Oregon hopes to get its newcomers quickly into a tough convention that exceeded expectations.
The No. 13 Ducks, who have won consecutive Pac-12 regular season titles, were hampered by injuries last season, forcing the team to play less than planned.
But this season, Oregon is expected to see the return of 6-foot-11 center NFaly Dante, who played just six games last season before suffering an ACL injury. The team also edged its front court with Quincy Guerrier, a 6-8 transfer from Syracuse, who averaged 13.7 points and 8.4 rebounds last season.
Other major additions this season include guard Davian Harmon, transfer from Oklahoma, guard Jacob Young, transfer from Rutgers, and five-star recruit 7-foot center Nate Bittle from Central Point, Oregon. In total, there are seven newcomers.
For Ducks coach Dana Altman, it’s now a matter of solidarity.
Now some were moving slowly. I know they were frustrated because they weren’t moving fast enough, especially vets who have a pretty good idea of what they were doing, Altman said. With so many newcomers it takes a bit longer and it sometimes frustrates the players, coaches. But I think if we keep working on it, we have a chance to be a good team.
Oregon went 217 last season and 14-4 in Pac-12 play. Seeded seventh in the NCAA tournament, the Ducks crashed out of the first round against VCU due to coronavirus protocols.
Oregon defeated Iowa in the second round before falling to USC at the Sweet Sixteen. This was the fifth time the Ducks had advanced to the round of 16 under Altman.
This season, the Ducks were selected to finish second in the Pac-12 after UCLA, which went to the Final Four the previous season.
The Pac-12 sent three teams to the Elite Eight last spring and scored a league-record 13 NCAA Tournament victories and is expected to be good once again.
where there’s a will
Guard Will Richardson is starting his fourth season with the Ducks and will be instrumental in the team’s success this year.
Although he played behind Peyton Pritchard early in his career at Eugene, he took over as a starter last year with an average of 11.3 points and 3.9 assists. But he too lost time due to injury.
Will understand the league, he understands what was happening, Altman said. He got injured last year and I think it gives him a different perspective because he had to sit there for 12-13 matches and that makes the player appreciate the game a lot more.
moving on
The leading Ducks who followed last season’s run were Eugene Omoruyi and Chris Duarte.
Duarte, who averaged 17.1 points last year and was named AP Pac-12 Player of the Year, dropped out of school early and was drafted by the Pacers with the 13th overall pick. In Indiana’s season opener, he scored 27 points.
Omoruyi averaged 17.1 points with 5.4 rebounds for a duck last season. He was not drawn but signed a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks.
LJ Figueroa, who averaged 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds, graduated and played professionally overseas this year.
Crutchfield Board
Longtime Oregon assistant Tony Stubblefield was named head coach at DePaul in the off-season. Altman replaced him with Chris Crutchfield, who was under Lon Kruger for eight seasons at Oklahoma as an assistant at Arkansas and as head coach at East Central University.
Altman Extended
Altman, entering his 12th season with the Ducks, signed a one-year contract extension in the summer that could keep him in Eugene during the 2026–27 season. He is set to make $4 million in his final year.
Oregon is 280–109 under Altman with 11 straight 20-win seasons. The Ducks have gone to the NCAA Tournament seven times, including a run in the Final Four in 2017.
the schedule
Oregon begins the season on November 9 against Texas Southern. The Ducks host the BYU for Phil Knight Invitational on November 16 in Portland before moving on to the Maui Invitational in Las Vegas at the end of the month.
Oregon plays its first Pac-12 game on December 5 against Arizona State. The Ducks host Utah on New Year’s Day.
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