There really isn’t a program that has had as bad of luck as Oregon, Dixon, Ifo, Boucher, Bol, Dyer was down (and many other bad calls that all favored Auburn and changed the game), Carrington drug test, years and years of basketball injuries, Covid stopping the unstoppable women’s team from winning a championship, and even Burch’s injury in the conference championship. This basketball season just felt like a culmination of all of the historical bad luck Oregon has had.
Who knows though, with Lanning here and Altman showing new fire and saying he’s sticking around for a while, maybe Oregon sports will finally start to get some luck on their side.
But, with the awful luck, it’s hard to think of many duck athletes we can be more proud of than Dante and Couisnard, love those guys!
Bleh, what happened? They had that game sowed up in regulation! Up two and the ball, just pass it in to your good free throw shooters and call it a night unless they get a luck three or something. The ducks needed one more upperclassman. How about it, Kel' el Ware and Rivaldo Soares? How did it feel to be sitting at home watching the game when you might have made the difference?
Oh well, realistically, they just weren't deep enough to go far in the tournament. It's just hard watching them drop a game that was more or less in the bag.
Up until the second OT, that was was one heckuva game. Couisnard and Dante did just everything they could to get them the win but didn't have enough help or gas at the end. I know Dante will blame himself for missing the FT at the end of regulation but losing Shelstad and not having any other scoring options were bigger factors in the loss. Too bad they couldn't get anything from Evans, Tracey, or Rigsby for most of the game.
As for the season and future, Altman likely did his best coaching job (even though he said he also made a lot of mistakes) with getting this team to reach close to its potential given all the injuries they had. While replacing Dante and Couisnard won't be easy, I'm hopeful that Dana is somewhat rejuvenated by making the NCAA Tournament again and the staff can attract some top transfers that they'd been missing on the past couple seasons. Having a potential core of the three FR, Bittle, and Barthelemy would be a good start. Tracey will be a good rotation guy. Not sure what they'll get out of the guys they signed already as JC guys are so unpredictable, FR big men almost never contribute early, and I don't know how Vyctorius Miller's game will transfer to college right away. At minimum, they need to go after a starter-level big man and scoring wing/guard that can consistently hit threes or create their own shots.
greenyellow wrote: ↑Sat Mar 23, 2024 10:43 pm
I know Dante will blame himself for missing the FT at the end of regulation but losing Shelstad and not having any other scoring options were bigger factors in the loss.
Uh, no. I have no idea why they pass it to him to begin with, but if Dante makes that free throw (and the next), it's likely game over, Shelstad or no Shelstad. I like Dante as much as the next guy, but the game was in his hands and he did blow the free throw.
Blowing a 4 point lead with 29 seconds left sucks. Doesn't diminish the fun run for me.
Can blame this or that, but I ultimately think if Shelstad is around at the end of the game he gets the ball, makes FT's, and we are playing next week. Prayers for better health next year and an upgrade of the S+C staff.
Phalanx wrote: ↑Sat Mar 23, 2024 10:41 pm
Bleh, what happened? They had that game sowed up in regulation! Up two and the ball, just pass it in to your good free throw shooters and call it a night unless they get a luck three or something. The ducks needed one more upperclassman. How about it, Kel' el Ware and Rivaldo Soares? How did it feel to be sitting at home watching the game when you might have made the difference?
Oh well, realistically, they just weren't deep enough to go far in the tournament. It's just hard watching them drop a game that was more or less in the bag.
Yeah, I felt the same. Who would have thought Luk Wor(Grand Canyon) would be the last one standing of those 3?
In Evans’ defense on the inbounds to Dante, two or three of our players we’re talking with their back to Evens and not paying attention when he had the ball and only 5 seconds to get it in. His internal clock was ticking and Dante got open. Can’t put all the blame on either of those two. If we had a timeout, should have used it. Just a blunder across the board on that inbounds. Too bad it was so critical.
greenyellow wrote: ↑Sat Mar 23, 2024 10:43 pm
I know Dante will blame himself for missing the FT at the end of regulation but losing Shelstad and not having any other scoring options were bigger factors in the loss.
Uh, no. I have no idea why they pass it to him to begin with, but if Dante makes that free throw (and the next), it's likely game over, Shelstad or no Shelstad. I like Dante as much as the next guy, but the game was in his hands and he did blow the free throw.
Yup, great battle. And bummer it had to end like that.. Great run to finish the season, pretty amazing really.
UofDuck wrote: ↑Sun Mar 24, 2024 11:20 am
In Evans’ defense on the inbounds to Dante, two or three of our players we’re talking with their back to Evens and not paying attention when he had the ball and only 5 seconds to get it in. His internal clock was ticking and Dante got open. Can’t put all the blame on either of those two. If we had a timeout, should have used it. Just a blunder across the board on that inbounds. Too bad it was so critical.
We all love Altman but it was a pretty huge mistake by him not to use a timeout there.
Though the play before was even bigger to me. Scheierman was driving down the lane fairly desperate and out of control, and Tracey was in perfect position to draw a foul, but instead of planting his feet he tried playing defense with his hands and reached for the ball fouling him in the process giving him two free throws to cut the lead to two. If Tracey draws a foul there then very good chance ducks win as Creighton would have to start fouling with the ducks up 4.
This was just another example of the injuries being Oregon’s biggest weakness. Tracey was never meant to be a starter, I really do appreciate his effort but he’s not skilled enough yet to play the type of minutes that he did. I would imagine Barthelemy would’ve recognized the situation there and would’ve taken the charge.
