PORTLAND, Ore. — The men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments are known as March Madness, but in Oregon that madness has only meant winning so far.
It all started last Friday when the Oregon State men’s team, a No. 12 seed after winning the Pac-12 Tournament, stunned No. 5 seed Tennessee with a 70-56 win. It was a historic win for the Beavers as it was the men’s team’s first in the NCAA Tournament since 1982.
On Saturday, the Oregon men’s team advanced to the second round after its opponent, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), could not play due to COVID-19 protocols.
The winning continued on Sunday when the women’s NCAA Tournament began. Oregon State, a No. 8 seed, put together an outstanding 83-59 win over No. 9 Florida State. The Beavers men’s team followed with another upset victory Sunday night, 80-70 over No. 4 seed Oklahoma State and potential top NBA Draft pick Cade Cunningham.
After the Beavers women’s and men’s teams pulled off a Sunday sweep, it was time for the Ducks men’s and women’s teams to follow suit. And similarly to the Oregon State squads, the Oregon teams did so in impressive fashion.
The men’s team, a No. 7 seed, opened Monday with a 95-80 win over No. 2 seed Iowa to punch its ticket into the Sweet 16. Then on Monday night, the Oregon women’s team, a No. 6 seed, dominated No. 11 seed South Dakota 67-47, allowing just nine points in the first half, to advance to the second round of the tournament.
So, what’s next for the Oregon schools?
The Oregon State women’s team faces off against No. 1 seed South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The game will be televised on ESPN. Then, the Oregon women’s team returns to the hardwood for a matchup against No. 3 seed Georgia at noon Wednesday. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
The men’s teams, currently a round further into the tournament, get a break before playing in the Sweet 16. It’s the first time the Oregon and Oregon State men’s teams have been in the Sweet 16 in the same year.
The Beavers will be first to play again, at 11:40 a.m. Saturday against No. 8 seed Loyola Chicago, who is also having a Cinderella run after beating No. 1 seed Illinois in the second round. The game will be televised on CBS. The Ducks men’s team will play a familiar opponent, Pac-12 competitor No. 6 seed USC, in the Sweet 16 at 6:45 p.m. Sunday. The game will be televised on TBS.
