It is going to take a little adjustment for everyone to see the Oregon Ducks taking to the basketball court in a new conference, but that is just reality. The 2024-25 College Basketball season will see the Ducks play in the Big Ten, after being a part of the Pacific-12 Conference since its beginning in 1915, when it started as the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC). Both the Pac-12 and Big Ten are two of the more historic conferences in college basketball. Oregon famously won the inaugural NCAA Tournament in 1939, when they defeated the Big Ten’s Ohio State Buckeyes 46-33.
A lot of time in the sport has passed since then but Oregon and Ohio State are going to be able to square off against each other every year moving forward which is a great way to carry on the legacy set by both the Ducks and Buckeyes from back in 1939. Oregon will have plenty of other big match-ups to look forward to. So with that let’s take a look at some of the best things the Big Ten will be getting from Oregon.
Oregon Ducks Welcome to Big Ten Basketball: What to Expect
Oregon’s Head Coach Dana Altman certainly will miss the PAC-12 he told Zachary Neel from DucksWire but he also mentioned that he’s ready for the new opportunity the Big Ten presents.
“I’m a little disappointed you know I love the conference. You know, I liked the travel I liked the rivalries and I liked the conference. You know, change is always difficult. We have some big changes coming up. But it’s also exciting at the same time,” Altman said. “… So now we have a new opportunity and a new challenge and an exciting challenge to move to the Big Ten.”
What is the Big Ten Getting in Oregon
The Big Ten has been a yearly contender when it comes to producing some of the best teams in the country come NCAA Tournament time. The Big Ten has seen five teams (Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue) reach the final four since 2012. The Ducks have also reached the final four in that time frame, when they were able to make it in 2017, which was their first appearance since their title win in 1939.
Oregon has made three other trips to the NCAA Tournament since 2017, including last season when Altman’s Ducks reached the round of 32. With a strong returning core in 2024-25, the Ducks could be right in position to reach the tournament again.
Key Returners for the Ducks
Jackson Shelstad broke onto the scene last season, and he is going to have to take it to another level this coming season, especially with how tough a conference the Big Ten is. The Ducks already showcased that they are ready to go head-to-head in the Big Ten as they took down the Michigan Wolverines last season, behind the efforts of Shelstad who went for 14 points in what was just his seventh collegiate game. Shelstad is going to have to take over for the Ducks after the team lost top contributor Jermaine Couisnard, who led the team in scoring averaging 16.6 points per game.
A Look at Oregon’s Big Ten Slate in Year One
Oregon had plenty of great rivalries in the PAC-12, including with in-state rival Oregon State. Luckily they have a lot of new opportunities to build a rivalry with some of their new foes in the Big Ten. They have had a few match-ups with the likes of Michigan already, with each of the last two meetings being very competitive.
An Oregon-Ohio State rivalry could be cool, given the two played for the first NCAA title in the sport. Oregon will still get to play USC, UCLA, and Washington, and the Washington-Oregon match-up has always been exciting. Road Trips to the Breslin Center at Michigan State and Crisler Center in Ann Arbor should be fun.
2024-25 #B1G Conference Men’s Basketball Opponents Announced 👇 #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/G7RMW03yfD
— Oregon Men's Basketball (@OregonMBB) May 1, 2024
Realistic Expectation
The Ducks have some tough games in the Big Ten this season, but they have plenty of players ready to make an impact. Leading that charge will have to be key returning players Shelstad and Kwame Evans along with new pieces in Ra’Heim Moss and Villanova transfer TJ Bamba. The Ducks look to have retooled and appear to be in a good position to make noise in their first season in the Big Ten. Oregon is going to be a good story to follow, especially if they find a way to be near the top of the Big Ten standings in their first year.
