Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
It may sound like a broken record and probably has no significance anymore, but the Oregon Ducks should not have been a No. 12 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Oregon was ranked in the top 25 of both major polls at the start of the NCAA Tournament.
The Ducks were ranked 25th in the AP and 24th in the Coaches at the start of the NCAA Tournament. Rankings may not be everything, but a team that is ranked the week of the tourney should not be given a No. 12 seed. The Arizona Wildcats were ranked as high as No. 20 and they received a No. 5 seed. The UCLA Bruins were ranked as high as No. 24 and they managed a No. 6 seed in the Big Dance. Colorado wasn’t even ranked and it still earned a No. 10 seed.
I just don’t understand where the separation in seeding took place? Oregon had the most wins at 28 in the Pac-12 Conference. The Ducks beat four ranked teams on the year (at the time).
They showed their worth in the NCAA Tournament by making it to the Sweet 16, but it could have been much better.
Is there something that I am missing about this team? The losses against Utep and Utah did not look that great, but both teams weren’t the worst in college basketball by any means.
The tournament is over and the Louisville Cardinals were the best team–they actually beat Oregon–so it really does not matter anymore. Looking back, though, Oregon got gypped big time and I still do not understand why.
Whether the case, Oregon still did great in the dance and the team had a very good year.
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