All Activity

Congrats to the B1G getting so many teams to the Sweet 16. This is BY FAR the best conference showing in the big dance since...would you believe last century. Typically with an initial draw of 7-9 teams, the B1G gets an average of about 2-3 teams in the Sweet Sixteen in a good year and the numbers making the elite 8 were sparce indeed. I saw a large number of fundamentally sound B1G teams this week and think it very likely that one of them (probably Michigan) will break the conference's 25-year drought on winning it all. They are far from the most athletic teams, but the kind that would make John Wooden proud, playing team-oriented approaches rather than the all-too-often hero ball we see so much of today.

Yes, I wrote that.

Looks like 6 - B1G 4 - SEC 3 - Big12 2 - BigEast 1 - ACC 16 Seeds left, with 6 B1G 1- 3 (Michigan) 2- 4 (Purdue) 3- 2 (MSU, ILL) 4- 3 (Neb) 5- 1 6- 1 9- 1 (Iowa) 11- 1

UCLA battled, but UConn was just too tough. Especially without the Bruins' top scorer and rebounder, Biladeau, not able to go. Six B1G teams in the Sweet 16 is a B1G conference record.

Let me repeat for emphasis. The Ducks had loaded the bases in the 11th. They get one run across, they win. They didn't.

It's not just Jon cheerleading for the B1G....it also means money. Money to Oregon and UW from their share of Tournament Units. A conference earns one unit for every game its teams plays, now including the semifinals and championship game. For 2026, the unit is $2.15 million, which is paid out in six equal installments over six years. Those 1/6ths per year are then shared with all conference members. The so-called reduced media shares for UO and UW do not apply to Unit payouts. Both UO and UW get a full share. When a team makes the Sweet 16, that's 3 units (64>32>16) x $2.15M. $6M+ paid out over 6 years, split among all the schools. The more schools that make the Sweet 16, Elite 8....the better. Iowa will play Nebraska, Michigan St may play UCLA. Unfortunately, that may take Units off the table when the loser can't advance. There are 135 participation Units paid total. 8 for First Fours. 64 for the bracket. Then 32, 16, 8, 4, 2,1. Some conferences have made modifications, but not yet in the B1G. For example, part of the deal for Gonzaga joining the Pac12 was that they would keep half of each Unit they earned, then the other Pac schools would split the other half. The SEC pays an appearance bonus. For example, in the first 3 rounds the SEC pays the team $100,000 out of the $2.15M before the remainder is split among all members. So, when you see conference commissioners bitching about a team being left out, it's more than just boosterism...it's money.

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2026 BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball Ducks Rally Falls Short in Extra-Inning Loss EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon rallied from an 8-run deficit to send the game into extra innings, but Northwestern scored a run in the top of the 12th inning to salvage a game in the series with a 12-11 win at PK Park on Sunday afternoon. After Oregon fell behind 10-2 after five innings, Dominic Hellman homered twice to pull the Ducks within one run in the seventh inning. Ryan Cooney completed the comeback with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning and send the game into extra innings. The Ducks (19-4, 7-2) had chance to win the game in extra innings. Oregon got two on with one out in the 10th inning but failed to score after a strikeout and flyout. Oregon loaded the bases in the 10th inning after a double and two intentional walks but the Wildcats escaped with a strikeout and a ground out. After Northwestern scored a run in the 12th inning, the Ducks had chances to tie it in their half of the inning. Naulivou Lauaki reached first to lead off the inning after being hit by a pitch, but NU turned a double play to get within an out of the win. Oregon responded with a Cooney single and a Jax Gimenez bunt single to put runners on first and second, but Wildcat pitcher Justin Fryer fanned Hellman to end the game. How It Happened: For the third straight day, Oregon put runs on the board in the first inning. Northwestern issued a couple free passes to Cooney and Gimenez to lead off the inning and Hellman made them pay. The Ducks’ designated hitter singled through the right side, scoring Cooney and moving Gimenez to third. Drew Smith followed with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats (8-11-1, 2-4) took their first lead of the series, scoring three runs in the top of the second, before sending nine batters to the plate in the fourth to push the lead to 6-2. A pair of homers, a solo shot and a three-run home run, in the fifth pushed the lead to 10-2. Oregon got a pair back in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Cooney doubled to lead off the inning, Hellman lined a two-run home run over the left-field wall to cut the lead to 10-4. The Ducks cut the lead to one in the seventh, scoring five times. Burke-Lee Mabeus and Gabe Miranda drew back-to-back walks to open the inning before Josh Schleichardt delivered an RBI single to score Mabeus. Gimenez followed suit with an RBI base hit of his own to cut the lead to four. Hellman stepped to the plate with runners and first and second and lined a homer over the right-center field wall for his second home run of the game. Cooney then tied it in the ninth with a leadoff home run. Hellman finished 3-for-6 with six RBI and two runs scored. Cooney went 4-for-6 with a home run, double and three runs scored. Blake Crawford (1.1 IP, H, 2 BB), Luke Morgan (3.1 IP, 2 H, 5 K) and Tanner Bradley (1.1 IP, 1 H, 3 K) combined to toss six innings of scoreless allow the Ducks to send the game into extra innings. Box Score Notes: Oregon scored 14 runs in the first inning in the series against Northwestern … Smith (2-for-5, RBI) extended his streak of reaching base to 23 games this season and 25 games dating back to last season … The top four – Cooney, Gimenez, Hellman and Smith -- in Oregon’s order combined to go 12-for-22 with three home runs, nine RBI and seven runs scored … Hellman homered twice in a game for the fourth time in his career with two of those coming this weekend … Hellman moved into seventh on the Ducks’ career home run list with 26 passing Shaun Chase (2012-15) … Oregon had its winning streak snapped at eight. On Deck: The Ducks hit the road for a five-game road trip in San Diego and Santa Barbara, Calif. The Ducks face UC San Diego in a pair of midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday before opening a three-game series at UC Santa Barbara on Friday. Quotes: Head Coach Mark Wasikowski On today’s performance... “I thought the guys really did a great job battling back. I thought the pitching was shaky early, and then things settled in. There were some really good relief outings. Luke Morgan was tremendous today, just flat out tremendous. And there were some other guys that threw the ball very well. We got mileage out of Blake Crawford, which was really handy, and then we just didn't have enough to be able to get it done. We had the table set a couple of different times, and we had a chance to win that ball game a couple of different times with the bats, and we just weren't able to do it. I was really impressed those guys were so resilient to grind their way back into that game after being down by so much, and then, you know, by the end of it, having opportunities to win the game. It didn't work out, and we're disappointed about that big time, but very proud of the fact that those guys were able to really fight and scratch and claw their way back into it. You know, I appreciate that effort.” On Luke Morgan... “We've had a lot of faith and belief in Luke. He's thrown the ball very, very well in scrimmages, and we have a lot of confidence in the guy. I mean, the guy throws 95 miles per hour with a really good breaking ball and good off-speed pitches. I mean, he's tough to hit. And so, for him to get out there and go three and two-thirds and only give up two hits and not walk anybody and strike guys out like he did. I mean, he kept us in that game, right? He gave us a chance.”

Leading up to today, the 16 teams playing their opener at home all won. Today, so far, 7 of the 8 teams (including Texas) won at home. The 8th game is underway - UW at TCU. 8 more women's home games will be played tomorrow. These 7 games today did not involve powderpuffs. But, Texas thumping Oregon was not even the high margin which included home court wins of 54, 42, 29, 23. Until there is more parity among the women's teams, and the games are played on neutral courts, I can't get too excited about a blow out loss.

Iowa fans love going to Tampa. They are 4-3 in Outback Bowls, including a W this past December 31.

Well, tough loss, but consider the location and the competition. Graves and crew are bringing women's CBB back. South Carolina lost in Austin. An excellent and well-coached Longhorns team is odds-on to win it all. But UCLA may be Bruin-up another idea.

You don't need a Hawk's Eye to see that the B1G is coming through. See you later, Gator. Iowa 73 - Florida 72 - In Tampa, Florida. 😍 6th B1G team to advance to the Sweet 16. Come on, UCLA!

Interesting graphic. Which schools have two Current head coaches who have been in post-season CFP and men's Final Four? Then, after you figure out which one of the 7 had those two coaches at their Current School when they did it....add in the fact that same school had the current women's coach also in a Final Four at the same school.

Not good

Ugh. Runners left on base enough to win a couple time. Good, or at least interesting game. It's baseball.

Northwestern wins 11-10 as Devin Bell gave up two hits, but a wild pitch set up a runner on third. Oregon stranded two on base to end the game.

10-10 after 11 innings. The Ducks' Tanner Bradley gave up a hit, but struck out three! Good-gosh the action on his pitches are something to see... And the Ducks strand bases-loaded!

10-10 after ten innings. Oregon's Luke Morgan got two outs, but gave up a hit and plinked a batter. With two on base, Tanner Bradley was brought in to get the third out...and did. Ducks strand two on base... On to the 11th!

10-10 after nine innings...we're going for more baseball! Oregon's Luke Morgan got it done again in the ninth, as his meltdown vs. Irvine is long in the past. Ryan Cooney hits the homer over the CF wall that ties it up! Unfortunately, the Ducks could not get any more to end the game.

10-9 Northwestern after eight innings. Luke Morgan got them 1-2-3, and looked good doing it. But Oregon had a man on, but struck out and hit into a double play--AAARRRG! Still have an inning.

10-9 Wildcats after seven innings. Oregon's Blake Crawford got in a jam, but Luke Morgan came in to pitch and generated a double-play to end the inning. I cannot believe what happened in this inning; Burke-Lee Mabeus walks, and Gabe Miranda is walked, and then Josh Schleichardt hits a zinger off the 3rd baseman mitt to score Mabeus. Then Jax Gimenez hits a short blooper into LF, and scores Miranda. Then Dominic Hellman comes up and blasts a dinger over the CF wall for a three-run homer! Two innings to go...Ducks can do it!

It is starting to piss me off how often they let earlier games overrun Oregon games. I don't get espnews. Funny how other more famous teams get a pre game show.

10-4 Wildcats after six innings. Well, Blake Crawford did something no Oregon pitcher has done in a while--kept them scoreless! Ryan Cooney hits to the LF wall on a sub/reliever Northwestern brought in, and Dominic Hellman blasted another out into the parking lot for two runs. Nope...no comeback predictions today!

10-2 Northwestern after five innings. Good Grief! Michael Meckna comes in and give up two homers, one a three-run shot. The entire Oregon pitching staff today is off, and they appeared to get progressively worse while the Wildcats are seeing the ball superbly. I do not sense a lack of effort, just some days--you get your butt-kicked. Coach Waz is waving the white flag early; he is already subbing the outfield, and true freshman pitcher Blake Crawford is coming in. (This could get even uglier)

6-2 Northwestern after four innings. EGADS! Our pitching staff is having a bad day, as Toby Twist comes in and gives up even more than Scolari. Whew! Michael Meckna replaced Twist to get the final out. And we can't hit-a-lick on offense. Lovely.

3-2 Northwestern after three innings. Cal Scolari got it done this inning, but he has a high pitch count with 70 pitches in just three innings. Nothing on offense...