Every single season since Dana Altman’s arrival back in 2010 has seen Oregon win at least 20 games, though some seasons are different than others. Nothing tops their Final Four run back in 2017, though this past season’s effort was up there in recent memory. The Ducks transitioned into the Big Ten after perennial work near or at the top of the Pac-12 standings and didn’t struggle too much in their debut season.
Things didn’t go perfectly, but the Ducks grabbed a share of 7th place in the Big Ten, winning 25 games and making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row. Oregon shined early in the season with their success at the Players Era Festival and later ended the regular season on a strong note, but things will be different in year two in the Big Ten.
Senior guards TJ Bamba and Keeshawn Barthelemy were important factors last season while averaging double figures. Both are gone, alongside a long list of other talent like Brandon Angel and Jadrian Tracey in the frontcourt. There are new faces in town filling those holes, but the Ducks also return their two top players from last season and that alone gives them reason for some heightened expectations.
We’ll explain exactly what that means by going through the important pieces in this rotation, especially focusing on those two returning stars. Oregon has the chance to be even better in a strong Big Ten and we’ll see what awaits them on their schedule and give some other expectations.
Projected Starters
Guard – Jackson Shelstad (Junior)
A 6-0 point guard and former Top 25 recruit, Shelstad looked great as a freshman with the Ducks but was even better last season. He averaged 13.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists and took on more of a leadership role while his offensive numbers took a step forward as a sophomore. After earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors last year, Shelstad remains one of the best point guards in the Big Ten and makes everyone around him better when he’s leading the charge.
Guard – Takai Simpkins (Senior)
A new piece landed from the transfer portal, Simpkins comes to the west coast after brilliant work the last two years with Elon. He earned All-CAA honors as a junior while putting up 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Simpkins can affect the game in a number of ways, made 37% of his 3-pointers and could develop into exactly the type of veteran scorer the Ducks need to supplement this offense.
Forward – Devon Pryor (Junior)
Regarded as a quick and agile wing, Pryor is a 6-7 forward out of Houston who didn’t see a lot of run the last two seasons down at Texas. He actually only played 30 games with the Longhorns, averaging just 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds this past season as a sophomore. The opportunities weren’t there for him but he might be leaned on heavily by these Ducks, especially if he can start producing at a high level with his speed and athleticism.
Forward – Kwame Evans Jr. (Junior)
Although he didn’t have the production that some expected last season, Evans is back for year three with the Ducks and should step up into a major role for this team. A former Top 15 recruit, he put up just 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a game, mostly serving as a reserve. The depth chart looks very different in this frontcourt and Evans is an important returner, especially if he can live up to his earlier expectations.
Center – Nate Bittle (Senior)
The major offseason victory for Oregon was Bittle returning for one last ride with the Ducks. A former Top 20 prospect, he’s a 7-footer from the state of Oregon who has developed into a sensational big man. Bittle was the Big Ten’s best shot blocker and earned All-Big Ten honors after averaging 14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game all while shooting a decent clip from outside the arc. Now he’s one of the best returning centers in the nation.
Key Reserves
Forward – Dezdrick Lindsay (Senior)
We’ve yet to see Lindsay play D1 basketball, as he came to Oregon last season following impressive work at the junior college level. Prior to missing last season with injury issues, Lindsay put up incredible numbers at Florida Southwestern, demonstrating his ability as a scorer, shooter, and rebounder. If healthy and able to adjust to life in the Big Ten, he can be an under the radar star for this team.
Forward – Sean Stewart (Junior)
Expectations were almost sky high for Stewart coming into his collegiate career but it just hasn’t come together. A former 5-star prospect, he barely saw the court as a freshman at Duke before underwhelming last season with Ohio State, but Oregon is hoping they can find the right role to unlock his potential. He averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds with the Buckeyes as a full-time starter, giving the Ducks an athletic forward with solid rebounding ability off the bench.
Guard – JJ Frakes (Freshman)
A few power conference teams had their eyes on Frakes, but the 6-5 guard from Michigan found his way to the Ducks instead. He didn’t quite get the attention or high ranks of some other backcourt pieces, but Frakes is an athletic guard with a nice jump shot who could develop into an important rotation piece right off the bat.
Guard – Jamari Phillips (Sophomore)
Phillips arrived in Eugene last season as a highly-touted freshman, as the 6-3 shooting guard from Arizona was a 4-star recruit. There was a ton of experience and many names ahead of him on the Ducks’ depth chart, with Phillips barely seeing any time on the court. Expectations are raised in year two, as he tracks as a versatile offensive weapon who can make shots from anywhere on the court and bring something on the defensive end as well.
Schedule Outlook
After seeing a pair of former league rivals in preseason exhibitions, Oregon kicks off the season with four straight home games, highlighted by rival Oregon State coming to town on November 17. The Ducks then return to the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas and will have quite the challenges with Auburn, San Diego State, and a third opponent.
There’s a brief week of Big Ten play in early December, though the Ducks see familiar faces in UCLA and USC. The challenges aren’t done yet, as they’ll head to Portland to play Gonzaga on December 21 right before Christmas. After hosting Omaha a week later, Big Ten play gets going in earnest with their first cross country trip to the east coast.
Those long distance road trips are the problem for these west coast Big Ten teams but let’s not pretend like life in this conference is easy. They’ve got a particularly tough one in early February at Purdue and Indiana, but do get spared from road games against the Michigan schools, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. After another long trip out to Northwestern and Illinois late, the regular season ends at home against Washington before the Big Ten Tourney back out in Chicago.
Season Outlook
With all things considered, last season could’ve gone better for the Ducks, but they still managed a pretty solid effort in their debut in the Big Ten. Things aren’t much different except for massive changes in the rotation. This team still needs to find ways to win games far from home and they’re going to need important contributions from some of those new pieces in town.
The expectations are high because of Bittle’s return and there’s significant reason for that. The 7-footer has the size and skill set to be a solid player at the next level, but for now Oregon is reaping the benefits of his influence. He can step outside and hit shots, he can cause mayhem in the paint, and he’s a piece that makes the team better in nearly every way when he’s out there for the Ducks.
Let’s not pretend Oregon’s season is riding on duck Bittle’s shoulders because this team really needs a strong junior year from Shelstad. He’s shown fantastic potential at the point for the Ducks and is an electric player, but can he facilitate a strong offense when the options are so different this year? The Ducks really need Simpkins and Evans and others to step up in the absence of Bamba, Barthelemy and others.
There are a few other faces on this roster that we didn’t touch on, but the depth is full of question marks. Oregon really needs someone like Stewart to step up with the opportunities given, while this team would also love to see Lindsay realize his true potential after shining in junior college. Beyond them, the bench has youth and new faces to college ball and any additional contributions would be appreciated.
With the season beginning in less than two months, Oregon in its current state looks like a fringe Top 25 team that can make noise but will have some shortfalls as well. Bittle himself really elevates the potential and could work his way into national attention with another fantastic season. Beyond that, the Ducks need someone to step up to make this team a real contender in the Big Ten, but could that be in the cards in Eugene this year?