Oregon (27-6) earned a No. 1 seed for the first time in program history thanks in large part to a dominant 88-57 win over Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game. Oregon was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 preseason media poll, but exceeded expectations with a 14-4 conference record, including a perfect 9-0 home mark. Head coach Dana Altman has taken the Ducks to the NCAA Tournament four years in a row, which is also a first for the program.
Holy Cross (15-19), on the other hand, became a Cinderella team with an unlikely automatic NCAA Tournament bid as Patriot League tournament champions. As a No. 9 seed, the Crusaders upset Loyola, Bucknell, Army and Lehigh in consecutive days to win the title. Holy Cross advanced to the West Region with a 59-55 defeat of Southern University in a play-in game on Wednesday. First year head coach Bill Carmody has a 1-2 record in the NCAA Tournament, and hasn’t taken a team to the tournament since 1998 with Princeton.
Oregon will face Holy Cross in Spokane, Washington on Friday at 4:27 p.m.
Oregon wins if: Their offense maintains its typical balance. Oregon has the rare fortune of having four or five players leading the team in scoring in any given game. In the Pac-12 Championship, this trend was no different: Chris Boucher scored 19 points against Washington, Elgin Cook had 22 against Arizona and Tyler Dorsey scored 23 points in the championship win over Utah.
Players to watch:
Elgin Cook – In two previous tournaments, the Ducks advance past the round of 32. Along with seniors Dwayne Benjamin and Max Heller, this tournament is Cook’s last chance to get to the Sweet 16 and possibly further. Cook averages 14.5 points per game this season, second only to Dillon Brooks.
Tyler Dorsey – Dorsey has looked passive at times this season when he defers to other players. But, as seen against Utah, when Dorsey is playing aggressively, opponents have a tough time defending both Dorsey and Brooks on the perimeter.
Holy Cross wins if: The Ducks beat themselves with unforced turnovers, missed free throws and get out-hustled on the boards. Oregon has struggled all year with missed free throws. They shot 21-of-36 against Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament semifinal, and nearly threw the game away. As for rebounding, Dana Altman has stressed all year the importance of winning the battle on the boards. This was especially key in their blowout win against Utah in which the Ducks out-rebounded the Utes 36-25, including 17 offensive boards. The Crusaders lack the depth and talent to beat Oregon, but if the Ducks take them lightly, this game could be more competitive than many expect.
Players to watch:
Malachi Alexander – Alexander is Holy Cross’s version of Cook – an undersized forward who can score from the low post and also slash off the dribble to the basket. Alexander leads the Crusaders in scoring, averaging 12 points to go along with five rebounds per game.
Robert Champion – As the Crusaders’ sixth man, Champion scored a team-high 19 points against Southern on 6 of 8 shooting. Champion averages 11.5 points for the season.
Bottom Line: In the entire history of the NCAA Tournament dating back to 1939, a No. 16 seed has never defeated a No. 1 seed. It’s hard to imagine Holy Cross – who only made it to the Big Dance by virtue of winning the Patriot League tournament – becoming the first.
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner