Omaha notes: Oregon’s Dana Altman knows way to CenturyLink Center

OMAHA – Nobody who played basketball for Dana Altman at Creighton still plays there. The connection, in those terms, has been severed.

The connection remains alive in many other ways, though. Altman’s dad, Lyle, lives in Nebraska and attends Creighton functions regularly. He gets to Eugene, Ore. to watch his son coach for Oregon as much as he can, but it hasn’t been as often lately.

“I’ve done this for 35 years, and no matter where I’ve coached he’s always been there,” said Dana Altman, who left Creighton in 2010 after 16 seasons to become the Ducks’ coach. “He was only able to get out to Oregon for a couple of our series this year, which is the least that he’s been out in the last five years.”

Altman’s dad won’t have to travel far to see Altman’s team this week. Oregon is playing in Omaha, with a Friday night game against Oklahoma State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Altman, 56, returned to Omaha once before for a game against Creighton in the 2011 CBI. He wasn’t received warmly, but that doesn’t dampen his memories.

Under Altman, Creighton was 327-176 (.650) and played in seven NCAA Tournaments, reaching the round of 32 in 1999 and 2002. Altman previously coached at Kansas State from 1990-94 and is in his fifth season at Oregon.

“People were unbelievable to me and my family for the 16 years we were here,” Altman said. “…The 16 years we spent here were special because our children all grew up here and our families are here.”

Altman is back in comfortable surroundings and with family, though that might not be so comforting if the Ducks lose on Friday.

“(My dad) will be yelling at me like everybody else,” Altman said.

Oregon’s players sensed Altman’s anticipation when the tournament pairings were announced on Sunday.

“Coach was so excited because he was talking about his father didn’t get to come to most of the (Oregon) games, and he really wanted his family to check out the game,” Oregon senior Joseph Young said. “It’s a big deal for coach and we really took that (seriously) and came out and practiced these last three days, we really worked hard and listened to Coach.”

This story was originally published March 19, 2015 at 6:19 PM with the headline "Omaha notes: Oregon’s Dana Altman knows way to CenturyLink Center."