Written by Ryan Musich
Kansas City, MO- From cloudy Kansas City, Missouri, a trip to the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona would be on the line. As the #1 seed Kansas Jayhawks squared off against the #3 seed Oregon Ducks. The winner earning a matchup against the winner of the South Regional (Kentucky or North Carolina). Many would consider this a home game for the Jayhawks, as KU is competing at an Arena located about 35 miles from Kansas University. As KU guard Frank Mason III stated after KU’s blowout win over Purdue, it’s like KU is playing in their backyard. Oregon came in relying on their big three, guard Tyler Dorsey and forwards Dillon Brooks and Jordan Bell. KU would rely on a big three of their own, guards Frank Mason III, Devonta Graham, and forward/guard Josh Jackson.
The game started with a block by Oregon’s Jordan Bell on a layup attempt from KU’s Josh Jackson, which led to a Payton Pritchard 3 on the other end. It seemed that Kansas came out flat as they missed their first 3 attempts and had a couple turnovers to boot. KU’s star forward Josh Jackson left the game in foul trouble with 17:23 to go in the first half. KU’s defense would be stellar to start, as KU would hold Oregon to 1-6 from the field to start the game. But Oregon’s defense was not to be outdone. They held the Jayhawks to only 1-5 from the field to start. After a brief media timeout, the Ducks would catch fire. Stars Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey would hit back to back threes for the Ducks to extend their lead to 7. Kansas would eventually get going though, as Landen Lucas Lucas would get a rim rattling slam dunk inside, and then on the break Legerald Vick would find Svi Mykhailiuk for a three that would cut Oregon’s lead down to 2 at 12-10. Though both teams started out slow, both teams would end up heating up. At the 6-minute mark of the first half, the Ducks were shooting 55% from the field, and 57% beyond the arc. KU had raised their field goal percentage to 41% but were struggling from behind the line. Only shooting 33%. After Jordan Bell and Tyler Dorsey subbed back in for Oregon, the Ducks started to heat up. Hitting 9 of 11 shots within a 3-minute span.
Though Oregon seemed like they couldn’t be stopped, Kansas was also on a mini run of their own, going through a period where the Jayhawks hit 5-7 shots. The Ducks would finish the half on an 8-0 run capped off by a Tyler Dorsey buzzer beating three. The final score of the first half would be 44-33 Oregon on top. Kansas’s main source of offense through the first half would be guard Frank Mason III. Mason would end up with 17 points. Mason’s side kicks Josh Jackson and Devonta Graham would be held to a quiet combined 0-2 from the field. Oregon’s stars Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey went a combined 9-16 from the field. Kansas would be hoping for a better 2nd half from Josh Jackson and Devonta Graham.
The second half started out great for Kansas as they would make it tough on Oregon’s offense to score. Kansas would open the scoring in the 2nd half when Mykhailiuk would knock down a 3. Dillon Brooks finally broke the seal for Oregon as he would knock down a 3 a possession later. Throughout ¾ of the game though, it seemed that Oregon’s height and length would be too much for KU’s defense. Kansas would be down by 15 at the 16-minute mark with absolutely zero momentum. It had seemed Oregon had silenced the crowd and had everything going their way. Bill Self would have to call a timeout with 15:59 left because his Jayhawks offense had just gone cold. It seemed that there would be a lid on the basket, as the Jayhawks would go 2-10 from the field, missing quite a few shots around the rim. Oregon would continue to hit shot after shot, as Dorsey and Brooks would remain a huge factor in the 2nd half for the Ducks. As the clock ticked, you could see Kansas start to turn up the effort on both ends, but it seemed the Ducks had an answer to everything KU did offensively. Oregon would start to scale back their offensive onslaught as the clock was on their side, and they would be up 11. Oregon would hit some clutch shot down the stretch as Oregon would pull the upset over #1 Kansas and move on to the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona!
As I mentioned, Oregon will go on and face the winner of Kentucky and North Carolina. Oregon has been some kind of story in this tournament and have a real legitimate chance to make it to the national championship game. To come into Kansas’s backyard and hold a explosive Jayhawk offense to 35% shooting shows that you belong. My congrats goes out to Oregon. Have a great night everybody! Signing off from beautiful Kansas City, Missouri.
The game started with a block by Oregon’s Jordan Bell on a layup attempt from KU’s Josh Jackson, which led to a Payton Pritchard 3 on the other end. It seemed that Kansas came out flat as they missed their first 3 attempts and had a couple turnovers to boot. KU’s star forward Josh Jackson left the game in foul trouble with 17:23 to go in the first half. KU’s defense would be stellar to start, as KU would hold Oregon to 1-6 from the field to start the game. But Oregon’s defense was not to be outdone. They held the Jayhawks to only 1-5 from the field to start. After a brief media timeout, the Ducks would catch fire. Stars Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey would hit back to back threes for the Ducks to extend their lead to 7. Kansas would eventually get going though, as Landen Lucas Lucas would get a rim rattling slam dunk inside, and then on the break Legerald Vick would find Svi Mykhailiuk for a three that would cut Oregon’s lead down to 2 at 12-10. Though both teams started out slow, both teams would end up heating up. At the 6-minute mark of the first half, the Ducks were shooting 55% from the field, and 57% beyond the arc. KU had raised their field goal percentage to 41% but were struggling from behind the line. Only shooting 33%. After Jordan Bell and Tyler Dorsey subbed back in for Oregon, the Ducks started to heat up. Hitting 9 of 11 shots within a 3-minute span.
Though Oregon seemed like they couldn’t be stopped, Kansas was also on a mini run of their own, going through a period where the Jayhawks hit 5-7 shots. The Ducks would finish the half on an 8-0 run capped off by a Tyler Dorsey buzzer beating three. The final score of the first half would be 44-33 Oregon on top. Kansas’s main source of offense through the first half would be guard Frank Mason III. Mason would end up with 17 points. Mason’s side kicks Josh Jackson and Devonta Graham would be held to a quiet combined 0-2 from the field. Oregon’s stars Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey went a combined 9-16 from the field. Kansas would be hoping for a better 2nd half from Josh Jackson and Devonta Graham.
The second half started out great for Kansas as they would make it tough on Oregon’s offense to score. Kansas would open the scoring in the 2nd half when Mykhailiuk would knock down a 3. Dillon Brooks finally broke the seal for Oregon as he would knock down a 3 a possession later. Throughout ¾ of the game though, it seemed that Oregon’s height and length would be too much for KU’s defense. Kansas would be down by 15 at the 16-minute mark with absolutely zero momentum. It had seemed Oregon had silenced the crowd and had everything going their way. Bill Self would have to call a timeout with 15:59 left because his Jayhawks offense had just gone cold. It seemed that there would be a lid on the basket, as the Jayhawks would go 2-10 from the field, missing quite a few shots around the rim. Oregon would continue to hit shot after shot, as Dorsey and Brooks would remain a huge factor in the 2nd half for the Ducks. As the clock ticked, you could see Kansas start to turn up the effort on both ends, but it seemed the Ducks had an answer to everything KU did offensively. Oregon would start to scale back their offensive onslaught as the clock was on their side, and they would be up 11. Oregon would hit some clutch shot down the stretch as Oregon would pull the upset over #1 Kansas and move on to the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona!
As I mentioned, Oregon will go on and face the winner of Kentucky and North Carolina. Oregon has been some kind of story in this tournament and have a real legitimate chance to make it to the national championship game. To come into Kansas’s backyard and hold a explosive Jayhawk offense to 35% shooting shows that you belong. My congrats goes out to Oregon. Have a great night everybody! Signing off from beautiful Kansas City, Missouri.