The Oregon men’s basketball team released their 2012-13 schedule Tuesday, headlined by an early nonconference schedule filled with NCAA Tournament-caliber teams set to challenge the Ducks in Dana Altman’s third year as head coach.
The season will begin with exhibition matches against Concordia and Southwestern Oklahoma State at Matt Knight Arena, before the Ducks play in the Global Sports Classic. In last year’s Global Sports Hoops Showcase, Oregon swept its three games, culminating in a home win over Stephen F. Austin State University. But this year Oregon’s competition will be considerably stiffer, with potential matches against Vanderbilt, UNLV, Cincinnati and Iowa State. Those four opponents alone combined for four wins in last year’s NCAA Tournament, with Cincinnati going the furthest before losing in the Sweet Sixteen.
Oregon’s season opener this year is against Northern Arizona on Nov. 10 at Matt Knight Arena, and the Ducks’ regular season will end with a two-game road trip against Colorado and Utah. Colorado was the lone Pac-12 representative at last year’s Tournament, upsetting UNLV before losing to Baylor in the second round.
Under Altman, the Ducks have seen steady improvement, winning the College Basketball Invitational in his first year and making a strong run in last year’s National Invitiational Tournament before a season-ending loss to Washington.