Oregon Ducks
2023-2024 Result: 24-12 record (12-8 PAC 12), NCAA tournament appearance
Projected Starting Lineup
Head Coach: Dana Altman (15th season)
Guard: Jackson Shelstad (SO)
Guard: TJ Bamba (SR)
Guard: Jadrien Tracey (SR)
Forward: Brandon Angel (SR)
Center: Nathan Bittle (SR)
Key Additions
TJ Bamba (Villanova)
Brandon Angel (Stanford)
Ra’Heim Moss (Toledo)
Supreme Cook (Georgetown)
Jamari Phillips (4-star recruit)
Key Losses
Kario Oquendo
Brennan Rigsby
N’Faly Dante
Jesse Zarzuela
Jermaine Couisnard
Dana Altman’s team had a nice season last year winning 24 games and winning an NCAA Tournament game as an 11 seed before falling to Creighton in overtime in the second round. The Ducks lost their two leading scorers in N’Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard, and 10 point per game scorer Jesse Zarzuela. Jackson Shelstad had a great season as a freshman last year and figures to spearhead the team in Eugene. They also were very active in the portal bringing in TJ Bamba from Villanova, Brandon Angel, Ra’Heim Moss, and Supreme Cook. Bamba and Angel figure to join Shelstad, Bittle, and Jadrien Tracey in the starting lineup. Kwame Evans Jr. is a big x-factor for the Ducks as he showed some strong flashes last season, but also had his freshman moments.
Oregon’s defense should do well in the BIG 10. They have better athletes than most of the teams in this conference, which should bode well for their defensive pressure and rim protection. Their rim protector, N’Faly Dante, graduated, so not having him will be a big loss, but Dana Altman always does a good job recruiting and developing big men. The hope is that Nate Bittle can stay healthy and be their rim protector this season along with versatile defender Kwame Evans Jr. and transfer, Supreme Cook. The defensive backcourt will be effective just because of the size, length, and the way that Oregon plays. TJ Bamba and Jadrian Tracey, along with sophomore Jackson Shelstad, will hold down opposing guards. The Ducks’ defense has a lot of potential, especially against several opponents in this conference, which leads me to believe they will fare better than they did in the PAC-12.
Offensively, I am very high on the Ducks. They lost Jermaine Couisnard and N’Faly Dante, which is about 34 points a game, but it is more about the expected growth of the current roster that is exciting. Jackson Shelstad was awesome as a freshman. He has such a smooth game and will have the ball in his hands a lot this season. Expect him to be ready for the big stage, especially with veterans in Bamba and Tracey alongside him to relieve some pressure. Kwame Evans Jr. has tons of potential for this team. He had his moments as a freshman last year, so in a bigger role and with a whole offseason of development, I expect his potential to shine through. Brandon Angel was a great pickup from Stanford. He isn’t the best athlete, but he will be a steadying force that scores at a very efficient clip. Again, if Bittle is healthy, he will play a massive role too. This offense is very deep with a plethora of options coming off the bench too. The Oregon Ducks should be a fun team to watch with Jackson Shelstad spearheading the attack.
After coming up just short of the Sweet 16 last season, Oregon feels like they are primed to take the next step, especially in the weaker BIG 10. Altman is a great coach who has developed a deep team in Eugene. The biggest concern is the travel aspect. After joining the BIG 10, this meant long flights to the Northeast to play teams like Rutgers and Penn State. In the regular season, this could be a hindrance to their success because of the time zones and long flights, but come conference tournament time, this team is right up there with some of the best in the BIG 10. Oregon should be in a position to go on a nice run in March if they stay healthy and all goes as projected.