A year ago to date, Oregon was left answerless during a second half comeback from the Wisconsin Badgers that the NCAA Tournament is predicated on. Wisconsin erased a 12-point halftime deficit in the 2014 third round and outscored the Ducks by 20 points in the game’s final 20 minutes in front of a Bradley Center crowd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin uniformed almost entirely in Badger red.

Joseph Young hit crucial shot after shot on the night, finishing with a total of 29 points on 10-19 shooting. But his final meaningful attempt – with Oregon trailing 80-77 with under a minute to go – to salvage a self-destruction for the Ducks missed.

A lot changed after that. A tumultuous offseason ensued. Three players were expelled from the university after an alleged sexual assault and suddenly, a team that expected to return seven scholarship players, brought back just three.

Before the season began, Oregon head coach Dana Altman was blunt about the outlook for this team.

“I’m a little concerned,” he said in November. Young and Elgin Cook were the only players returning that averaged 6.2 minutes or more of playing time in the previous season.

But, a lot came to mirror the exact feel of March 22, 2014 exactly a year later. Oregon, with its Pac-12 player (Young) and coach of the year (Altman), faced off against No. 1 seed Wisconsin in Ohama, Nebraska Sunday for the right to move onto the Sweet 16.

The similarities of the first contest stopped there, as the Ducks, behind another overwhelming performance from Young, fought off every dagger the Badgers tried to connect for 40 minutes.

From start to finish – even after Wisconsin held a 20-9 lead in the game’s first ten minutes – the Ducks responded.

Dwayne Benjamin’s three-pointer with 5:29 left in the second half tied the game at 52 for the first time since the opening tip. Wisconsin’s front court, dominated by behemoths like Frank Kaminsky (7-foot) and Sam Dekker (6-foot-9), was outrebounded for just the 11th time this season, 34-32. In his last game in an Oregon uniform, Joseph Young, despite starting 0-5 shooting, finished with 30 points.

Those efforts were not enough, though, to upset a team that was clearly far more versatile and well-rounded. Wisconsin (33-3) outscored Oregon (26-10) 20-13 in the final 5:29 and secured a spot in the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year with a 72-65 win.

“It hurts,” Altman said in his press conference after the game. “The guys found a way to stay in the ball game. We had an opportunity, but Wisconsin is a good team.”

Dekker led the Badgers with 17 points and three other Wisconsin players scored in double-figures. The seven-footer, Kaminsky, who was expected to have his way with an Oregon starting lineup that possessed just one starter above 6-foot-6, managed 16 points and seven rebounds.

Yet, Kaminsky became virtually nonexistent during stretches of the game and Wisconsin’s obvious size advantage never became a deciding factor. In addition to the Ducks’ advantage in rebounds over Wisconsin, the team scored 30 points in the paint to Wisconsin’s 24. Jordan Bell also recorded four blocks, compared to Wisconsin’s three.

As those stats indicate, Oregon did not wilt like it did in its previous contest with the Badgers. The Ducks committed just two more turnovers than Wisconsin and hit one more three-pointer.

But, Oregon attempted just seven free throws to Wisconsin’s 29. The Badgers made 21 of them and hit them during the final minutes of the game when they especially counted. In addition, a number of missed opportunities during the final minutes of the game proved to be a marginal difference in a game decided by just seven points.

Young said in November that his leadership would be the most crucial trait for this team. He said if he was doing things right, then the freshmen and newcomers would follow suit.

Oregon, who was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 before the season, then surged through the latter part of Pac-12 play and finished second. A team that had a “rebuild” connotation next to it before the season helped the program reach the NCAA tournament for a third consecutive year for the first time in its history.

Behind Young and a cast of underclassmen and junior college transfers, the Ducks fell just short of a Sweet 16 birth – a story that he nor anyone else within the program could’ve imagined being written exactly a year after its devastating loss in the same round to the same opponent.

Notes:

– Young’s 30 point effort tied him with Terrell Brandon for most points in a season by an Oregon player (745).

– Bell finished the season with a school-record 94 blocks.

– Jalil Abdul-Bassit was the only other Oregon player to score in double-figures Sunday. He scored 12 points in the final game of his collegiate career.

– This was the first time Oregon lost when shooting a higher percentage than its opponent.

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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NCAA Tournament preview:

– It’s been just one day and the NCAA Tournament is living up to its billing again. By the time the first batch of games had finished on Thursday, two three-seeds had already been sent packing. Oregon’s matchup versus nine-seed Oklahoma State Friday is expected to be part of another day packed full of high-intense basketball. Emerald senior sports reporter Josh Schlichter broke down the matchup between the Ducks and Cowboys earlier this week. 

– Nathan Ruiz of the O’Colly, the student-newspaper at Oklahoma State gave his reason why the Cowboys will fend off Joseph Young and Oregon in the first round. 

– Will Oregon’s success be entirely reliant on Young’s performance against Oklahoma State? What about the rest of the region? Is top-seeded Wisconsin too big a beast to defeat? Emerald basketball reporters break down the NCAA Tournament. 

– Before Oregon departed to Omaha, Nebraska for its date with Oklahoma State, head coach Dana Altman had one last message, according to The Oregonian.

“I want you to get really selfish,” Altman said.

– Apparently, Oregon forward Jordan Bell picked the upset in which 14-seed UAB knocked off three-seed Iowa State – a team many contended had a shot at making the Final Four. The upset shows just how unexplainable some outcomes are. For Ken Goe of The Oregonian, he thinks it serves as another example for why Oregon could end up doing what no one expects. His reasoning: It’s March, it’s mad, so why can’t Oregon make a run.

Oregon athletics:

– The Ducks collected a myriad of awards on Thursday, highlighted by Eric Jenkins being recognized as the USTFCCCA Division I Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Jenkins received the honor after winning both the 3,000 and 5,000 at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Robert Johnson and Andy Powell were awarded the men’s head coach and assistant coach of the year awards, respectively.

– One year after losing three of the best offensive players in program history, the Oregon softball team was expected to regress at the plate. Just under halfway through the season however, the Ducks are blasting their way through opponents en route to the No. 2 ranking in the nation.

– Oregon pitcher Conor Harber will make his first start this season Friday against Arizona State. Harber is 3-0 with a 2.88 ERA in five appearances.

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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**Editor’s Note: Each week during football season, we feature an essay from the opponent’s student newspaper on why Oregon will lose. With the NCAA men’s basketball tournament starting and Oregon set to face No. 9 seed Oklahoma State, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to hear an opponent’s take. This edition is from Nathan Ruiz, a sports reporter at the O’Colly.**

It’s difficult to say why Oklahoma State will defeat Oregon on Friday. This team’s been a mystery all season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this game go either way.

OSU hasn’t won a tournament game since 2009. This season, the Cowboys swept Texas and Baylor and upset Kansas for the third straight season, but they also lost to Texas Tech and TCU while going 0-3 against their Bedlam rivals, the Oklahoma Sooners.

If OSU’s going to turn its tournament and make fans forget about its up-and-down season, it has to start with Le’Bryan Nash.

Nash, a 6-foot-7 senior from Dallas, has the ability to take over a game. When he’s in a zone, there are few who can physically stop him. Nash was second in the Big 12 in scoring at 17.1 points per game while grabbing 5.6 rebounds per game. In the Cowboys’ lone game in the Big 12 tournament, Nash scored 27 points. If Nash is on, the Cowboys have great odds of downing the Ducks.

That’s not a guarantee that they’ll win, though. Despite Nash’s scoring burst, OSU fell to the Sooners 64-49. He had no help whatsoever. Early in the season, Nash combined with junior guard Phil Forte to score the Big 12’s best scoring duo. However, teams have seemed to figure out Forte recently. He’s averaging just 8.43 points over the last seven games, a stretch in which the Cowboys have gone 1-6. Forte’s struggles have led to the same for OSU. However, when Forte gets an open look, he is deadly. If OSU coach Travis Ford can find ways to get Forte open looks from beyond the arc and Forte can sink them, the Cowboys should defeat Oregon.

Of course, Joe Young has other plans. Guarding the Pac-12 Player of the Year will likely be the responsibility of Anthony Hickey, OSU’s scrappy point guard who’s been described as the team’s “pit bull.” Hickey is second in the Big 12 in steals per game — behind Forte — so he has the ability to pressure Young and get stops.

Hickey will also have to contribute offensively. The Cowboys are 11-6 when he scores double-digits, but they’re .500 when he doesn’t. He’s excelled from 3-point range recently, shooting 56.7 percent from deep over the last six games.

For OSU to win its first NCAA Tournament game since 2009, the Cowboys need Nash to dominate while getting some help from Forte or Hickey. If all three are scoring threats, then OSU will win the game, regardless of what Young and the Ducks are able to do.

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Joseph Young guaranteed it. Now, it’s a reality. Oregon will play in the 2015 NCAA Tournament this Friday with a date set against no. 9 seed Oklahoma State. After his performances in Las Vegas, Young will likely be relied on to score at a high level if the Ducks expect to have success this weekend. In addition, Kentucky is the undisputed favorite. But who else do Emerald basketball reporters Ryan Kostecka, Hayden Kim and Josh Schlichter think has a chance to win it all? They break it all down, offering insights, predictions and more for this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Joseph Young had a mix of both cold and streaky shooting in Oregon’s three games in Vegas last week. Will the Ducks’ success virtually fall entirely on Young’s shoulders against Oklahoma State?

Kostecka – It’s not fair to say that the success of a team will depend on one player. Well, Oregon isn’t just some team and Young isn’t just some player. Yes, the Ducks will need help elsewhere but if they’re going to advance in the tournament, it’s on Young. He has the ability to take over any game and beat any team. Whenever the Ducks need a basket, he’s going to have to keep coming through in the clutch. If Young plays big, real big, then the Ducks have a legit chance at the Sweet-16 and beyond.

Kim – Oregon is good enough as a team to beat Oklahoma State. Will it need Joseph Young to produce at a high level? Sure. But to say that its first round matchup in the NCAA Tournament will solely lie on Young’s shoulders is a bit of a stretch. Needless to say, the Ducks can’t afford Young to have an off night. A usual performance should be enough to be competitive and potentially win the game.

Schlichter – Oklahoma State’s defense has proven that it’s capable of shutting down the perimeter over the course of Big-12 play, so while Young will probably need to hit some big shots at the end, it’s going to be up to Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook to make the most of their opportunities on the offensive boards and in the paint.

How far does Oregon advance?

Kostecka – I think the Ducks get to the round of 32 but that’s where this magical season ends.  I think the Ducks soundly beat Oklahoma State before losing to Wisconsin. When Young played against superior defenders in Arizona, he struggled mightily and I think the same will happen against Wisconsin. The Badgers size and length will give the Ducks all sorts of trouble, both against Young and down low in the post. Oregon has no answer for Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky, Nigel Hayes or Sam Dekker.

Kim – I got Oregon beating Oklahoma State and then falling to Wisconsin in a surprisingly close game. Oregon’s been one of the hottest teams in the country heading into the tournament. However, I don’t think the Ducks will beat the player of the year, Frank Kaminsky, and Wisconsin if that ends up being a second round matchup.

Schlichter – I’m still up in the air about this game. In a vacuum, Oklahoma State would beat Oregon. When two teams have equal athletic makeup, defense trumps offense. But Joseph Young’s impact is something you can’t really calculate. Because I’ve been wrong about Oregon all year, I think Oregon squeaks by Oklahoma State, then loses by 30 to Wisconsin.

Who wins it all?

Kostecka – It’s very hard to bet against Kentucky with how talented it is on offense and defense. On the other hand, Arizona just feels like a special team to me. T.J. McConnell is the best player no one outside the west coast has heard of. Arizona matches up extremely well with Kentucky and has the bench to support them. I think Arizona gets by Kentucky in the Final Four en route to the national championship.

Kim – I got either Kentucky or Arizona winning it all. The Wildcats are certainly the favorite for good reason and until they lose, I have little reason to doubt their title hopes. If it’s not John Calipari cutting down the net after the final buzzer, my gut tells me Sean Miller and the Wildcats have enough to overcome their recent postseason struggles.

Schlichter – Hopefully I wasn’t the only one that watched Kentucky play this weekend. Arizona has the size and athleticism in its starting lineup to play with the undefeated Wildcats, but Kentucky gets production from more than four players. Tarczewski is going to have to score more than eight points against Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns, while Gabe York and Elliott Pitts are going to have to guard Tyler Ulis and a Harrison twin at some point. Arizona might be the only team in the field capable of beating Kentucky, but John Calipari’s squad is too deep, too big and too athletic. Big Blue Nation should march through the tourney without too much of a struggle.

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Theo Howard didn’t waste any time following his official visit to Oregon this weekend. The four-star wide receiver, according to Rivals, announced his commitment to the University of Oregon on Sunday via his Twitter account.

Howard chose the Ducks over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, Wisconsin and a laundry list full of others.

Howard also becomes Oregon’s fifth commit in its 2016 class. The 5-foot-11 170-pound wideout is coming off a junior season at Westlake High School (California) in which he caught 52 passes for 869 yards and seven touchdowns.

Oregon’s class of 2016 currently ranks 16th in the country by 247 Sports.  

 Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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Oregon baseball’s  offensive woes have become constant this week. The day after totaling just six hits in a decisive 9-3 loss to Cal in its Pac-12 opener, the a virtually identical script was written Saturday. Oregon recorded just five hits and combined that with three errors, giving way for Cal to take a 6-2 win.

The game was secured in the bottom of the sixth inning, after an Oregon error, passed ball and wild pitch helped open up the scoring for Cal. The Golden Bears jumped on those opportunities and by the end of the inning were staring at a 6-1 lead.

David Peterson (2-1)  fell victim to the errors. He lasted 5.2 innings, yielding five runs on nine hits. Yet, only two of the runs were earned.

As for Oregon offensively, Mark Karaviotis started the scoring in the top of the second with an RBI double. His at-bat thereafter in the fourth is one he likely wishes he could trade, though. With the bases loaded and just one out, Karaviotis grounded into an inning ending double play.

Outside of a Brandon Cuddy single that scored Phil St. Craig Louis in the ninth, Oregon never posed much of a threat to score again.

The Ducks will send Jack Karraker to the mound Sunday to face Cal’s Matt Ladrech. With the win Saturday, Cal secured a season-win over Oregon for the second straight season.

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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Dior Mathis and Tony Washington said they were shocked. It was likely the exact elicited response from every member of the 2014 Oregon football team.

The reason: On Feb. 6 when the NFL announced the full list of players invited to the Scouting Combine, defensive back Erick Dargan, Oregon’s leading tackler (95) and team-voted Most Valuable Player on defense, wasn’t on it.

Among the 22 safeties invited to the event, Dargan, who led the Pac-12 in interceptions with seven, seemed to slip past NFL teams’ radar.

Seven former Oregon players received their bids and performed in Indianapolis from Feb. 17 to Feb. 23. The same seven returned to the Moshofsky Center in Eugene on Thursday for Oregon’s Pro Day. This time, Dargan joined them.

Listed at 5-foot-11, 217 pounds, the Pittsburgh, California native performed in virtually every drill. He recorded 17 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, while also posting a 4.74 in the 40-yard dash.

“For me, I’m happy with it,” Dargan, who graded himself with a “B” for the day, said. “I could’ve ran a lot better, but other than that I felt like I did pretty good.”

Currently projected to be drafted in the sixth-round by CBS Sports, Dargan, thanks in large part to the draw that his former teammate Marcus Mariota brings with him, performed in font of every NFL team Thursday.

His measurables do not stack up with the top defensive back prospects in this year’s class and his natural athleticism appears to be a weakness.

“(He) lacks the make-up speed to recover after a receiver gains a step, struggling to flip his hips and transition to hold up in tight man coverage,” Dane Brugler of nfldraftscout.com writes on his player profile. 

But it was obvious from the way Dargan spoke after his day was finished that his contributions on the field on Saturdays should carry more weight.

“I feel like I’m one of the best safeties out there,” Dargan, who also received second-team Pac-12 honors in 2014, said. “My film speaks for itself and just knowing myself I don’t think anyone can attack the ball better than me.”

Now, his plan is to continue the same regimen he’s kept up since Oregon last played. He’ll continue working out and hopes to compete when the opportunity presents itself.

“I know he’ going to get  a shot,” Washington, who recorded 20 reps in the bench press and 7.2 in the three-cone drill, said. “That dude can play football.”

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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The Pac-12 Tournament starts today and Oregon is currently sitting comfortable as the No. 2 seed. The Ducks, who were predicted to finish eighth in the conference before the season began, are scheduled to play the winner of the Colorado, Oregon State game Thursday. With that said, Emerald basketball reporters Hayden Kim, Ryan Kostecka and Josh Schlicter offer their insights and predictions about Oregon’s postseason run.

Oregon is a No. 2 seed heading into the Pac-12 tournament and has a first round bye. How surprising is this considering they were projected to finish eighth by the media prior to starting the season?

Kim – I’m not completely surprised to see Oregon in position to make the NCAA Tournament. I am however, shocked to see them as a No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament and projected as high as a seven seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. In retrospect, there is little doubt in my mind that this is Dana Altman’s greatest performance as a coach since arriving to Oregon in 2010. Apparently the conference agreed with me with Altman winning Pac-12 Coach of the Year.

Kostecka — I’ll be honest and say I’m completely shocked. Realistically, Oregon had two players returning. Joseph Young was a “shoot-first” guard and Elgin Cook was raw. That combination does not lead to wins. Behind the transformations of those two players and improvement from a rag-tag group of underclassmen, the Ducks have excelled this season.

Schlichter – I’ve had to eat some crow after calling the Ducks out for their less-than-impressive start to the season. Outside of the Utah game, Oregon hasn’t really had an “ah-ha!” moment this season– the group has just consistently gotten better as the year has gone on. Give credit to Dana Altman. He knows a thing or two about putting a team together with spit and scotch tape.

What will it take for Oregon to win the conference tournament? Who/what will be their keys to success?

Kim – It’s simple: Joseph Young needs to be at his very best and the trio of Elgin Cook, Dwayne Benjamin and Dillon Brooks are going to have to play their supporting roles to a T. If the Ducks can manage to do so, there is no reason why they can’t take home the hardware. Even if they face off against Arizona, which is undoubtedly their biggest competition, the Ducks will have as good a chance as anyone to compete for this year’s conference title.

Kostecka — For how good the Ducks have been over the last month, it’s very hard to picture a scenario where they can challenge and defeat No. 1 Arizona. The Wildcats are playing at a different level compared to everyone else. Oregon can reach the championship game by having one other scorer step up to aid Young and Cook, but it’s a near impossible task to take out the Wildcats. I’ve been wrong before, though.

Schlichter – The three newcomers: Dillon Brooks, Jordan Bell and Dwayne Benjamin. Joseph Young won’t have any problem getting his points, especially after getting a major confidence boost from the Pac-12 Player of the Year award announcement, so it will be up to Brooks and Benjamin to fill in on the scoreboard. Bell then must continue to make his presence felt in the paint.

Looking ahead: Can Oregon potentially make a run — like the past two seasons — in March, specifically the NCAA tournament pending their final seeding?

Kim – It all depends on their final seeding in the NCAA tournament. If Oregon enters as the eight or nine seed, there is little to no chance that it can upset a team like Kentucky in the Round-of-32. Having said that, I do believe they can exit the season with a first round win against a team like Dayton. Just don’t see the Ducks going much farther than that.

Kostecka — Seeding, momentum and health are everything. If the Ducks can emerge from the Pac-12 tournament healthy after playing Arizona very tough in the championship game, they have Sweet-16 potential written all over them. An early loss in the Pac-12 tournament with no third scorer stepping up could prove disastrous and get the Ducks eliminated in their first game of the NCAA tournament.

Schlichter – It’s very hard not to drink the Kool-Aid at this point; Oregon’s got everything on its side from momentum to postseason accolades, but the team just doesn’t have the talent to hang with top-tier teams, as we’ve seen this season when the Ducks faced Arizona. I’d pick the Ducks to advance to the Round-of-32, but that’s as far as they’ll get.

Follow Ryan Kostecka on Twitter @Ryan_Kostecka

Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim

Follow Josh Schlichter on Twitter @JoshSchlichter

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It was just 8:14 minutes into the game and Oregon women’s lacrosse already built an insurmountable lead.

Olivia Pyne netted the first two goals. Holly Johnson continued the scoring with a team-leading 14th goal on the season, and Carly O’Connell scored off a free position shot to give the Ducks a 4-goal advantage that carried into an 8-6 win over George Washington at Pape Field.

However, the game, as the final score indicates, did not turn into a blowout. The Colonials’ Rachel Mia scored three consecutive goals in the final 12:21 of the first half to bring the score to 4-3.

Just as the first half began though, Oregon grabbed the momentum in the second right from the start. Hayley Milner found the back of the net 39 seconds into the half and the Ducks reeled together three unanswered goals to bring the lead back to four.

Yet, George Washington wasn’t quite finished. Bailey Forcier netted back-to-back goals and suddenly the lead was just two.

But, the Ducks defense – who had first-team All-MPSF defender Ali Scharkey back in the lineup – then began to display control. The team forced six turnovers in the second half, two of which came in the last five minutes of regulation.

“I was happy with the overall performance we had on both offense and defense,” head coach Jen Beck said. “I was also pleased with how we kept our composure through the momentum shifts in the game and kept the two-goal lead at the end. ”

Oregon shot .500 as a team, scoring eight goals on 16 shots on target.

Oregon’s next matchup will be against Robert Morris on Friday at Pape Field.

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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– Oregon men’s basketball is on the verge of ending the regular season on a five-game winning streak. The Ducks will face Oregon State tonight at 8 p.m. in Corvallis, Ore. and have already secured themselves a bye in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament. Picked to finished eighth in the preseason poll, the Ducks could become the two-seed with a win and a Utah loss, or two Utah losses.

– Oregon women’s basketball is coming off what Kelly Graves called a “signature win” on Sunday over then No. 19 Stanford. The Ducks are hoping to forward that momentum into the Pac-12 Tournament this Thursday, and Jillian Alleyne expects to be a powerful force. 

– Alleyne was one of 15 players selected to the Pac-12 all-conference team on Tuesday. She was also named to the all-defensive team. Alleyne is averaging 15.2 rebounds per game, best in the Pac-12 and second nationally. She ranks third in the conference in scoring (18.4 points per game).

– Oregon will send a record-breaking 25 track and field athletes to Fayetville, Arkansas for the NCAA Championships, March 13-14. A year ago, both the men and women’s teams won the team titles. The Oregon women will be looking to win a record sixth-straight NCAA crown.

– Another former Duck is reconvening with former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly in the NFL. Kiko Alonso – a linebacker on the Ducks from 2008 to 2012– will be heading to Philadelphia. On Tuesday, it was announced that the Eagles will send Leasean Mccoy to Buffalo for the former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The trade cannot be made official until the new league year begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

– Oregon men’s golf is prepared to compete in the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate this weekend. The Ducks are the highest-ranked team (No. 17) in the field.

– Former Oregon running back Ayele Forde is starring in his own television show on Duck TV.  The show, titled “The Box,” explores the potential of the imagination and coincidence.

For Forde, a digital arts major, the concept came from people always telling him “you gotta think outside the box.” He thought, “what’s the thinking inside the box, nobody has ever thought about that.”

Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JustinFWise

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