The Oregon Ducks have started to flesh out their non-conference schedule, and one of the first additions is a familiar kind of trip through the Pacific Northwest.
Eastern Washington will visit Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene on Nov. 6, giving Oregon a buy-game opponent from Cheney, Washington, according to the Ducks’ X post. Dan Monson’s Eagles are coming out of the Big Sky and will try to make life interesting for a Ducks team still putting the finishing touches on its 2026-27 roster.
Monson’s group has gone 24-41 overall and 17-19 in Big Sky play since he was hired in 2024. His coaching résumé is a long one, with four NCAA Tournament trips since 1997-98 across three schools. That run includes the Elite Eight with Gonzaga in 1998-99, plus Round of 64 appearances with Minnesota in 2004-05 and with Long Beach State in both 2011-12 and 2023-24.
Eastern Washington is only one piece of Oregon’s early schedule picture. According to The Bracketeer, the Ducks have also lined up two other buy-game matchups.
One of them comes Nov. 19, when Dana Altman’s team meets rival Oregon State at the Moda Center in Portland in a neutral-site game. Another arrives during Thanksgiving week at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, where Oregon will be part of the 16-team field at Michelob Ultra Arena.
That event has also taken on a bigger spotlight, with ESPN now serving as the exclusive broadcast partner and NIL money in play. Oregon opens the tournament against Rick Pitino and St.
John’s on Nov. 24, then moves on Nov. 26 against either Louisville or Texas Tech. The Nov. 27 game will come against one of Tennessee, Maryland, San Diego State or Iowa State.
The title game is set for Nov. 28, giving the final two teams another shot at a quality win in Sin City. Michigan, last year’s Players Era champion, sits on the other side of the bracket as one possible path through the event.
For now, Oregon’s roster is already full. The Ducks have 15 of 15 available spots filled, including walk-ons Rian Gonzales, a redshirt freshman guard, and Luke Johnson, a junior forward. Freshman forward Kendre Harrison is expected to join the program after the college football season ends, and he will play tight end for Dan Lanning in the meantime.
Even with the roster mostly set, there’s still some uncertainty hanging over college basketball because of the ongoing 5-in-5 eligibility situation. As the month goes on, the Ducks’ picture could still change.
One more recruiting note surfaced as well. Four-star wing King Rachal of DNA Prep Academy in Chatsworth, California, has lined up four official visits with high-major programs this fall, he told League Ready’s Sam Kayser.
The 6-7, 180-pound wing is in the 2027 class and is ranked by Rivals as the No. 61 overall recruit, No. 16 at his position and No. 5 in California. He played with Team CPSA on Puma’s All-PRO16 AAU circuit this summer.
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