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College Basketball Power Rankings: Week 18

By Nathaniel Reeves

Feb 1, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason (0) celebrates after forcing a turnover during the second half of the game against the Baylor Bears at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks won 73-68. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2017; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Frank Mason (0) celebrates after forcing a turnover during the second half of the game against the Baylor Bears at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks won 73-68. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 4, 2017; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks (24) drives past Oregon State Beavers guard Kendal Manuel (24) during the first half at Gill Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks (24) drives past Oregon State Beavers guard Kendal Manuel (24) during the first half at Gill Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /
5

Oregon Ducks

Last week: 26-4, 15-2 Pac-12
Last rank: 5

It took some late heroics from Dillon Brooks on multiple occasions, but the Ducks enter the postseason in the hunt for a No. 1 seed behind a six-game winning streak to close out the year.

Following a slow start, the Ducks pulled away from rival Oregon State on Saturday evening in an easy 80-59 victory. Brooks capped his Pac-12 Player of the Year campaign with a 25-point performance on 10-of-14 shooting from the field to lead the way.

Since Brooks got healthy in late November, the Ducks have only been beaten by UCLA and Colorado, the latter of which looks like a total fluke. Oregon’s capabilities on both sides of the ball go far beyond Brooks, as Tyler Dorsey can light it up from the outside while Chris Boucher and Jordan Bell form the best shot-blocking duo in the nation.

All the close victories have hurt the Ducks in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency ratings, as Oregon ranks just 17th overall. The eye test disagrees, and Oregon showed a championship ceiling in Feb. 4’s destruction of Arizona with Brooks and Dorsey shooting well from the perimeter.

As the top seed in the Pac-12 Tournament, Oregon will open in Thursday’s quarterfinals against the winner of Arizona State and Stanford.