Ducks Digest

Team Always Us Back for the Prize at TBT This Summer

The Oregon Men’s Basketball Alumni will once again compete for the $1 million prize.

Ally Osborne

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Last year, Duck fans got the opportunity to see their favorite Oregon basketball alumni reunite for The Basketball Tournament; a one-game-chance event with a $1 million pot. Once again, former flock members are lacing up to compete live on ESPN.

In a tweet from their official page, the team said “WE ARE BACK. July can’t come soon enough!!”

The eight-team bracket for the Omaha regional at D.J. Sokol Arena on July 16-20 will be the first competition the #producks need to dominate. On their Twitter page, the veteran team announced their No. 4 seed and game versus No. 6 seed Valparaiso University alumni team, The Cru on Sunday July 17 at 3 pm PT.

Other teams competing include the Jackson TN Underdawgs (No. 5), Omaha Blue Crew (No. 3), Team Overtime (No. 6), and Team Arkansas (No. 2). If Team Always Us wins their first-round game, they'll face No. 1-seed Gutter Cat Gang. 

64 total teams are competing in the tournament.

Team Always Us’ roster includes talent from the 2006 season all the way to 2020. Notable athletes for this year include former guard and football wide receiver Johnathan Loyd, guard Casey Benson, and forward Dwayne Benjamin. Benjamin shined on the team last year and posted to Instagram after this season "this will not be the last time" in reference to the team.

READ MORE: 2023 Safety Tyler Turner Commits to Oregon

If Team Always Us overtakes the Omaha regional, they’ll move on to the quarterfinals to square off against the winner of the Wichita Regionals in Wichita, Kansas on July 27. Dayton, Ohio will host the semifinals on July 30, as well as the championship game on August 2.

Coached by Oregon Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Mike Mennenga, Team Always Us’ name derives from the Oregon Basketball unofficial motto “Sometimes you. Sometimes me. Always us.” 

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A born and raised Oregonian, Ally was raised going up and down the steps of Autzen Stadium. Ally graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021. She currently works at KOIN 6 and Portland's CW in Portland, Oregon where she hosts the lifestyle program "Everyday Northwest" and reports for the KOIN Sports team. She's also a graphic designer in her free time, with several of her works created for Oregon athletes.

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