Oregon Men’s Basketball Is Struggling - And It's Not Just the Injuries
There’s no sugarcoating it - Oregon men’s basketball is in a rough spot. The Ducks are sitting at 8-13 overall and just 1-9 in Big Ten play, second-to-last in the 18-team conference.
That’s uncharted territory for a Dana Altman program that’s made consistency its calling card for over a decade. His 15-year streak of 20-win seasons?
That’s almost certainly over.
Now, yes, injuries have been a major storyline. But even when relatively healthy, this roster hasn’t shown it has the depth or firepower to hang with the rest of the Big Ten. Beyond standout point guard Jackson Shelstad and big man Nate Bittle - both of whom have missed significant time - the Ducks have struggled to find reliable production.
Wednesday night’s loss to UCLA was a snapshot of the season in miniature. Oregon dressed just eight scholarship players.
The crowd at Matthew Knight Arena was sparse - just 5,721 fans in a building that holds over 12,000 - and the Ducks slogged through a 73-57 defeat. Frankly, losing by only 16 felt like a small win given the circumstances.
Shelstad, Bittle, Takai Simpkins, and Ege Demir were all unavailable. Devon Pryor started the game but exited early with a leg injury that’s been bothering him for weeks. That’s five key rotation players, including three starters, either out or limited.
Shelstad’s season has been defined by setbacks. He broke his hand a month before the opener, missed the start of the year, came back for 12 games, and then suffered another hand injury - this one with ligament damage. Surgery is reportedly on the table, and if that happens, his season is likely over.
Bittle, meanwhile, has been sidelined with a lingering foot issue and hasn’t played since January 13. There’s no clear timetable for his return, but it could be weeks. His backup, Ege Demir - a promising addition from Turkey - is also out with a shoulder injury.
With Shelstad and Bittle unavailable, Simpkins had been forced into a lead scoring role. Originally expected to provide scoring punch off the bench, the Elon transfer stepped up admirably when paired with the Ducks’ stars.
He thrived in that third-option role - spacing the floor, attacking closeouts, and finishing at the rim. But then, on January 25 against Washington, he too went down with an ankle injury and missed the UCLA game.
That’s Oregon’s top three scorers - Bittle, Shelstad, and Simpkins - all sidelined. Bittle also ranks second on the team in rebounding.
Shelstad leads in assists. Simpkins, Shelstad, and Bittle have combined for 94 made three-pointers this season - a massive loss in a game increasingly defined by perimeter shooting.
The result? A team that’s missing its offensive engine, its interior presence, and its spacing. It’s no wonder the Ducks are struggling to keep pace.
One bright spot against UCLA was sophomore Kwame Evans Jr., a former four-star recruit who’s had an up-and-down tenure in Eugene. With the offense running through him, Evans poured in a career-high 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-10 from deep.
He led the team in nearly every offensive category that night - points, shot attempts, makes, threes attempted and made. Even he wasn’t immune to the injury bug, tweaking his ankle during the game, though he played through it.
Still, one breakout performance can’t mask the broader issues. Oregon is heading into a brutal stretch, hosting Iowa before hitting the road to face No.
12 Purdue and Indiana - all teams with 14+ wins and NCAA Tournament aspirations. Meanwhile, the Ducks are staring down a March without postseason play, just a year removed from reaching the Round of 32.
The contrast is stark. And the questions about the future are real.
Bittle is gone after this season - he’s out of eligibility. Shelstad, an Oregon native, will have a decision to make.
In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, a player of his caliber could draw serious interest - and serious offers - from other programs. After a season like this, the idea of a fresh start elsewhere might be tempting, especially if he wants to boost his draft stock.
Even with five-star recruit Tajh Ariza on the way, Oregon’s roster construction raises concerns. The lack of wing production and consistent outside shooting has plagued the team all year, putting too much pressure on Shelstad, Bittle, and Simpkins to carry the load when healthy.
The immediate outlook - the final 10 regular-season games and the Big Ten Tournament - is bleak. But perhaps more concerning is the long-term picture. With key players potentially moving on and questions about the supporting cast, Oregon has a lot of work to do to get back to competing in a loaded Big Ten.
The Ducks have been a model of stability under Altman for over a decade. But right now, the program is at a crossroads - and the road back to relevance won’t be easy.