When No. 7 Gonzaga and Oregon square off this Sunday at the Moda Center in Portland, it’s more than just a high-profile non-conference clash-it’s a showcase of elite individual matchups, coaching pedigree, and two programs trying to define who they really are heading into the heart of the season.
Frontcourt Fireworks: Gonzaga’s Ike/Huff vs. Oregon’s Bittle/Evans Jr.
Let’s start with the frontcourt, where we’re getting a heavyweight battle between Gonzaga’s Graham Ike and Braden Huff against Oregon’s Nate Bittle and Kwame Evans Jr. This is where the game could tilt.
Ike brings physicality and a soft touch around the rim, while Huff has emerged as a versatile scoring threat who can stretch the floor. On the other side, Bittle is a long, athletic rim protector who can alter shots, and Evans Jr. has quietly turned into one of Oregon’s most consistent two-way players.
Evans Jr., in particular, has been a bright spot for the Ducks. Over the last couple of weeks, he’s started to look like the player Oregon fans were hoping for-a dynamic forward who rebounds, finishes strong, contests shots, and keeps defenses honest with his outside shot. If he continues trending upward, he could be the X-factor in this matchup.
Backcourt Battle: Saint-Supery vs. Shelstad
In the backcourt, keep an eye on the freshman duel between Gonzaga’s Mario Saint-Supery and Oregon’s Jackson Shelstad. Both were high on recruiting boards, and both are being asked to do a lot early in their college careers. Shelstad, a former Zags target, has taken on a big role for Oregon, and his ability to handle pressure, create shots, and limit mistakes will be tested against a Gonzaga team that thrives on forcing tempo and capitalizing on turnovers.
Coaching Titans: Few vs. Altman
And then there’s the sideline showdown-Mark Few versus Dana Altman. Few enters with 753 career wins in his 27th season, currently 21st all-time among Division I coaches.
Altman, in his 37th year, is tied for 15th with 786 wins, just behind legends like Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Rick Barnes, and Bill Self. Few sits just ahead of Tom Izzo and Kelvin Sampson.
That’s elite company, and it speaks to the sustained success both coaches have built.
But while Gonzaga has looked like a top-10 team, Oregon is still searching for its identity.
Oregon’s Struggles: Injuries, Turnovers, and Inconsistency
Coming into the season, Oregon was just outside the AP Top 25, but at 6-5 and winless against Quad 1 and 2 opponents, it’s clear this team hasn’t put it all together yet. Injuries have played a role, but the issues run deeper.
Offensively, the Ducks opened the year as one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country. That’s started to improve, but much of it has come against lower-tier competition.
Ball movement has been inconsistent, and turnovers have been a persistent issue. Even in their recent high-scoring wins-dropping 104 on UC Davis and 94 on Portland-Oregon struggled to take care of the ball. That kind of sloppiness won’t fly against a disciplined Gonzaga team.
Defensively, there have been some encouraging signs, especially with the press, but Oregon hasn’t shown it can string together stops against high-level competition. The Ducks are still relying heavily on Evans, Bittle, and Shelstad to carry the load, and the supporting cast hasn’t been consistent enough to ease that burden.
Keys to the Game: Keep It Simple
For Oregon to pull off the upset, it starts with the basics: take care of the ball, rebound with purpose, and move the ball to create high-percentage looks. Dana Altman has long preached the value of “simple plays,” but his team hasn’t executed them consistently enough to inspire confidence against top-tier opponents.
This game offers a chance for Oregon to turn a corner-but they’ll need to clean up the mistakes and get contributions beyond their top three if they want to hang with a Gonzaga team that’s rolling.
Expect a battle. Expect big-time moments from the stars.
And expect a coaching chess match between two of the most respected minds in college basketball. Sunday’s showdown in Portland has all the ingredients of a December game that feels a little more like March.