The Pacific-10 Conference Tournament is underway at the Staples Center, with the Ducks in action tonight against No. 22 Washington State in what is truly a must win for Oregon.
The way that the mid-major championship tournaments have panned out leaves a razor-thin margin for error for bubble teams hoping to get in to the NCAA Tournament, and right now the Ducks are one of the last teams left out of the field in most analysts’ brackets. A win over a top-25 team like Washington State at a neutral site will likely put them over the top.
Oregon has had Washington State’s number for the past few seasons, winning 13 consecutive games over before dropping both contests this season.
The third time had better be the charm for the Ducks though, or National Invitational Tournament, here we come.
One thing the Ducks have going for them this time around against the Cougars is the recent emergence of redshirt freshman guard LeKendric Longmire. Since last time the teams played, Longmire has come to the fore as a Raja Bell-style defensive stopper for the Ducks.
Early last week, he came in the game to harass Arizona State freshman phenom James Harden. Saturday, he did a tremendous job of getting in the face, under the skin and even on the shoulders of Arizona freshman Jerryd Bayless. I believe he can be as effective against Derrick Low or Taylor Rochestie, depending on who Ernie Kent wants Longmire to keep under wraps.
(And hopefully Longmire, an avid Kobe Bryant fan, is long gone from campus before this column comes out, as I’m sure he wouldn’t like me comparing him to Bryant’s nemesis, no matter how accurate or positive the comparison might be.)
Another factor in Oregon’s favor this time around is momentum. After all the ups and downs of this season, the Ducks seem to be peaking at just the right time-when each game could be their last.
And really, the Cougars don’t have much to play for right now, as they are pretty much assured a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks, conversely, have everything to play for.
A win for the Ducks tonight would not only bring them one step closer to the Big Dance, it would be sweet vindication for a senior class that, while successful, has been maligned by some for not living up to the hype with which they entered the program. I think back-to-back tournament appearances plus at least one conference tournament championship (if not a second this weekend) should effectively silence the critics.
The knock on Kent and his boys the last few years has been their lack of consistency. Elite Eight runs followed by a season or two of mediocrity doesn’t seem to be enough for many Duck fans these days. I’ve been following Duck basketball since I was a child (some 20-odd very lean years) and let me tell you, I’m tickled pink that this program is even relevant. You should be too.
Expectations were high coming into this year, and the Ducks now have a chance to fulfill them. It seems like I’ve been beating the “backs against the wall” drum for about a month now, and the moment is finally here: Win or go home.
I love March.
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