(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
When people talk about Oregon Ducks and sports, they think about football. Or perhaps track and field. But basketball? You must be kidding me, right!?
As hard as it is to believe, a few years back they made their way to the Elite Eight, powerhouses in the March Madness tournament. Since then though, they've really struggled.
Last year the Ducks finished dead last in the Pac-10, going 2-16 in the conference, and 8-23 overall. That stings.
I'll preview this upcoming season this way: players in the backcourt, frontcourt, the bottom line, five things to look for, and my predictions as far as the schedule goes.
Backcourt:
Believe it or not, the Ducks have one of the fiercest backcourts in the Pac-10 this year. Tajuan Porter is back for his senior year, LeKendric Longmire has matured into an amazing player, and they could have an explosive season.
Porter led the team through the Elite Eight as a freshman, and still has his skills. In fact, he's improved. He can score at will, and will lead the team to victory this season.
Garrett Sim and Malcolm Armstead also provide some depth at guard, and Sim is to start alongside Porter this year. Sim was a freshman last year, and will definitely be improved, and give assistance to Porter nicely.
Armstead may be small, but he led a top notch junior college in Florida last year, and will also be a great addition to the supporting cast surrounding Porter. He helped his team a lot, and I expect some great things from this young man.
Longmire is a key player to the team and I predict he averages more then 10 points a game. He's a great threat with Porter, and his immense height really helps as well.
Oregon also has Matt Humphrey and Teondre Williams. They didn't do much of anything last year, but the high school stats suggest there is something there.
With Porter, Sim, Longmire, and Armstead heading up the backcourt, the Ducks may surprise a few teams. They have all five returning starters, and the team should gel really well this year.
Frontcourt:
Michael Dunigan is really the key to Oregon's frontcourt. He's obviously going to improve from his freshman year, which looks great for the Ducks. Dunigan posted eight points and five rebounds a game last year.
I predict he can double that. If he does, that's another weapon in the Ducks arsenal. He also had some major blocks, though they were few and far between. The defense is what needs to step up.
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