Busting Brackets
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Pac-12 Basketball: Why league in 2020-21 hasn’t been as bad as you think

By Elliott Geller

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 15: A Pac-12 basketball logo is shown on a stanchion before a semifinal game of the of the Pac-12 basketball tournament between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Washington Huskies at T-Mobile Arena on March 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 15: A Pac-12 basketball logo is shown on a stanchion before a semifinal game of the of the Pac-12 basketball tournament between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Washington Huskies at T-Mobile Arena on March 15, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Dana Altman Oregon Ducks (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Dana Altman Oregon Ducks (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Oregon Ducks and Colorado Buffaloes

A coach you want to avoid in March is Dana Altman. Altman always has his team trending upward late in the season. The Ducks are currently on pause, but they don’t get talked about enough. They beat up on Seton Hall early in the season and have remained steady throughout.

Chris Duarte has emerged into a star. He is second in the conference in points per game, averaging 18.4, while also doing it on the other side of the floor, as he leads the conference with 2.5 steals a game. Between him and the myriad of transfers they have; Oregon can be dangerous with the experience they have.

It’s not the best time to pump up the Buffaloes, but Colorado has had a nice season to date. They were sitting comfortably in the field, but two suspect losses the last two weeks make you wonder what kind of team they have. Falling to Washington and losing to Utah when having a significant lead is alarming as we head down the stretch. Them struggling later in the season is reminiscent of last year’s team, which was led by Tyler Bey.

This year, Tad Boyle’s leader is McKinley Wright IV. He has all the numbers, but it’s his demeanor on the court. He was a monster in their comeback against Washington State after it looked like he was considerably injured. They have upperclassmen up the wazoo, but freshman Jabari Walker has developed into one of their best players. The Buffs are flirting with disaster and they have their tougher part of the PAC-12 schedule ahead, but they’re in the drivers’ seat to make the tournament.

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