N’Faly Dante Leads Oregon Past Colorado for Pac-12 Title

Oregon vs. Colorado | 2024 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament Championship Highlights

Oregon vs. Colorado | 2024 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament Championship Highlights | Image: Pac-12 Networks/YouTube

N’Faly Dante achieved a flawless 12 for 12 shooting performance, amassing a game-high 25 points to propel the fourth-seeded Oregon Ducks past the third-seeded Colorado Buffaloes, securing the Pac-12 tournament crown with a 75-68 victory on Saturday in Las Vegas.

The odds seemed stacked against Oregon (23-11) entering Las Vegas, with doubts circulating about their chances of an NCAA Tournament bid. However, the Ducks put those doubts to rest by clinching the Pac-12’s automatic entry with a consecutive triumph over a team that had bested them twice in the regular season.

Oregon’s triumph over top-seeded Arizona on Friday was fueled by the sharpshooting of Jermaine Couisnard and Jackson Shelstad from beyond the arc. Though the duo struggled in that department on Saturday, with Shelstad going 1 for 4 and Couisnard missing all five attempts.

Dante’s impeccable shooting compensated for the dip in 3-point accuracy, highlighted by crucial baskets in the closing stages. His thunderous dunk with 2:11 remaining and a timely tip-in following a Couisnard miss not only extended Oregon’s lead from two to four, then from four to six points.

The decisive moment came with 31 seconds left as Dante secured the win with a spectacular block on KJ Simpson‘s long-range shot, before sprinting to salvage possession of the loose ball.

Dante’s outstanding performance was even more remarkable considering the frightening fall he endured against Arizona, sidelining him for an extended portion of the first half.

For Colorado (24-10), Simpson led the charge with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Luke O’Brien was the only other Buffalo to breach double figures, contributing 11 points.

Oregon’s defensive prowess, anchored by Dante’s three steals, Couisnard’s two steals, and Jadrian Tracey‘s two steals, forced 13 turnovers from Colorado while the Ducks limited their own giveaways to just three.

Oregon’s suffocating defense also restricted Colorado to a mere 20 of 48 shooting from the field, contrasting with the Ducks’ 28-of-62 shooting performance.

Shelstad concluded the game with 17 points, with Couisnard chipping in 14 points

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    The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.

    Grand Canyon’s basketball achievements were a significant factor in attracting WCC commissioner Stu Jackson. The team has participated in the last two NCAA Tournaments and three of the previous four under the leadership of coach Bryce Drew.

    As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.

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    The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.

    The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.

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    Kansas State adds athletic wing in left-handed shooter Max Jones

    Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.

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    At the age of 70, VanDerveer stepped down following her 38th season at the helm of the Cardinal.

    She steered Stanford to 14 Final Fours and secured three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021). VanDerveer embarked on her coaching journey at Idaho (1978-80) and later coached at Ohio State (1980-85).

    In January, she surpassed Mike Krzyzewski to clinch the title of the most successful college basketball coach in history, across both men’s and women’s teams. VanDerveer concluded with a remarkable 1,216-271 record, boasting a 1,064-220 tally with the Cardinal.

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