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Oregon Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for the Ducks

By Lukas Harkins

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 14: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks sets up a play against the Utah Utes during a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Utes 66-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 14: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks sets up a play against the Utah Utes during a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Utes 66-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 24: The Oregon Ducks bench reacts. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 24: The Oregon Ducks bench reacts. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Oregon basketball is fresh off finishing last year on a lengthy winning streak before falling in the Sweet 16. How will the team build on that campaign?

Not a single team in the country experienced more a “tale of two seasons” than Oregon basketball last year. After entering the campaign with high expectations as a preseason top-15 team in the nation, the Ducks floundered for the first few months of the year before dominating down the stretch. Head coach Dana Altman found a rhythm with his young roster and it resulted in a 10-game winning streak from Feb. 28 through Mar. 24. This streak included taking home the Pac-12 Tournament title and reaching the Sweet 16 in the Big Dance before falling to the eventual national champion.

The Ducks truly flew together during that stretch while climbing 39 spots in KenPom, The team was especially elite on the defensive end of the floor. Oregon finished the year ranked at No. 13 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. The squad forced a ton of turnovers and defended the perimeter tremendously well.

Even though several players departed the program following the campaign, including Louis King and Paul White, there is still plenty of returning talent on Oregon’s roster for 2019-20. Additionally, Coach Altman did an incredible job with regard to securing high-level transfers and elite high school recruits over the past few months. It should come as no surprise to hear that Oregon has one of the best rosters in the entire country.

Coach Altman has quietly emerged as one of the best coaches in the nation over the past few seasons and that should once again be evident this time around. The Ducks have reached the NCAA Tournament in six of the last seven years with four runs to at least the Sweet 16. There are once again high hopes facing Oregon this season as the team is ranked at No. 15 in the preseason AP poll and No. 12 in our Busting Brackets’ preseason power rankings.

How will the Ducks be able to live up to the hype? Let’s dive a bit deeper into some projections for the team and analyze Oregon’s starters, key reserves, storylines to follow, schedule, and overall outlook.

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