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The Oregon Ducks are a lock to be in the NCAA Tournament this season, but fans will have to wait until the NCAA Selection Show to find out Oregon's fate. To get a preview of what Oregon may be in store for, ATQ took a look at five different bracket projections. While three of those projections penciled in the Ducks as an 8 seed, they were as high as 7th in one bracket, and as low at 10th in another. Here's a look:
- SB Nation's resident bracketologist, Chris Dobbertean, sent Oregon to St. Louis as an 8th seed, taking on the Memphis Tigers. Should the Ducks get past Memphis, they would face undefeated Wichita State.
- ESPN's Joe Lunardi is the high man on the Ducks, placing them as a 7th seed in Raleigh against reeling Iowa. While I like Oregon to rock Iowa's world, it would put them with a second round matchup with Duke. Playing Duke in the state of North Carolina during the tourney is not the recipe for a deep run. I'd rather deal with Wichita State.
- Sports Illustrated pits the Ducks as an 8 seed, taking on Kansas State in the first round (they do not name a location). The second round matchup would then be against No. 1 Florida. Yikes.
- USA Today is not at all bullish on the Ducks, pitting them as a 10 seed, and sending them to Buffalo to face Shaka Smart and VCU. Were Oregon to beat VCU, not an easy task, a second round matchup with Villanova would await.
- Finally, CBS Sports also sends the Ducks to St. Louis, also as an 8 seed, to face St. Joseph's. Winner faces Wichita State.
Where the Ducks are projected, it's tough to make a big run because you have to face really high seeds the first weekend. Being a 12 seed as Oregon was last year, while making the chances of winning a single game less likely, makes stringing together a few wins and getting out of the first weekend more manageable. Oregon will face a tough task to get out of the first weekend.
All of the projections agree on who gets into the tournament from the Pac-12: Arizona, UCLA, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona State and Stanford are in. Cal is out.
All will be unveiled during the NCAA Selection Show, 3:00 p.m. PT on CBS.