Oregon Ducks Basketball Wins Players Era Festival: AP Top-25 Poll Ranking?

The Oregon Ducks will be ranked for the first time this season when the AP Top-25 Poll comes out. College basketball rankings can be tricky to predict with teams playing multiple games a week, especially during weeks when teams were playing as many as three of four games. Where should the Ducks expect to land?

On the surface when looking at Oregon’s resume compared to the rest of the country, they should be ranked in the top ten. The only teams that are also undefeated with the quality of wins that Oregon has are teams like No. 4 Auburn, No. 1 Kansas, No. 8 Kentucky, No. 7 Tennessee, and No. 10 Marquette. 

However, with rankings, there are perceptions of teams given before the season starts and Oregon was not thought to be a top-25 team. Even after their 5-0 start, they were still unranked. They showed the country that they are without a doubt a top-25 team after beating Alabama and winning the Players Era Festival.

Oregon will likely be ranked in the No. 12 to No. 17 range when Monday’s rankings come out. 

Oregon Wins Players Era Festival

Oregon won the first ever Players Era Festival with their 83-81 win over No. 9 Alabama. It was a loaded field with Oregon, Texas A&M, San Diego State, Creighton, Houston, Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Alabama. Something that made this tournament attractive is that there were Name, Image, and Likeness incentives given to the winner. 

Not only did Oregon win the NIL prize money, they also picked up three quad one wins. That will go a long way at the end of the season when they are stacking their resume up against other teams. 

Coach Dana Altman has his team playing great ball early in the season, which has been uncommon throughout the past few seasons.