Never Doubt Dana Altman

On February 26th I wrote a blog that Oregon should fire Dana Altman, this came after a horrible loss against Cal. Since that post Dana and the Ducks went 5-2 including winning 3 straight to win the Pac-12 tournament. This was easily the most unexpected championship run under Dana Altman. In 2019 when Oregon won the Pac-12, Payton Pritchard was still on the team and had some buckets on the team. Oregon in their glory days where one of the best shooting teams. Since losing Pritchard and Chris Duarte this team has been horrendous at shooting. The Ducks couldn't make a three for their lives even in the Pac-12 Tournament but they overcame that.

Against Arizona Dana Altman coached his best game after coming back against one of the top teams in the country. They shot better from the three-point line but it still wasn't great. In the Pac-12 championship the team ran through big man N'Faly Dante who went 12/12 dominating the paint all game. Colorado center Eddie Lampkin Jr. who is listed as 265 on ESPN which is generous was getting destroyed by Dante all night. The key to this Duck team in the tourney this year will be the play of N'Faly Dante. Dante is a walmart Joel Embiid who can't shoot from three. The Ducks still chuck up shots like crazy, anything can happen in March so maybe all of a sudden they become prime splash brothers. The real question will be, will this 1970s offense work? This team can 100% win some games in the tourney, the Ducks will be picked in a lot of brackets as an upset but once the Ducks face a real top 25 team it could be the end of the road, but then again Dana Altman is a different bread in March so anything is possible. Usually when the Ducks miraculously win the Pac-12 they make the Sweet 16 and then fall short. Just being in the tournament is a win but now that the Ducks are in it, I want them to win the whole thing and if they don't I will complain.

I'm fully back in on Dana Altman but I can't wait to yell at his coaching mistakes in the tourney. THE DUCKS ARE DANCING