Top Competitions Countdown: No. 7, Men's Basketball Upsets No. 4 Oregon
March 28, 2020 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER - CU's men's basketball team welcomed fourth-ranked Oregon into the CU Events Center on Jan. 2 to open Pac-12 play and rewarded the sold-out home crowd with a convincing 74-65 win over the Ducks.
It was the team's fifth straight victory and set them up with one of several big wins to boost a strong postseason résumé. The game also earned a spot in our countdown of the top competitions of 2019-20.
Despite the pedigree of an elite program nationally, the Ducks remain winless (0-9) all-time in Boulder, but the win on Jan. 2 did not come without a battle.
CU led by as many as 15 in the second half, but Oregon cut that lead to just four with under five minutes remaining. McKinley Wright IV then sparked a 7-0 run with a 3-pointer, an assist, and a floater to push the lead back to double digits and secure the upset.
Wright finished with a team-high 21 points, including 11 in the final 4:10 of the game, while adding eight assists and five rebounds. Tyler Bey had 15 points and 14 rebounds and D'Shawn Schwartz scored 13.
CU stymied the nation's fifth-best 3-point shooting team, limiting the Ducks to just 3-of-18 (.167) from the outside.
The win moved CU to 12-2 on the season with its second win over a ranked team. The Buffs went on to finish the season 21-11 overall and 10-8 in the Pac-12 before the pandemic shortened the season. Prior to the season ending early, CU appeared to be a lock to make the NCAA Tournament by all bracketologists.
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It was the team's fifth straight victory and set them up with one of several big wins to boost a strong postseason résumé. The game also earned a spot in our countdown of the top competitions of 2019-20.
Despite the pedigree of an elite program nationally, the Ducks remain winless (0-9) all-time in Boulder, but the win on Jan. 2 did not come without a battle.
CU led by as many as 15 in the second half, but Oregon cut that lead to just four with under five minutes remaining. McKinley Wright IV then sparked a 7-0 run with a 3-pointer, an assist, and a floater to push the lead back to double digits and secure the upset.
Wright finished with a team-high 21 points, including 11 in the final 4:10 of the game, while adding eight assists and five rebounds. Tyler Bey had 15 points and 14 rebounds and D'Shawn Schwartz scored 13.
CU stymied the nation's fifth-best 3-point shooting team, limiting the Ducks to just 3-of-18 (.167) from the outside.
The win moved CU to 12-2 on the season with its second win over a ranked team. The Buffs went on to finish the season 21-11 overall and 10-8 in the Pac-12 before the pandemic shortened the season. Prior to the season ending early, CU appeared to be a lock to make the NCAA Tournament by all bracketologists.
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Players Mentioned
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