Oregon
Oregon men’s basketball preparing for ‘very difficult road’ at Pac-12 tournament
Oregon and Washington State opened convention play towards one another and one will play what’s going to possible be its last recreation of the season towards a convention opponent towards the opposite.
The No. 4 seed Geese will face the No. 5 seed Cougars in a Pac-12 event quarterfinal Thursday (2:30 p.m., Pac-12 Community) at T-Cell Enviornment.
Each want wins to maintain their respective postseason hopes alive, UO for a doable bid to the NCAA Event and WSU to earn a spot within the NIT. In fact, the winner will likely be two wins away from successful the convention event and securing an computerized bid to the Large Dance.
“We all know it’s a really troublesome street,” Oregon coach Dana Altman mentioned. “Washington State’s taking part in actually good. (No. 1 seed) UCLA clearly if we’re lucky sufficient to beat (WSU) within the quarterfinals. It’s going to be a troublesome street. We’ve obtained some actually good groups within the league once more this 12 months, I believe a pair which are underrated so far as nationwide notion is anxious.”
Oregon (18-13) gained the primary assembly of the season on Dec. 1 in Eugene and Washington State took the second on Feb. 19 in Pullman. The Geese gained the boards in each conferences however allowed WSU to shoot over 58% from the sphere and from three within the second half final month.
The Cougars (17-15) cruised previous Cal throughout a primary spherical recreation on Wednesday however know Thursday will likely be a harder check.
“They’re massive; one of many largest groups within the nation,” Washington State coach Kyle Smith mentioned. “They’re very athletic and their guards are actually good. They’re arduous to cease. Actually good. We’ll should, we’ll watch our final recreation the place we did a superb job at residence — and we performed fairly nicely at their place, a little bit brief handed, they usually obtained a little bit momentum in that second half and form of obtained away from us. I believe we’re a unique group now than then.
“Hopefully we will get rested, get sufficient relaxation. We’ll want our depth, we’ll want our bench to step up once more as a result of they run about eight or 9 guys at you and large our bodies and we’ll have to actually battle them on the glass and in every single place.”
The Geese obtained the good thing about a first-round bye however will nonetheless want three wins in three days to make sure a spot within the NCAA Event.
“There isn’t a Friday if you happen to don’t play nicely Thursday,” Altman mentioned. “You lay all of it on the market, you’ll discover the power to play. You expend no matter you’ve obtained to expend to attempt to win a recreation as greatest you may on Thursday and then you definitely’ll discover sufficient power to play Friday and if you happen to’re lucky to play Saturday, you’ll discover sufficient power to play there.”
— James Crepea reported from Las Vegas