Arizona defeats Oregon, advancing to face Duke next

Caleb Love scored 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Arizona defeated Oregon 87-83 to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. The fourth-seeded Wildcats, with a record of 24-12, will face top-seeded Duke next in Newark, New Jersey. Arizona had a tough start, falling behind by 15 points within the first six minutes. However, they rallied back, closing the gap and taking the lead before halftime. Tobe Awaka contributed 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Wildcats. Jackson Shelstad led the Ducks with 25 points. Despite their early lead, Oregon struggled with free throws, making only 12 of 22 attempts, which cost them in the end. Their coach, Dana Altman, pointed out that they hadn’t lost a game at the free-throw line all season. In the final minutes, Arizona held steady despite Oregon’s push to close the gap. A key dunk by Love put the Wildcats ahead 77-70, and a series of free throws helped secure the win. Arizona’s victory is significant as they are the last remaining team from the former Pac-12 conference in this year's tournament. The Pac-12 has undergone significant changes, with many teams moving to other conferences. Arizona's last national title was in 1997.