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NCAA Basketball: Matchups we would’ve loved to see in 2020 NCAA Tournament

By Donovan Darlington

JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 15: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks drives against the Arizona State Sun Devils during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Sun Devils 79-75 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 15: Payton Pritchard #3 of the Oregon Ducks drives against the Arizona State Sun Devils during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Sun Devils 79-75 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Baylor vs. Oregon

The Oregon Ducks were most likely going to be the champions of a Pac 12 conference that used much of this season to show that it was a lot more competitive than it was a season ago. The conference as a whole was able to accomplish that, as multiple schools were slated to make the big dance.

In the case of Baylor, it was up in the air whether or not they would win the Big 12 because of the tight race they found themselves in with Kansas. Nonetheless, the top of the Big 12 was still stronger than that of the Pac 12, so Baylor would have entered this NCAA Tournament game as the favorite.

The matchup between these two squads would have most likely been a 4 seed vs. 1 seed game in the Sweet 16. The guy to watch in this contest would have been Senior guard, Payton Pritchard of Oregon. Pritchard has been a very dominant guard in NCAA basketball the past few years, averaging 20.5 ppg this season, and 13.5 ppg over the span of his career. He is the last remaining member from the Oregon Ducks team that danced all the way to the Final Four during the 2016-17 NCAA Tournament. Big games like this are obviously nothing new for him.

The task ahead of him this time, however, would be a very tough test against Baylor’s backcourt, led by Sophomore guard, Jared Butler. Butler led the Bears in scoring, averaging 16.0 ppg. The backcourt battle of Pritchard vs. Butler would be one of the most exciting matchups that NCAA basketball fans would have witnessed this season.

If this game were to be played in the NCAA Tournament, I think Butler’s talent would be outworked by the Oregon Ducks who are poised to make a surprising run deep into the tournament once again. Oregon’s experience would prevail thanks to the leadership and talent of Pritchard, but the game would go right down to the final ticks of the clock.

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