Pac-12 Basketball: Each team’s worst performance of the last decade
By Joey Loose
Oregon
February 3, 2018 (at Stanford 96, Oregon 61) (GS: 6)
It’s tempting to include games like their Final Four loss to North Carolina, but this article is about worst performances, not only about not winning at big moments. Following that great Final Four run, Oregon moved forward without Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey and all the other players who made that run, a slight reloading effort for 2018. The team didn’t make the NCAA Tournament but was somewhat competitive in a poor Pac-12.
In an otherwise uneventful Pac-12 season, we turn our attention to the albatross, the 35-point loss at Stanford, Dana Altman’s worst loss as Oregon coach. Stanford was okay last season (not great, not awful), but they definitely played out of their minds when the Ducks came to town. Stanford made 62.5% of their shots, with 25 points from Dorian Pickens and 20 points from Kezie Okpala. On the other hand, to go with their poor defensive effort, Oregon made just 30% of their 3’s and fell out of the game. Stanford led 19-16 before scoring the next 13. Oregon dropped the next 10 (making it 32-26) but was never again closer than that as Stanford ran away with it.
The season as a whole wasn’t a disaster for Oregon but that day at Stanford was clearly one. The future looks bright for the Ducks, though it remains to be seen if they can get back to the Final Four. As long as they avoid slipping up spectacularly on the road then things will be just fine.