• Preview
• Bleachers

Ducks hope to continue hot shooting in opening round of NCAAs

Mar 16, 2007 - 1:50 PM Miami Oh (18-14) at Oregon (26-7) 4:55 pm EDT

SPOKANE, Washington (Ticker) -- The last time Oregon took the court in a tournament, it barely missed a shot.

The third-seeded Ducks return to the NCAA Tournament after a three-year absence when they face 14th seed Miami-Ohio in the opening round of the Midwest Region on Friday.

Oregon is making its ninth trip to the NCAAs overall and fourth under coach Ernie Kent, who guided the program to a regional final during the 2001-02 campaign.

The Ducks enter winning six games in a row, including the Pac-10 Conference tournament behind the impressive shooting from Bryce Taylor, who did not miss in 11 attempts.

Along with Taylor, Aaron Brooks and freshmen Tajuan Porter will solidify the offense for the Ducks, who are 4-0 in games played at neutral sites. The trio became the first in school history to have each recorded 30-point performances this season.

Miami earned its NCAA berth on Doug Penno's season-saving 3-pointer from the right wing in the Mid-American Conference tournament championship as time expired to beat Akron.

The Redhawks are making their 17th appearance in the "Big Dance" - the most trips of any MAC school by a margin of six.

Coach Charlie Coles and Miami will rely on a defense that allowed just 57.6 points per game.

All-conference player Tim Pollitz and Nathan Peavy will be looked upon to supply the points for the Redhawks, who lost to Kentucky in the regional semifinals in their last NCAA appearance.