Oregon coach Dana Altman told Dillon Brooks to take late three-point shot vs. Duke

Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman is taking responsibility for a late three pointer shot by Dillon Brooks in Thursday’s Sweet 16 win over Duke.

It has become the “shot heard ’round the college basketball world” for both the game it took place in and the reaction afterward.

With seconds left on the clock in the Oregon Ducks‘ Sweet 16 win over the Duke Blue Devils on Thursday, Ducks forward Dillon Brooks pulled up from deep downtown and took a three-point shot that went in, giving Oregon the final points in their 82-68 win to advance to Saturday’s regional final.

After the game, Brooks was approached in the handshake line by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who appeared to say something to the player (Brooks can be seen mouthing the words “I’m sorry” to Coach K). Brooks said the legendary coach told him he was “better than that”, something Krzyzewski denied in the postgame presser.

Friday, Oregon head coach Dana Altman went on the record when being interviewed by FOX Sports Radio host Colin Cowherd as saying he was the one who told Brooks to take that shot:

"“That was my fault. I told him to shoot it.” Oregon coach Dana Altman on Dillon Brooks/Coach K controversy #TheHerdhttps://t.co/3hwrUhgg0P— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 25, 2016"

There are plenty of people who feel Brooks and Altman did nothing wrong and you play until the final buzzer, while others feel the shot was in poor taste. It’s still pretty good to see the coach stepping up to defend his player against a barrage of criticism that wasn’t expected over a meaningless shot that went in.

Oregon now prepares for their Elite Eight showdown with the Oklahoma Sooners in the West Regional final on Saturday. It’s just the sixth time in tournament history they have gotten this far, and a win would send them to their first Final Four since winning the inaugural NCAA Tournament in 1939.

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