The only NCAA Tournament team remaining from the Pac-12 Conference, the Oregon Ducks were able to escape the talons of the St. Joseph Hawks with a 69-65 victory. Dillon Brooks led all scorers with 25 points to give the Ducks their second 30-win season in program history. Oregon will face fourth-seeded Duke Thursday for a chance to advance to the Elite Eight.
St. Joe’s was leading 58-51 following a 23-6 run after trailing by 10. But Brooks put the Ducks ahead late with one of only two three-pointers made by Oregon in the entire game. The Hawks had chances in the final seconds but costly mistakes would prove fatal, starting with a shot-clock violation with 49 seconds left and a turnover by DeAndre Bembry in the final 15 seconds as he attempted a late three. The loss extends the Hawks Sweet 16 dry spell to twelve seasons, having last appeared in 2004 when they advanced to the Elite Eight.
