Changing the perception of the Pac-12 will take more than having one men's basketball team reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, but this is a good start.
Oregon's two dominant performances this past weekend extended the Ducks' surge that began at the end of the regular season and continued through the Pac-12 tournament. A team that once stood 6-8 in conference play and finished in a tie for fourth place, one game behind Utah, is salvaging the basketball season for a league that needs some credibility in flagship sports.
And just as happened in 2017, when both schools made the Final Four, the Ducks are joining Gonzaga to give the West some distinction.