Ahead of the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Eugene, coaches and players had plenty to talk about.
Here are some key takeaways from Thursday’s media sessions:
Ducks prepare with a target on their backs
Oregon comes into this year’s NCAA Tournament with a team familiar with playing on the big stage after back-to-back Elite Eight runs.
“The only thing that’s going to be different is we have a lot more experience this year,” junior guard Sabrina Ionescu said. “I think mentally we’re just super dialed in and excited to be able to host this first game and hopefully another on Sunday.”
The Ducks took a week off to get healthy ahead of this weekend, with many sleeping and resting but Ionescu didn’t take a break.
“I didn’t really need one,” Ionescu said. “My body feels really good.”
Sophomore Satou Sabally is relishing the opportunity to play in the Tournament again.
“I only knew March Madness from overseas in the middle of the night,” she said. “Now I know what’s coming towards me. I feel physically and mentally and totally ready.”
The Oregon connection
Even with Oregon women’s basketball hosting the first two rounds at Matthew Knight Arena in the Portland Regional, the ties to the state of Oregon ran even deeper.
The No. 2 seed Ducks take on No. 15 seed Portland State in an interstate first-round matchup.
But this weekend might be more special for Indiana guard Bendu Yeaney than anyone else.
Yeaney grew up in Portland, where she played high school basketball for St. Mary’s Academy. The 5-foot-10 sophomore said she didn’t have a particular allegiance to either the Ducks or Beavers, but having the ability to play in her home state with a chance of playing in Portland in the Sweet 16 and/or Elite Eight is special.
“When I found out I was super excited. I am excited to play on this court,” she said. “I played when I was in high school when we would do team camps and stuff and came down here. I am really excited to have my friends and family come out and watch my team play and try to get a win and move on.”
Yeaney and the No. 10 seed Hoosiers take on No. 7 Texas, who is ranked No. 23 in the AP Poll. The winner will play either the Ducks or the Vikings in the second round on Sunday.
ESPN’s slip-up stories
Everyone remembers where they were when the women’s bracket leaked three-and-a-half hours early on ESPNU on Monday.
Texas was in the middle of a practice when an administrator came to let the team know, Indiana’s players were spread out while head coach Teri Moren was in her office when text message after text message pinged on her phone.
“I was disappointed though because I think that this is such a special occasion for your kids, especially those freshmen and the kids in our program that have never played in the NCCA tournament,” Moren said. “There is suspense to it as well but it is just such a special moment for your team and your program. I felt badly that they didn’t have the opportunity to go through that.”
Oregon head coach Kelly Graves was home feeding his dogs as his players sat in the Matt Knight Arena locker room.
For his players, the news came via the team text message group when Ionescu sent out the note that the bracket was leaked.
Despite their opponent being a 15th-ranked team that has never won an NCAA Tournament game, the Ducks know in March, anything can happen.
“That’s what March entails — anybody can upset any team,” Ionescu said. “Us that have been here for the last two to three years, we were that team that came in as a 10-seed and upset teams that had overlooked us so I just think having that experience knowing what it’s like to be on both sides is going to help us.”
Follow Shawn Medow on Twitter @ShawnMedow
