Oregon Basketball: Ducks start season 4-0, look to avenge in-state rival on Thursday night

The Oregon Ducks are seeking to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year in a row for the first time since 2016 and 2017.

Through the power of four-year Duck Nate Bittle and Villanova transfer TJ Bamba, the Ducks are already spiraling in the right direction.

Oregon has jumped out to a 4-0 start, taking down UC Riverside, Montana, Portland and Troy. The Ducks avenged the Highlanders, Grizzlies and Trojans with ease, but almost fell to the Pilots in that third game, barely escaping with a 80-70 overtime win. 

Bittle, a seven-foot center, is averaging a team-high 14.5 points, a team-high 9.3 rebounds, two assists, and a team-high 1.8 blocks through Oregon’s first four games. The Central Point, Oregon native has been in Eugene since he was a freshman, averaging 1.7 points his freshman season, 7.3 points his sophomore year, and 10 points last season before suffering a wrist injury just three games into the season. He returned and played two games at the end of January but was then sidelined the rest of the season with an illness. 

Bamba, a senior, is playing with authority. Through the four opening contests, he has averaged 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. He is shooting 45.5% from the field and 33.3% from deep.

Oregon has five players currently averaging double-digits, including Bittle and Bamba. The others are senior Jadrian Tracey (11.3), senior Supreme Cook (11), and senior Brandon Angel (10.3). 

On top of the pure talent injected into this Oregon roster, the Ducks have a deep, experienced squad with a usual starting five consisting of three seniors, Bittle, Angel, and Bamba, while the other two are sophomores who were heavily used as freshmen, Kwame Evans Jr. and Jackson Shelstad.

Evans Jr. played 36 games last season, averaging 22.5 minutes per contest while Shelstad played 32 games and averaged 32.6 minutes. 

Oregon sits in a strong spot right now heading into their fifth matchup of the season against in-state rival Oregon State (4-0). The Ducks faceoff against the Beavers tonight at 10:00 p.m inside of Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Oregon. That game can be viewed on ESPN+.