Sweet success wears swell.

Byline: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran March 23, 2007): The Oregon men's basketball team went to the Elite Eight round in the NCAA Tournament during the 2001-02 season. A story on Page One in Thursday's paper stated the incorrect season.

University of Oregon student Kristin Wheeler pawed through the merchandise at the UO Bookstore on Wednesday and plucked one, two, three, four, five, six, seven T-shirts she decided she just had to have.

"I'll probably be back to buy two or three more," said Wheeler, a psychology major from Alameda, Calif. "I think I forgot to buy one for my mom, and she's the one who's been calling me nonstop."

There was an unmistakable theme to Wheeler's initial $134 buy, and it wasn't clothing emblazoned with "Old Navy" or "Abercrombie & Fitch" lettering. Instead, her booty of T-shirts for friends and family featured the words "Oregon," "Basketball," "March Madness" and, especially, "Sweet Sixteen."

There's a lot of Duck green and yellow out there - especially the-color-of-money green - as UO fans rejoice in the success of the men's basketball team, one of 16 remaining squads in this year's NCAA basketball tournament.

Many of those fans opt to wear their pride on their sleeves - literally - as quickly as merchandisers can get the latest shirts on display. The most popular style? "Whatever is the newest design," said Arlyn Schaufler, the university bookstore's merchandise manager.

On Wednesday, that meant a "Sweet Sixteen" shirt depicting the jerseys of the four teams that will compete in the tournament's Midwest Regional in St. Louis this weekend - the Ducks, plus the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Butler University and national defending champion University of Florida.

T-shirt sales at the bookstore and other Duck Shop outlets have doubled since last week, with the volume beginning to approach what typically is only seen prior to football bowl games, according to Schaufler and others.

"We've been reordering left and right," said Christy Cameron, store manager for the Duck Shop at Autzen Stadium. "We've been packed, from early to late."

And the $18 or $20 price for each souvenir shirt? "People are not even blinking - they're buying stacks of shirts," Cameron said. "I had a woman come in here and buy $500 worth of T-shirts."

If such sales are an accurate indicator, excitement about the 2006-07 hoop team has eclipsed even that of the "two Lukes" team of 2002-03, with Luke Jackson and Luke Ridnour, which reached the tournament's Elite Eight.

Cameron's theory: "We'd just had that awesome Joey Harrington era (in football), and I think we were a little spoiled by success. We've had a little lull lately, and this basketball team has been a pleasant surprise, especially on the heels of last year's (losing) season."

Schaufler said he hears a similar sentiment from customers: "Many people have this team in their hearts because they know how hard they've worked and what they went through last year. People are excited for them."

Whatever the reasons, fans are unfolding their wallets - and the timing could hardly be better for merchandisers. UO students are wrapping up finals week and selling back their textbooks, with cash suddenly in hand as they head out for spring break. Why not pick up a T-shirt or three on the way out of town?

Tournament timing also appears ideal for local sports bars, which are expecting large crowds as the Ducks prepare to tip off their next televised game at the happy hour of 6:40 p.m. Friday.

"We're pulling away the pool tables and bringing in extra seating," said Eileen Walters, a bartender at The Cooler in Eugene. "We expect people will start showing up around 4 o'clock to nab a seat."

Alex Sutinen, a UO freshman, is too young to watch Friday's game at a bar. By then, she'll be back home in Portland watching the game with her younger brother, for whom she purchased one shirt on Wednesday and was thinking of buying a second. "I'm just a really nice sister," she said.

But Sutinen also bought a T for herself, and tried to explain the significance of seeing the Ducks go so far in the tournament. "I originally wanted to go to the University of Connecticut because of their good basketball program," she said. "So I'm pretty thrilled about this - especially since UConn didn't even make it to the tournament."

While sales of "Sweet Sixteen" T-shirts are approaching 2,000 this week, that number easily will be eclipsed if - dare we say this in print? - the Ducks should reach the Final Four. "Then we'd sell 8,000 or 10,000 pieces very easily," said Schaufler, acknowledging that the bookstore has placed "conditional" orders for such shirts.

Michael Adams, a UO history major, bought a Sweet Sixteen shirt for himself that he says he'll wear proudly when he heads home to San Jose later this week. "I love being able to show that the UO is in the Sweet 16 at last," he said.

But what if the Ducks were to reach the Final Four, as Adams insists is quite plausible? Would he buy a second shirt?

"I think I would, and probably wear it more often than this one," he said. "But this shirt is cool ... for now."

TALK TO US

Will you be watching Friday's big game? Where? What's your prediction?

Chime in at www.registerguard.com/talk