Ducks Face Hawaii in Exciting Season Opener
Oregon men’s basketball is set to kick off the 2025-26 season against Hawaii on November 4, 2025. This season opener will take place at 7:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Local radio coverage will be available on KUJZ 95.3 FM in Eugene and KFXX 1080 AM in Portland.
Ducks Hold Strong Season Opening Record
Under head coach Dana Altman, the Ducks have achieved notable success in season openers. They have a record of 13 wins and just 2 losses in such games. Additionally, Oregon has won every home opener since Altman took charge, maintaining an impressive 15-0 record. Historically, the Ducks have faced Hawaii 11 times, holding a slight edge with 6 wins to 5 losses. The last encounter occurred on December 7, 2019, when Oregon defeated Hawaii convincingly with an 89-64 score.
Returning Key Players
This season, the Ducks will benefit from the return of three prominent players from last year’s postseason. Nate Bittle, Jackson Shelstad, and Kwame Evans Jr. are expected to make a significant impact.
- Nate Bittle: Led the team last season with an average of 14.2 points per game and contributed 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks.
- Jackson Shelstad: Averaged 13.7 points, with notable shooting percentages of 45.1% from the field and 83.5% from the free throw line.
- Kwame Evans Jr.: Played all 35 games, averaging 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in a supporting role.
Other returning players include Dezdrick Lindsay, Jamari Phillips, and Oleksandr Kobzystyi, all of whom are poised for expanded roles this season.
New Additions to the Roster
The Ducks have enhanced their roster by bringing in experienced players from Division I schools and international leagues:
- Devon Pryor: A former Texas player, he participated in 30 games, averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds.
- Takai Simpkins: Named to the All-CAA second team last season, he averaged 16.4 points at Elon and had five games with over 20 points in the final stretch of the season.
- Sean Stewart: A former player for Duke and Ohio State, he averaged 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds, starting every game for the Buckeyes last season.
- Ege Demir: This Turkish player averaged 5.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15.3 minutes last season.
- Wei Lin: Previously with the Nanjing Monkey Kings, Lin posted impressive statistics with 21.0 points and 5.0 assists.
- Efe Vatan: He played in the U19 league with Galatasaray, averaging 16.7 points and 6.5 rebounds last season.
With a mix of experienced returnees and promising new players, the Oregon Ducks are gearing up for an exciting season. Their matchup against Hawaii will set the tone for the season ahead.
