Sunday afternoon started off being about the fans. It ended up being about the players.
But the whole event was a celebration of Oregon basketball.
Thousands of Duck fans turned out to watch the NCAA Tournament selection show at McArthur Court Sunday afternoon, and the building buzzed first with reflection of the Ducks’ successful season, then with anticipation after the announcement that Oregon would be a No. 2 seed in the tournament. The Ducks will play Montana at 2 p.m. Thursday in Sacramento, Calif.
The afternoon started with a speech from Oregon Athletic Director Bill Moos, who noted that the crowd was indicative of Eugene’s support for the basketball team.
“There are places in the Pac-10 that won’t get this crowd for a ball game,” Moos told the fans. “Unless they’re playing the Ducks, of course.”
Moos said he was confident in the team’s chance in the NCAA Tournament, even before the Ducks received their favorable seed.
“I told the staff that we need room for another banner in here,” Moos said about the Ducks’ Pac-10 championship banner. “But hold up, because we might need room for two more.”
After Moos’ speech, the Ducks entered to a standing ovation from the crowd. The players then cut down the Mac Court nets in celebration of their first outright Pac-10 title since 1939.

“There was no cutting down of the nets when they won the title in Los Angeles,” Moos said. “We wanted to come back home and do that here.”
Every team member got a piece of the nets, including managers and coaches. Head coach Ernie Kent — the Pac-10 Coach of the Year — and All-Pac-10 selection Freddie Jones were the last Ducks to cut the nets and received the biggest applause.
After a video of season highlights, Kent gave a speech thanking the Oregon fans.
“The No. 1 stat not in (the video) is that we are first with the fans,” Kent said. “It’s been a wonderful ride. Our focus now is to get four wins and get to the Final Four.”
When the selection show started, the crowd was silent in anticipation of the Oregon announcement. Some fans groaned when Cincinnati was announced as a No. 1 seed, which could have adversely affected the Ducks’ seeding.
“After they put Cincy as a No. 1, we were thinking that we could get a lower seed,” forward Robert Johnson said after the show.
But then the Ducks were announced as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region, and the crowd exploded along with the team. As CBS went to a live feed of McArthur Court, the nation saw Freddie Jones with a huge, goofy grin and the fans behind him jumping with happiness.
“We’re just excited,” guard Luke Ridnour said.
Many of the fans stayed after the Oregon announcement to watch the rest of the selection show and Kent’s live show after the CBS broadcast. Kent was also interviewed later by ESPN for its selection Sunday show.
Now the Ducks are looking forward to their next performance, against Montana on Thursday. The players expressed hope that Oregon fans would travel to Sacramento for Thursday’s opening round contest or a possible second-round game on Saturday.
“This could be the last time they get to see this team this season,” Ridnour said. “It would be nice to see some fans down there.”
Fans will be able to purchase tickets through the Arco Arena ticket office today.