Caleb Love Sparks Arizona’s Victory Over Oregon, Setting Up Sweet 16 Clash with Duke

SEATTLE — Caleb Love delivered a standout performance with 29 points and nine rebounds, leading fourth-seeded Arizona to an 87-83 victory over former Pac-12 rival Oregon, thus securing a place in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.

The Wildcats (24-12) are set to face the top-seeded Duke in the East Region semifinals in Newark, New Jersey. Love, who previously starred for North Carolina in a memorable win over Duke that marked the end of Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski’s career, showed his talents once again.

Tobe Awaka contributed significantly for Arizona, adding 12 points and 14 rebounds. The victory against Oregon marked the first tournament matchup between the two teams. Arizona also reached the Sweet 16 last year but was eliminated by Clemson.

For the Ducks (25-10), Jackson Shelstad led the scoring with 25 points, supported by TJ Bamba, who added 17. The game saw a series of tense moments, with Arizona taking a pivotal lead late in the contest after Love’s emphatic dunk to make it 77-70.

Oregon fought back, narrowing the score with key baskets from Barthelemy and Shelstad, keeping the pressure on Arizona until the final seconds.

The early stage of the game saw Oregon racing to a 19-4 lead. However, Arizona responded with a 13-2 run, bringing the game to a closer margin. By halftime, Arizona had flipped the score to lead 42-38.

In a notable moment, Dell’Orso’s 3-pointer extended Arizona’s lead to 54-43, prompting a celebratory gesture towards the Wildcats’ fans. The Ducks attempted to respond, but each team’s defense led to a back-and-forth exchange that remained tight throughout the second half.

This year, only three former Pac-12 teams made it to the NCAA tournament, with Oregon being the last one standing after UCLA was eliminated in the second round. The Pac-12 faced a significant transition in 2023 with teams like Oregon and Washington moving to the Big Ten, while Arizona joined the Big 12.

Historically, Arizona claimed a national championship in 1997 under coach Lute Olson, while Oregon last won the title in 1939 with a team nicknamed the Tall Firs.