On Jan. 4, in Seattle, against rival Washington, the No. 15 Oregon men’s basketball team was in trouble early.
Jordan Bell, one of Oregon’s most consistent players and arguably its best defender, was ushered to the locker room with an apparent injury, and Dillon Brooks, among others, was in early foul trouble.
Six minutes remained in the first half and the Huskies were up by three points.
That’s when sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey took over. He went 5-of-5 from 3-point range in the last seven minutes of the half, and Oregon took a seven-point lead into halftime.
Oregon won 83-61. Dorsey finished with 28 points on 8-of-12 shooting from 3-point range.
Since Dorsey arrived in Eugene, he has widely been considered Oregon’s ‘X Factor.’ He has the offensive ability to control games, but Dorsey struggles with consistency.
The Washington game — and others like it — serves as proof that when Dorsey plays well, the Ducks are one of the premier college basketball teams. Despite many other weapons, Dorsey may be the key to success come March.
The 6-foot-4 guard with a smooth shooting stroke is Oregon’s best 3-point threat. Throughout his season-and-a-half experience, Dorsey has become familiar with big performances.
“It was one of those nights where the basket just felt wide and everything feels like it’s going in, and it did tonight,” Dorsey told The Oregonian after the win over UW.
When Dorsey shoots efficiently from the outside, it gives Oregon’s offense another weapon. When Dorsey is off-ball, he can draw defenders away from the middle when Brooks or Dylan Ennis drives to the basket. If his defenders decide to collapse, or give him any space, he can bury 3s.
When Dorsey is hot, defenders have to respect his range. That makes it easier for him to drive.
“We haven’t had that kind of success from three. That really just popped the game open,” Oregon coach Dana Altman told The Oregonian after the Washington Game.
Following the Washington game, the Ducks travelled to face Washington State. Dorsey, following the best game of the season, scored zero points in 24 minutes. He went 0-of-4 from the field and 0-of-2 from three. Oregon still won 85-66.
Pac-12 play has been a prime example of Dorsey’s inconsistency. Through four games, he is shooting an impressive 45 percent. However, outside of the Washington game, he is only 1-of-8 from outside the arc.
In the first five games of the season, he shot 31 percent from 3-point range. In the next five games he shot 52 percent. During the last seven games he’s shot 34 percent.
Come March, if Dorsey finds himself looking at the hoop, the team will hope that it looks big to him. 
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917