The Oregon men’s basketball season ended Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament thanks to a performance that included too many missed shots from the 3-point and free-throw lines and one game-changing defensive breakdown late in the loss to Wisconsin.
But it wasn’t just what happened on the court that had coach Dana Altman steamed afterwards.
Altman wasn’t thrilled the announced crowd inside 12,364-seat Matthew Knight Arena was only 3,384 for a postseason game against a major conference foe with the history and pedigree as the Badgers of the Big Ten.
Wisconsin traveled its pep band and cheerleaders and did just enough to beat the Ducks 61-58 and advance to the NIT semifinals next week in Las Vegas.
“I mean, the guys played hard – 3,300 people, that’s not good enough,” Altman said. “If it’s me, then get rid of me. If you need somebody else to be a promoter, to do something, but 3,300 people is embarrassing. It really is. I’m not in a very good mood, you can tell.”
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Altman admitted his frustration with attendance has been building through the season.
Oregon averaged 5,937 in 21 home games this season – seventh-best in the Pac-12 – down more than 1,000 from last season’s average of 6,970, continuing a yearly trend of lower attendance figures since averaging 8,531 in 2018-19 (not including the 2020-21 season that was played under strict COVID-19 restrictions).
“If It’s me, then make the change,” Altman said. “Make the change. Somebody will hire me somewhere. I’ll go coach junior college ball. I love junior college ball. Those guys are dogs. They want to be in the gym all the time. I love those guys. But 3,300 people? For Wisconsin? I’m disappointed. And I appreciate the people who came. The 3,300 people who did come, great. I sure appreciate them. The people who have stuck with us. Again, I’m not a promoter. I’m not out in public. I don’t have Twitter and all that stuff. My job is to coach.”
That falling attendance comes despite 13-straight 20-win seasons under Altman, who has also taken the Ducks to the postseason in every one of those seasons.
But back-to-back seasons ending in the NIT has been disappointing for a team that was in the Final Four six years ago and the Sweet 16 in 2020-21.
“I know, hey, this is the NIT, it’s not the NCAA, I understand that,” Altman said. “But our guys work hard and I’m just a little disappointed. But, (the fans) are disappointed in us. We didn’t win, and so it works both ways. We didn’t win enough games so I understand the fans’ disappointment, but again, I want guys that want to be here, staff that wants to be here, I want to be here, but I want fans to want to be here too.”
Follow Chris Hansen on Twitter @chansen_RG.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Dana Altman sounds off on attendance at Oregon men’s basketball games
