NCAA Basketball: Buy or sell Auburn, Butler, Michigan State, Oregon

Oregon Ducks

Verdict: Tentative buy

Speaking of consistency, that is the one thing this Oregon team lacks. They have lost three of their last seven games and only two of their six losses have been to teams that are locks to make the NCAA Tournament.

It’s especially maddening because, on paper, the Ducks have everything.

They shoot the three extremely well, ranking 15th nationally in that category. They’re deep with offensive threats, too, as eight players average at least five points per game with three averaging double figures. Their length gives them a lot of upside defensively as well with a number of quality shot blockers, though they don’t always play with consistent effort on that end.

Oregon also has a legitimate superstar in Payton Pritchard, who has shown the ability to take over close games and lead the Ducks to victory when they need him to.

See? Everything – except for that consistency.

They’ve struggled during this stretch because their offense hasn’t been elite and their defense has been porous. Oregon’s frontcourt hasn’t produced as expected since five-star freshman N’Faly Dante joined the fold mid-season (he’s out of shape and they still haven’t figured out their rotation), either.

Before this stretch, I thought the Ducks would win the national championship. I’ve cooled on that, yet this team’s upside is undeniable when all the pieces are clicking. I’m still buying them as a Final Four contender because of that but, if this slide continues for another few games, I’d move them to a sell.