The No. 4 seeded Oregon Ducks pulled off a massive upset victory over the No. 1 seeded Arizona Wildcats to make it to the championship game of the Pac-12 Tournament. This pits the Ducks against the No. 3 seeded Colorado Buffaloes for the conference title.

For Oregon, this game has a lot more implications than a normal conference title. The Ducks are currently on the outside looking in at a spot in March Madness, but a Pac-12 Championship guarantees them a spot in the field. However, the path to that spot will be a tough one to navigate. The Buffaloes defeated the Ducks in both of the teams’ matchups this season, making this a tall task for Oregon to win.

The Ducks will be coming into the contest with incredible momentum after playing one of the best halves they have played all season. They will also have slightly more rest which could play a factor given how tight the turnaround is. 

Oregon has struggled to keep up with Colorado in their matchups so far this season. However, the Ducks just beat Arizona, who they lost to twice before this season, and Oregon seems to be playing some of its best basketball all season with its two wins so far during the Pac-12 Tournament. Beating the UCLA Bruins and the Wildcats in back-to-back games is the toughest stretch the Ducks have had all year, and they will need that momentum to continue if they want to come away with the conference championship.

For the Buffaloes, they are coming off of a win over the Washington State Cougars where both teams struggled from the field. Oregon’s defense will have to show up to try and slow down the normally high-powered unit that is Colorado’s offense. Allowing the Buffaloes to find their groove early in the game could prove catastrophic for the Ducks, and a strong start in this game will be one of the most important factors in Oregon’s odds at coming away with the win.

This season has been somewhat disappointing for the Ducks due to a combination of being unable to close out close games and injury troubles. However, they find themselves in prime position to turn their whole season around in just three days. With two wins already in Las Vegas, the Ducks have overperformed the expectations of many following its season. However, there is still one more game to be played, and the Ducks have a chance to snag the final Pac-12 Championship.