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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon Duck fans irate over controversial call in NCAA Tournament
Oregon Duck fans irate over controversial call in NCAA Tournament The Oregon Ducks were trailing 6-4 in the bottom of the 8th inning, but trying to make a run and mount a comeback against the Utah Valley Wolverines in the Eugene Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Then all hell broke loose. With no outs and runners on the corner, a sacrifice fly led to Anson Aroz tagging up and running home. The throw was bobbled by the catcher, and a collision took place. Aroz was ruled safe, but Utah Valley challenged the call for "malicious contact." Meanwhile, there was also a conversation about obstruction from the catcher. After about a 10-minute review, the umpires decided that it was, in fact, malicious contact, and the runner was ruled out, making it a double play, and making it a 6-4 game with two outs, rather than 6-5 with one out. Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski was irate at the call, which resulted in Aroz being ejected from the game and ruled ineligible for Saturday's game as well. Here's a look at how fans reacted to the call on social media. An Insane Call In Disbelief Geoff Schwartz Isn't Happy Where Have We Seen This Before? Aroz Had No Choice... ABSOLUTE MAYHEM #FreeAnsonAroz Dyer Was Down, and Aroz Was Safe You Be The Judge Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cameron Brink rips WNBA's 'insane' 12-player roster limit
Cameron Brink rips WNBA's 'insane' 12-player roster limit Los Angeles Sparks center Cameron Brink has never been shy about saying what she thinks, and she wasn't going to stop now. During a recent episode of her podcast, Brink ripped the WNBA's current roster sizes. The league's current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) prevents teams from signing more than 12 players. Moreover, most teams don't carry the full 12 due to salary cap constraints and flexibility in case of injuries. As you can imagine, that creates some brutal cuts when teams have to reach the limit ahead of the WNBA season. MORE CAMERON BRINK: Watch Cameron Brink and Kevin Durant link up for postgame snap "Personally, I think roster sizes need to be expanded before we add any more expansion teams," Brink said. "It's kind of crazy. Twelve people for a roster? It's insane." Brink's guest for the episode, former Oregon Duck DeJa Kelly, who had her own recent experience with the horrid realities of WNBA roster cuts, nodded in agreement as Brink and co-host Sydel Curry-Lee shared their thoughts. "And it just puts a lot of stress on everybody," the Sparks center continued. "Roster sizes really need to be increased." Unfortunately, what Brink is referring to isn't a new issue for the WNBA. Fingers crossed that the new CBA helps to alleviate some of the pains of roster construction.
USA Today
15-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Post-draft QB rankings reveal surprising placement for Bo Nix
Post-draft QB rankings reveal surprising placement for Bo Nix NFL teams will begin their training camps this summer and since there are no more spectacles for the league before the season, everyone is in their ranking phase. All things ranging from rosters, front offices, coaches and even quarterbacks have been ranked by the experts. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports ranked all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL after the draft and gave former Oregon Duck Bo Nix an interesting placement. Benjamin ranked him at No. 15, which isn't bad considering the outlook of Nix's career after college and in the early stages of last year. Nix wasn't expected to be an elite quarterback coming out of college, but that didn't prevent Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton from drafting him in the first round. It looked like his career might've been over before it began when he started off his rookie season with no touchdowns and four interceptions through his first three games. Then, Nix took off and by the end of the year he was widely considered to be the second-best quarterback in his draft class. Working under an improved stature this season, Nix hopes to keep ascending the NFL ranks and disproving his skeptics. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Oregon legend Sabrina Ionescu dazzles in return to Eugene with New York Liberty
Oregon legend Sabrina Ionescu dazzles in return to Eugene with New York Liberty The Oregon Duck fanbase loves its legendary athletes to no end. Players like Marcus Mariota, Justin Herbert, Joey Harrington, Raevyn Rogers, Devon Allen, and many, many more can come through Eugene any given day and get a standing ovation from adoring Ducks. It's quite possible that Oregon fans love no single former athlete more than they do Sabrina Ionescu. As one of the greatest Oregon athletes of all time and the "Queen of Eugene," Ionescu has a perfect approval rating in the city. So much so that over the weekend, the Eugene mayor dubbed May 12 as "Sabrina Ionescu Day" in the city. On Monday night in the New York Liberty's exhibition game against the Toyota Antelopes, Ionescu gave the sellout 12,364 fans at Matthew Knight Arena a reason to cheer. The Oregon legend went off in the defending champions' exhibition game, scoring 25 points on 8-for-13 shooting, and 6-for-9 from deep. She also had three rebounds and two assists in an 84-61 win. Fellow former Duck Nyara Sabally also enjoyed the homecoming with seven points and six rebounds. The title defense officially starts for Ionescu and her teammates on Saturday with a season-opener against the Las Vegas Aces. That game tips off at 10 a.m. PT and can be seen on ABC. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Top MVP candidates at 2025 Oregon football spring game
Top MVP candidates at 2025 Oregon football spring game It's a busy week for Oregon Duck football fans who are keeping tabs on the 2025 NFL draft while also preparing for the annual spring game on Saturday afternoon. While many former favorite players will discover their professional landing spots, it will be time to usher in a new era in Eugene, with a young and fresh roster set to take the stage. Every year, we leave the spring game with fresh perspectives and new opinions on young breakout players. Earlier this week, we identified some of the breakout players who might emerge, whether they are true freshmen, redshirt underclassmen, or veteran players finally stepping into a larger role. Today, we want to take a look at who the stars of the show will be. In years past, we've seen players like Tez Johnson, Troy Franklin, and Bo Nix dominate the spring game, showcasing what's to come for Oregon football down the line. Who will those players be this year? Here's my best guess on candidates. Dante Moore For as much as we expect the backups to get a lot of playing time on Saturday, I do expect Lanning and Will Stein to allow Dante Moore and Austin Novosad to throw the ball around and run the offense a bit. We've heard all about the arm talent that Moore brings to the table, and it wouldn't shock me at all if he leaves Saturday with 150-plus yards through the air and a few touchdowns to show for it. Kenyon Sadiq If you want to talk about high-upside players with highlight ability, then look no further than Kenyon Sadiq, who showed just how tantalizing he can be in the Big Ten Championship game with his hurdle-touchdown in the first quarter. Without Terrance Ferguson ahead of him on the depth chart, Sadiq will have a chance to flourish this year in Oregon's offense. The main question is how much he will actually play in this game. Dillon Thieneman It would not surprise me in the slightest to see Dillon Thieneman only play a couple of series in this game before sitting out for the remainder of the scrimmage, but it also wouldn't surprise me to see him make a couple of statement plays that announce his presence to the Oregon faithful. Dakorien Moore If you were to poll 100 random Oregon fans about who they are most excited to watch on Saturday, the top answer would likely be QB Dante Moore. I would guess that the No. 2 answer is true freshman WR Dakorien Moore, though. As the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2025 class, Moore comes to Eugene with a high upside, and he appears to be showing out quickly with the Ducks. Oregon wants to make a good impression on the recruits in town for the spring game, and what better way than to show how much a true freshman can be involved in the scheme? Kingston Lopa To be in the MVP conversation, you need two things: a high upside and an opportunity for a lot of playing time. I think that Kingston Lopa brings both to the table. He is among the top candidates to win a starting job in the secondary, and as a redshirt freshman, he hasn't seen a ton of the field before, so he's looking to show what he can do and prove himself. That adds up to a perfect sleeper MVP candidacy. Da'Jaun Riggs That list of players who fans want to watch at the spring game may have Dante Moore and Dakorien Moore at the top, but I don't think you would have to scroll very far to find Da'Jaun Riggs' name. After a pair of impressive showings in his true freshman season, albeit in garbage time, Riggs has garnered quite a reputation for himself, and the hype has been building quickly. In a crowded RB room, "Dink" could use a big performance on Saturday to show how dynamic of a runner he can be and establish himself in the rotation. Austin Novosad Just like Dante Moore, Austin Novosad has to be mentioned in this conversation since he will be one of the starting QBs, and will likely get a good amount of run throughout the day, trying to prove himself in the quarterback competition. We've heard a lot this spring about the consistency of Novosad and his ability to throw the deep ball, which is exactly what fans want to see in Oregon's offense. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a handful of shot plays that stir up the crowd at Autzen on Saturday. Jeremiah McClellan There are a lot of receivers who have been getting hyped up this spring, and Jeremiah McClellan is one of them. After a redshirt freshman season, the former high-end 4-star recruit is ready to show out and prove that he can be a member of this rotation in Eugene. I wouldn't at all be surprised if he stole the show on offense and proved to be one of the most consistent pass-catchers out there. Makhi Hughes If this were a real game and you could guarantee at least three-plus quarters of action for the starters, then I think Makhi Hughes would arguably be the favorite to win the MVP award — I think he is going to be that good this year. However, it's hard to project how much action he is going to see in this scrimmage, where Oregon wants to keep its stars as fresh as possible. Don't be surprised by a couple of highlight plays from the Tulane transfer, though. Luke Moga Luke Moga might be my true dark horse candidate for the spring game MVP award. While Dante Moore and Austin Novosad are expected to get a good amount of action, we will undoubtedly see a lot of backups, and Moga will have a fair opportunity to show what he can do. Unlike the passers above, Moga brings a dynamic running ability to the offense, and he impressed a year ago with his legs in the second half. I could easily see him coming in and dazzling in this game, scoring a couple of touchdowns late and stealing the MVP award. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
