Arizona Vs Oregon 🏀 Game Preview/Discussion Thread 3/23/25 640PM TBS

[WILD]

Arizona Vs Oregon 🏀 Game Preview/Discussion Thread 3/23/25 640PM TBS

Tonight, March 23, 2025, the No. 4 seed Arizona Wildcats (23-12) face off against the No. 5 seed Oregon Ducks (25-9) in a highly anticipated second-round clash in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is set for 6:40 p.m. PT (9:40 p.m. ET) at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, airing on TBS. This matchup pits two former Pac-12 rivals against each other, now representing the Big 12 and Big Ten, respectively, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. Here's everything you need to know about this showdown, including key stats, player performances, and what to expect.

How They Got Here

Arizona Wildcats (No. 4 Seed, 23-12, 16-8 Big 12)

Arizona cruised past No. 13 Akron in the first round, securing a commanding 93-65 victory on Friday night. The Wildcats showcased their offensive firepower, shooting 56.5% from the field and draining a program-record 12 three-pointers in an NCAA Tournament game (12-of-25, 48%). They dominated the glass, outrebounding Akron 53-22, including 15 offensive boards that led to 18 second-chance points. Jaden Bradley led the way with 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Trey Townsend (16 points), Carter Bryant (12), KJ Lewis (10), and Caleb Love (10) all reached double figures. Despite 16 turnovers, Arizona's balanced attack and rebounding prowess overwhelmed the Zips.

Oregon Ducks (No. 5 Seed, 25-9, 13-9 Big Ten)
Oregon punched their ticket to Round 2 with an 81-52 rout of No. 12 Liberty on Friday. The Ducks stifled the Flames defensively, holding them to just 20 first-half points and 52 for the game while shooting 52.6% from the field themselves. Sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad led the charge with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting in just 25 minutes, and 14 Ducks saw the floor in the blowout. Oregon's depth and defensive intensity—bolstered by Nate Bittle's 2.2 blocks per game—proved too much for Liberty, setting up this clash with Arizona.

Head-to-Head History
Arizona holds a 55-38 edge in the all-time series against Oregon, but this will be the first NCAA Tournament meeting between the two programs. Last season, the Wildcats swept the regular-season series (87-78 on Jan. 27, 2024, and 103-83 on Mar. 2, 2024), but Oregon got the last laugh with a 67-59 upset in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals on March 15, 2024. That game saw Oregon's defense hold Arizona to 38.5% shooting and force 13 turnovers, a blueprint Dana Altman may look to replicate tonight.

Players to Watch

Arizona Wildcats 
Caleb Love (Sr. G): The former North Carolina standout averages 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. His 10-point outing against Akron was quiet by his standards, but his ability to take over games remains a threat.

Jaden Bradley (Jr. G): Leading the team with 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game, Bradley's 19-point explosion against Akron showed his scoring upside.

Henri Veesaar (So. C): The 7-footer averages 1.1 blocks and has emerged as a key interior presence, critical against Oregon's Nate Bittle.


Oregon Ducks 
Nate Bittle (Sr. C): Oregon's defensive anchor averages 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks. His battle with Veesaar in the paint will be pivotal.

Jackson Shelstad (So. G): The sharpshooter's 17 points against Liberty highlighted his scoring efficiency (1.9 threes per game), making him a key offensive weapon.

TJ Bamba (Sr. G): A do-it-all guard with 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, Bamba's versatility could exploit Arizona's turnover-prone tendencies.

Storylines to Follow
Coaching Contrast: Arizona's Tommy Lloyd (5-2 in NCAA Tournament games) seeks his third Sweet 16 in four years, but he's 0-1 against Oregon's Dana Altman in postseason play. Altman, with a 19-9 tourney record at Oregon, thrives in March and has a perfect 8-0 first-round mark since 2010.

Pac-12 Farewell: This game marks a nostalgic reunion of old conference foes, now in new leagues, adding extra stakes to an already intense matchup.

Rebounding vs. Defense: Arizona's rebounding edge (41.5 RPG) faces Oregon's shot-blocking prowess (4.7 BPG). Can the Wildcats control the glass, or will the Ducks' interior defense force a perimeter battle?

Arizona is favored at 5.5 points and the Over/Under is 150.5 points

Let's talk about the Wildcats Vs Ducks

BEARDOWN!!!

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[Jdmarti]

I sure hope arizona is ready for a battle today, there can only be 1 that moves on .
Oregon will be tough, hope we play well an take care of the ball, because  Oregon  wants to turn you over.

[TucsonTruckStop]

Oregon is more experienced and deeper, since ADO is unplayable in this game, making us only 7 deep.
More experienced Dana > Lloyd in tournament play.
We aren't the smartest team, so how do we react to the multiple defenses Oregon will throw at us?
I think our backcourt penetration is neutralized by Oregons speed and athleticism. We will need to hit from 3 again.
We always had a R32 or S16 ceiling. I don't like this matchup.
Our frontline needs a big day.

[|ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ|]

The game plan for the referees will be to get 2 fouls on Henri as quickly as possible to make life easier for Dana Altman's son, Nate Bittle.

[ChrisZona]

Easy W

[Naterade]

Arizona played a tougher schedule and played against much better teams than Oregon and best some of those better teams. We should expect to win, regardless of their different defenses. I'm sick of Oregon and Altman getting so much damn respect. Time to smack down those damn Ducks

[WILD]

https://x.com/Zona_Briggs/status/1903957157735014642?t=fAE4j2zEdjsM-YwBVI-Yew&s=19

[KansasCityCats]

Arizona was unbelievably patient and trusted the process, after the worst imaginable start.

Despite a few small mental lapses, the Cats absolutely dominated after being down 19-4.

Great defense, hustle, passion and shooting (including FT's).

This team wants revenge on Dook...

[WILD]

https://x.com/AZATHLETICS/status/1904032532628382096?t=PHtv28UOpRIquaPWouNQVA&s=19

[WILD]

https://x.com/jgtrends/status/1904029719445565766?t=PHtv28UOpRIquaPWouNQVA&s=19