Wyoming (93-72) and Texas Christian (77-68) to advance to the Final Four in New York. Oregon’s best NIT was its first in 1975 when the Ducks advanced to New York. That team, led by tournament MVP Ron Lee, Greg Ballard and current UO head coach Ernie Kent, finished third.
POSTSEASON SIGNIFICANCE . . . The 2004 NIT also marked Oregon’s third straight postseason appearance, following the 2002 and 2003 NCAA tournaments. It’s just the second time that UO has played in three straight postseason tournaments; the other occasion was 1975-77 when Oregon participated in three straight NITs.
