HDuck

AND, across town the Oregon softball team did a 9-1 run-rule game on Saturday evening against Michigan. Both Michigan teams being in Eugene made me wonder if there was a combined charter flight? But softball series ended Saturday night, and baseball still has a game on Sunday.

“We didn’t show up and do our jobs,” Close remarked at the postgame press conference. It was raw and honest. “Credit to UConn. They were the aggressors. They played more purposefully.” Cory said, just looking down at the stat paper. “They played more connected. They were tougher than us tonight. They handed it to us.” “We got exposed. We got out-touched. We got our but-s beat today,” Close added. “And it stings right now. And may the pain of that regret and this loss … if handled well, buy us a ticket to be better the next time, hopefully we get this opportunity.” That game plan worked to perfection. Geno Auriemma, UConn’s legendary coach, unleashed a masterclass in exploiting UCLA’s reliance on Betts. The Huskies’ 2-3 zone defense swarmed her in the post, forcing her to chase the ball outside her comfort zone. Meanwhile, their transition game—fueled by Paige Bueckers’ 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals—kept Betts sprinting back, sapping her energy. In a sense, it reminded me of the first half of the Rose Bowl.

The fractional share applies only to media contract revenue, and only to UW and UO. It also has a calendar end date, with annual escalation until that date in 2030. The West Coast Four, all four, receive Full shares of NCAA Basketball Tournament shares, and College Football Playoff shares, as well as from some other more negligible sources. In addition, the conference allows expense allocations from the conference for certain activities. And, keep in mind the CFP payouts for each member of the SEC and B1G will go up by a sizable chunk in 2026 in comparison to the Big12, ACC, or Group of 6. The partial/fractional share issue is a misrepresentation when fans make the assumption it applies to all annual revenue from the B1G. It does not. More details here: Washington’s budget forecast provides clues to Big Ten revenue distributions as an 18-team conference SPORTS360AZ.COM The West Coast quartet will join the Big Ten in 44 days. Thanks to a public presentation by one member of the group, we can sketch the financial benefits accompanying the move. Washington...

PK Park on Friday will have $2 hotdogs, $2 popcorn and $2 sodas. On Wednesday, when the Ducks visit U Portland, the Sherwood, Oregon, Umlandt brothers will be the starting pitchers for both Oregon and UP respectively.

Regardless, the Ducks need to be monitoring the transfer portal for a guy(s) who can play center. If Bittle leaves, we are beyond thin at the position. And, as the Big Ten season showed, you need some inside bangers. Plus, Bittle led the team in scoring average. Which is another thing the staff has to figure out - where is scoring going to come from next season? A team loaded with guards and small forwards is going to be a problem.

Relative to units, keep in mind UW and UO get full shares. Sometimes the insistent chatter that both are receiving half shares when "the traitors left the Pac" loses the significance that the half shares until 2030 apply only to the media portion of revenue. Half shares do not apply to Basketball Tournament or Football Playoff shares, or to some other conference revenue. (And, the half shares of media revenue have an annual escalator leading up to 2030) On the other hand, Oregon St and WSU will continue to receive ALL the tournament shares for the former members of the Pac12 conference because they still declare there is a Pac12 conference. They will never consider another conference name or formal organization until all of those legacy shares from the Tournament are paid out. It is a rolling six-year distribution earned by former members that the NCAA will keep paying through 2028. This is also why the Pac will get to 8 full-sports members before 2026. If they don't, OSU and WSU risk losing those Tournament payouts and they would revert to the individual former conference members. There has to be a Pac conference from 2026-28 to receive the shares. The women's tournament did not have that type of distribution so there is no legacy shares from the women's tournament. HOWEVER, the NCAA is actively discussing "retroactive shares" which would mean OSU & WSU would receive those also. more details here in this column from April 2024: 'Pac-2' members Washington St, Oregon St cashing in from NCAA Tournament WWW.FOX13SEATTLE.COM Thanks to four men’s teams from the Pac-12 Conference making the NCAA Tournament — and all winning at least one game — Washington State and Oregon State have added another chunk...

Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle announced on Monday that he is declaring for the NBA Draft, but he is also maintaining his college eligibility, leaving the door open for a return to Oregon. In his announcement, Bittle also said that he will only play for Ducks coach Dana Altman in college, shutting down any chance of entering the transfer portal. Oregon Ducks' Nate Bittle Declares For NBA Draft, Maintains NCAA Eligibility WWW.SI.COM Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle announced on Monday that he is declaring for the NBA Draft, but he is also maintaining his college... Bittle continued. "Today, I am declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility." Bittle missed a majority of the 2023-24 season with a wrist injury as well as an unspecified illness, and he received a waiver for an extra season of eligibility from the NCAA. As a result, Bittle can declare for the NBA Draft, but he does have the option to return to Oregon. This move gives Bittle a chance to compete at the NBA Combine and receive some feedback on his draft grade. Should Bittle remain declared for the NBA Draft, he will lose ultimately lose his NCAA eligibility. The NCAA's deadline for a decision is May 28. Oregon guard Jadrian Tracey received an extra year of eligibility like Bittle, and Tracey announced he will be playing one more season with the Ducks.

overall seeds of the 8 teams that made the Quarterfinals in 3 sports this season: • CFP: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 • MBB Tourney: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 • WBB Tourney: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

..."Comparing the 2007 and 2025 Elite Eights, the one 18 years ago did have better team records entering the tournament. In 2007, the Elite Eight teams combined for a 226-39 record when the bracket was unveiled. This year, the teams were 223-45. But looking at the metrics, it's clear this year's crop is in a class of its own. In 2007, the top six teams in KenPom made it, but there was the outlier in Oregon, which was No. 18. By definition, not the strongest team to make it. Meanwhile, all of the remaining teams this season are ranked in the top nine of KenPom. " I will add that the Committee had Texas Tech this year as the No. 9 overall seed - which is the top 3 seed. I believe in 2007 the Ducks, though also a 3-seed, were No. 11 or 12 overall. So, this year, overall seeds 1-7 and 9 make this the top seeded Elite 8 ever. I haven't watched a full-game yet. But, in the snippets I've watched, this field looks as talented as a group of 8 that I can remember.

Only one other time since the Tournament has been seeded was there an Elite 8 field of 4-3-1: four 1's, three 2's, one 3' seed That was the "highest ranked Elite 8 ever" at that time. It was 2007 and Oregon was the 3 seed. Can't remember much about 2007 except eventual winner Florida beat Oregon. But, my impression is that the athleticism of this 2024 Elite 8 is better than any I remember.

Two from the West... Current standings: 10-2, 17-9 – Iowa 8-2, 20-5 – Oregon 8-2, 20-5 - UCLA

www.abc4.com/news/southern-utah/cameron-zink-hard-crash-red-bull-rampage/ That links to a 2024 column for the event shown in the first message from 2022. I believe this event was the genesis for the phrase "more guts than brains" ?

Not a spring "game" per se.... Gundy Suggests Home-and-Home Bedlam Scrimmages in the Spring PISTOLSFIRINGBLOG.COM Bedlam in the spring.

Jan. 15, 2025 The NCAA announced some big changes for men’s college basketball scheduling beginning with the 2025-26 season. The Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee approved a proposal that allows up to two preseason exhibition games against any school, including Division I opponents. The decision was revealed Wednesday in a press release. Exhibition games were previously approved through a waiver process with all revenue going to charity. Schools will now be able to choose how they allocate the money generated from exhibition games. In another rule change, preseason practice scrimmages — often labeled “secret scrimmages” in the college basketball world — no longer have to be conducted in private without official scoring. In Fall 2024 I believe the Ducks “lost” to Nevada and “beat” Utah State in secret scrimmages. Here's a list of other B1G scrimmages: https://www.offtackleempire.com/2024/11/3/24286524/2024-25-big-ten-mens-basketball-preview-schedule-exhibitions-charity-games-secret-scrimmages-results The scrimmages often have different rules by agreement between coaches. It appears what Coach Prime is asking for is a parallel to basketball's pre-season exhibition rule. Though in the past, basketball exhibition games had to be against non-Div I opponents unless a waiver for a charity game vs Div 1 was granted. I doubt Coach Prime is interested in a "secret scrimmage." And, obviously he wants it in the Spring rather than during Fall practice.

"I'd rather use that game slot for maintaining recruiting pipelines..." Opponents from Arizona, Utah, Texas, Colorado.... I really don't understand the infatuation with maintaining an annual game with Oregon State for essentially nostalgia. Perhaps rotate every 5th and 6th year, and in the four "off years" schedule Cal, Stanford, ASU, UA, Utah, etc. I wouldn't mind home-and-home with OSU but only if it were on a less frequent basis. If the B1G keeps 9 games, then also enters a scheduling partnership with the SEC for a 10th game, I can't imagine restricting the program to an annual game with OSU for the 11th game when thoughts should be toward recruiting exposure.

Interesting post-game reflections from Coach Altman: What Oregon’s Dana Altman, Jackson Shelstad, Nate Bittle said after losing to Arizona in NCAA Tournament WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM See what the Ducks said after their season-ending loss

2024 season record against Sweet 16 teams from Big Ten: W - Maryland L - Purdue L - Michigan Lx2 - Michigan State against former Pac 12 teams in Sweet 16: L - Arizona against non-Pac in Sweet 16: W - Alabama

Not every Pac basketball game was against Arizona or UCLA. I like the Big Ten schedule in both sports.

Free throws: Ariz: 17 of 24 Ore: 12 of 22 That's 5 points in a 4 point game. Field goals: Ore: 32 of 68, with 7 of 20 on 3's Ariz: 30 of 66, with 10 of 20 on 3's Points: Ore: 25x2, 7x3, 12 Ariz: 20x2, 10x3, 17

Losing Peyton Scott in third quarter due to knee injury... Duke forward Toby Fournier wasn't playing because of an illness. Through her first 33 games this season, the 6-foot-2 freshman led the team in scoring (13.4 PPG). She was also voted 2024-25 ACC Rookie of the Year.

So far, 12 seeds are 2-1 vs 5's. Liberty vs Oregon will be the fourth matchup. 69-67 McNeese vs Clemson 78-70 Colorado St vs Memphis 65-68 San Diego vs Michigan

The Huskies women's basketball team lost their play-in game to Columbia yesterday. It is the first ever win by Columbia in the NCAA Tournament. UW led by 13 in the third quarter but were outscored 42-26 in the second half. Ivy League Columbia.

From a solely W-L standpoint in earliest seasons, it is a better trend line than Dabo Swinney and Kirby Smart. Though NIL and Portal have added complexity.

Despite the height disadvantage, he led 13 victories in 2024...but it was an issue in a couple games

Another way of saying it I guess is what I felt was the "mistake." I felt the Ducks staff spent too much time looking at October game tape, and not enough time evaluating and preparing for what the Buckeyes had shown in other games both before and after October. Not to say Chip wouldn't have had a few new wrinkles like all staffs do, but my impression was the Ducks were under-prepared for potential changes.